I don't support the war but I support the troops, brave peeps.

site is broken...been down for about an hour now

The guy on the left is holding Gran Turismo 3 A-Spec. Hmmm! Don't be cheap! =D

Really nice thing Cheapy D is doing for the troops. The problem is whether the troops have the right system to play on.

Hmm, I don't know what to part with. After much debate, I've decided to donate my precious Superman 64.

(I don't think there will be pictures of happy soldiers with that game) =P

@Spolodaface: So you pay taxes too? Wow what a coincidence! We should hang out.

Perfect opportunity to send on my GoWs. Have fun ripping heads off medusa, guys.

I was just wondering, I always hear information about game sales in Japan, USA nad Europe, but do countries such as Iraq and Afganistan have any kind of a videogame market? I assume not, or the troops could just buy them themselves. I like the idea of practising tactics on CoD4, or Advance Wars or something, and anything to keep up moral must be a good thing.

That's very cool. Those brave men and women deserve a way to blow off the stress of being in such a tense environment. I'll have to rummage through my stacks of games when I get home.

@deathbunny: Well I don't pay U.S. taxes.

I'm just trying to say well done to all those who donated and to CheapyD for rousing interest in the subject.

Edit: and also Kotaku for the coverage and subsequent increase in interest.

Someone should send them Call Of Duty 4.

Very cool. I hope they'll be playing them stateside soon.

"I don't support the war but I support the troops"

I don't support teaching. But I support teachers.

I don't support parenting. But I support mom and dad.

I don't support video games. But I support game makers.

"Someone should send them Call Of Duty 4."
@Mr_Fuzzypaws:

They are playing the real Call of Duty 4 and they don't get the option to restart at the last checkpoint.

My buddy just got back from Iraq. From what he tells me, a simple distraction, like an old game I no longer play, would go a long way.

there are still people in the USA who support the war in Iraq? Wow.

I read about this on Digg yesterday, but the goodwill I felt was ruined by some troll shitting on the troops. Thankfully Kotaku doesn't attract even close to the amount of assholes as Digg. Good work guys. I'll be going through my games for some stuff to send.

@Torokun:

Teachers don't put there lives on the line whether or not they believe in the cause.

Parent don't put there lives on the line whether or not they believe in the cause.

Videogame makers don't put there lives on the line whether or not they believe in the cause.

Troops SERVE, therefore I can say; I don't support the war you are fighting (the political manipulation behind it), but I respect you as an individual for sacrificing yourself for others.

with the millions and billions of dollars that gets spent on military equipment they can't spare a few million to keep their troops entertained when they aren't potentially being killed?

wOOt! I'm down to hook our brothers and sister in the desert up with some games! Maybe, if we could get all sides to game, we wouldn't have to fight eachother!

Anyhow, agree, disagree (with war/"this war") it doesn't matter this is a good program.

@ExistentialEgg:

"I don't support the war you are fighting (the political manipulation behind it), but I respect you as an individual for sacrificing yourself for others"

How can you respect someone who is doing something you believe to be wrong?

I spent some time in Kuwait. Anything you guys have will be well appreciated. We do have a little PX to buy games and stuff at...but normally everything is sold out or you have a Barbie game or 2 to choose from.

You don't have to support the war...but support the young Marines, Soldiers, Airmen and Sailors. They're lives are hard enough :)

why have a tips addy on the site if you don't give props?

I don't see why people should donate games when they can just buy them theirselves, or get them from their own friends/family. They got jobs.

The Christian Gaming Association launched a site a couple weeks ago with the EXACT same thing....

[www.tradeinsfortroops.org]

Its nice to see people supporting the troops. :]

@fyre: I think he means that he respects that they would be willing to die for the preservation of the country but is disgraced at the fact that instead they are used for foreign plunderage.

@fyre: because it wasn't their decision to make. It's their duty. I don't respect the ones who put them their for a heartbeat, but the Troops aren't allowed to protest the policy, they have to tighten their boots and dive into hell.

@unicronband: amen

might send them Katamari :P

You think they care if its a used copy of Kane & Lynch?

@vacax: If your talking about people in the states or at home then thats fine, but we are talking about people in the military who don't have the option to just go out and play. I don' think you even bothered reading the article. Make sure you to read next time instead of commenting on the thread.

I should donate some of my games but i don't think the like barbie's horse adventure. :/

Since if not Ill so fucking send Cheapy mine to send.

My buddies in Iraq are always complaining about not having any video games to play in between being shot at on patrol, sleeping through mortar attacks, holding their breath as they drive along praying they miss an IED, and snipers using them as target practice.

=\

Also to all those suggesting COD4, I don't think they're going to relax and get away from it all with a game simulating the worst parts of their own lives.

