# Should the US really be sending troops to Africa to combat Ebola?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-us-really-be-sending-troops-to-africa-to-combat-ebola/699027>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [September 20, 2014, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-us-really-be-sending-troops-to-africa-to-combat-ebola/699027 "2014-09-20T17:44:31Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\
**Post date:** [September 21, 2014, 8:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-us-really-be-sending-troops-to-africa-to-combat-ebola/699027/21 "2014-09-21T08:44:45Z")

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> [@AK84](#):
>
> :rolleyes: That would be just dandy. Would really help the Aid mission if you have a bunch of marauding American soldiers shooting people.
> 
> I suspect the US military is a lot more disciplined than that.

Shooting murderous conspiracy theorists who are actively sabotaging attempts to control a deadly, contagious disease does not imply a lack of discipline.

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**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\
**Post date:** [September 21, 2014, 9:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-us-really-be-sending-troops-to-africa-to-combat-ebola/699027/22 "2014-09-21T09:08:50Z")

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But generating headline such as “US soldiers kill 40 outside Aid station” certainly is.

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**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\
**Post date:** [September 21, 2014, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-us-really-be-sending-troops-to-africa-to-combat-ebola/699027/23 "2014-09-21T21:36:01Z")

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> [@Grumman](#):
>
> Shooting murderous conspiracy theorists who are actively sabotaging attempts to control a deadly, contagious disease does not imply a lack of discipline.

But it is a great way to really drive home the point that those crazy freaky foreigners with their bizarre disease really are up to no good.

The chances of the US having orders to shoot is pretty much nill, and it should be. It’s important to realize how much trauma Liberia has been through, and how recent that trauma was. People are not trusting the authorities because it was recently driven home in a very real way that the authorities would like to torture, rape and kill. The reason why people are not complying is not that they are backwards or stupid, it’s because that is what recent events have shown is the best way to stay alive. And people don’t see the West as saviors-- we weren’t saviors when they were getting killed earlier, why would we be now?

It’s a tough, complex problem that is not going to be easily resolved.

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**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\
**Post date:** [September 21, 2014, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-us-really-be-sending-troops-to-africa-to-combat-ebola/699027/24 "2014-09-21T23:15:55Z")

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> [@AK84](#):
>
> :rolleyes: That would be just dandy. Would really help the Aid mission if you have a bunch of marauding American soldiers shooting people.
> 
> I suspect the US military is a lot more disciplined than that. Relief missions are a staple of militaries.

Sorry, someone attacks a US medical camp, then they get shot. Simple. It isn’t like I am recommending they wander around in the bush shooting random people. :dubious::rolleyes:  
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