Just like you wouldn't give a Vietnam Vet Shellshock*

*also because it's an awful game.

@n/a:
You looken to start another war? ;)

Hmm you know I think I will send them kane & lynch lol

Along with some other THPS game cept I cant find it atm.

@ExistentialEgg:

this is no place for indepth political discussion, but i just can´t leave statements like that without reply:

"Troops SERVE, therefore I can say; I don't support the war you are fighting (the political manipulation behind it), but I respect you as an individual for sacrificing yourself for others."

Come on, it would be a sacrifice if someone would attack your country without you doing any harm to him and then you´d defend your people against the attacking force.
Its something completely different if you go and attack some other country for some very dubious reasons, this is no sacrifice, again, you´re the attacking side there.
Too many wrong things are done and sold as heroism or patriotic acts, if people wouldn´t still believe in such stupid propaganda manipulations of reality we´d have less wars and terrorism cause each side´s leader always sells the wrong actions of themselves as heroic patriotic acts against the evil terrorist forces.

@vacax: Then don't donate, don't click on the link, don't comment. Fuck off.

@vacax:
You a bit a of douche, you know that?

On a side note, doesn't it seem kinda fucked up to send the guys over in Iraq COD:4 or pretty much any war game? I'd be willing to donate a new copy to them if I knew they actually *wanted* it.

@ExistentialEgg:
@Spolodaface:

I kinda see what you guys are saying, but I still disagree. Anyways the way I see it, "A man chooses, a slave obeys." Or something like that.

"On a side note, doesn't it seem kinda fucked up to send the guys over in Iraq COD:4 or pretty much any war game? I'd be willing to donate a new copy to them if I knew they actually *wanted* it."

They do. PSP and DS games would probably be more appreciated as most people have those. There aren't as many 360's or PS3's and such over there. A bunch of PS2's though. Quick play games are probably preferred. You normally have a bunch of guys sharing a PS2 system. Racing games, fighting games, Madden...etc etc. RPG's...don't get as much play since the console is being shared alot unless it's a handheld. Just food for thought.

@tomsamson:

I'll keep it brief because you're right, this isn't the place for this discussion. ALL I'm saying is hate the policy makers, NOT the Troops. They have no say in who they shoot or get shot from. They are following orders. Their only power of protest would be to stand there and let themselves get shot.

And you're right, the LEADERS manipulate and sell themselves as heroic, hate THEM, not their gun toting messengers.

@ExistentialEgg: This thread will probably turn pretty grim at some point, so I'll try to sneak in with my bad attitude before it gets eclipsed by everyone else's.

The idea of dying for a cause which you don't necessarily agree with is noble, or at least, we consider it noble because, if we didn't, it would make war look really stupid, and that's not really an option. That said, the idea that you would die for something you *don't* believe in, is ridiculous--which is why it's virtually never true. Soldiers believe in the principle that they're defending something (or, they go into the military because they don't know what to believe), and then, like anybody else, their brain folds itself in half equating what they're doing with that purpose--whether it's true or not. Even given that, to treat all soldiers like a homogenous block of noble people is unrealistic. Soldiers rape and pillage and committ murder outside the immediacy of combat--we know it happens because they're imprisoned for it. It is one of the inevitable side-effects of warfare and quartering troops in a population (which is one of the reasons it's forbidden by the Constitution; personal experience).

When you reduce the issue to this aphoristic 'support the troops' nonsense, you might as well be saying 'that's hot'. It means nothing. Frankly, it's an insult to the people you're allegedly supporting, since it requires no effort and has no real meaning. My pay taxes comment was said with this in mind; everybody supports the troops whether they want to or not. That's beside the point. Putting a flag on your car doesn't make you a patriot, putting a fish on your car doesn't make you pious, and saying you support the troops doesn't do them any good.

By the same token, at this point, talking about the war as if its something which is binary, yes or no, is ridiculous. There's 60 years of mistakes leading directly to this moment, including support for Kuwait by the US; a regime that was deliberately trying to bankrupt Iraq. Who was right or wrong at this point is utterly irrelevant. It is carved in absolute stone through volumes of recorded history that we'd end up having to interfere somehow. What everyone *should* be objecting to, is that no venture is worth supporting when it is a collassal fuckup from beginning to end and every nanosecond in between. The strategic move at this point is unbelievably obvious; sponsor an independent kurdistan, and relocate our troops there, so that they're not coming in constant contact with IEDs while driving around in Hummers for no discernable reason (other than to trigger the aforementioend IEDs). That would be a meaningful benefit to the troops. Instead, what we have is inertia and a mindless Polly-wanna-cracker style debate between bumper stickers. At this point, having *restored* the level of instability present before we sponsored Saddam's rise to power (admittedly, not knowing what kind of ruler he'd be--though, honestly, having seen the situation, how *else* could you possibly stave off the religious extremists and keep the populace in line? Other than pie.), backing off to a safe distance and watching the cradle of civilization splatter itself all over the walls in the name of god is all that can be done. There's no cure for deep-seated belief that doesn't involve personal experience with the afterlife.

So that's me. When I hear support the troops, it's like fingernails on a blackboard because it's not a solution, it's not a suggestion, it's not even a meaningful statement. It's a placebo of language designed to stave off a real discussion. We might all be idiots who don't know what's best (we includes me, in fact, I'm almost certain I'm an idiot), but putting a cork in a real discussion by exchanging canned signals like angry modems (are you there? Yes I'm there. I'm going to ask you to support something. Fine, I support things. Support the troops. Error: Your face is like a butt. Traitor! Nationalist!---and then you D/C), gets nobody anywhere, least of all the troops, who pay by the minute for all the empty statements that fill the time between now and when somebody finally makes a real decision.

First off this is great and I hope anyone reading this who has an extra game around donates it.

Second to respond to frye. You can easily support the troops without supporting the war. Both the decision to go to war and the policy on how it has been run comes from the civilian side (i.e. the Bush Administration). The actual solders on the ground have absolutely nothing to do with policy. They fight because as soldiers it's their duty regardless of their personal feelings towards the war. Some are for it some and some are against it. Either way they are there and it's hell.

So why you would let your political views get in the way of seeing that while someone might not believe in the policies that got us into war they still want to see our soldiers safe, happy and hopefully coming home soon? I mean is that so hard to grasp? If you are for the troops than just be happy that others are for the troops too regardless of their view on the war. One of the worst things about Vietnam was that people blamed the troops for the war. Thats not happening this time yet you seem to treat someone like it is simply for being anti-war. It does a disservice to the troops to politicize them regardless of what political party you belong to.

@vacax: Im sorry but bluntly Im going to have to ban you for that. Dont bring hate into these kinds of stories, seriously use your head before commenting with your "next" account.

In true CAG form, someone in the thread at the CAG forums asked if this was tax deductable

And to the rest / anyone else who wants to try to turn this into some political hate fest, this isnt about supporting the war / america / whateverotherstupidfuckingnegativereasonyoucanthinkof. Its about helping other gamers in a different walk of life have a bit of fun and be able to forget the shit they got to deal with on a day to day basis.

Anyways you get the idea of what Im trying to say, so comment smart and keep things civil folks because the eye in the sky is always watching.

@HanSolomente:

I am not blaming the troops for the war, but ultimately it is their decision whether or not they carry out their orders, hence the Bioshock quote.

Fantastic. I'm going to donate my old Japanese DS and Super Mario 64 DS.

@n/a: It's a shame that people try to poke that eye, and fail.

This sounds like an unusual, yet nice way to boost moral for the troops posted there. I'd send a game, but all my copies are PAL and wouldn't work for them maybe.

May I send games to the Iraqi children who lost their homes, family or something like it? Would someone send them consoles so they can play the games I want to send? That would be nice.

i'd rather not play online games against highschool educated people that have actually killed other human beings (yes, a generalization. get over it).

don't get me wrong... i respect people who live by their convictions and who put themselves on the line for their country BUT let's get some therapy sessions in there before we mingle with the normal civilians.

(sidenote... i got into an online arguement with an ex gang member/marine who's online tag was Glock.. yeah.. those fuckers are edgey)

@Cris_Spiegel: Why dont you use google. Im sure you can find something.

@ExistentialEgg:
"ALL I'm saying is hate the policy makers, NOT the Troops. They have no say in who they shoot or get shot from. They are following orders. Their only power of protest would be to stand there and let themselves get shot."

I don´t get comments like this at all, its a way to say no one who is following orders is guilty or responsible for any of his own actions.
That´s just plain wrong.
We´re talking about humans there, no robots who don´t have an own brain and can think and decide (maybe based on moral and ethics, too).
We´re also not talking about slaves who are forced to go to wars they don´t support, we´re talking about people who choose to do so.
If someone attacks your country, go ahead, pick a gun or whatever and defend your people.
If a leader or system forces you to attack another country for dubious reasons don´t go there.
If you have to look for another job or even flee to stand by your view, do that. That´s heroic.
Its not heroic to kill people although you don´t believe in the reasons for it just because someone gave you the order to do so.
I´m sorry for any soldier whos dying for a war anywhere but yeah, i can´t support those who go to wars which are clearly done for the wrong reasons.