I look at soldiers like stuntmen or ice fishermen or something.
Yes, their job is tremendously dangerous and they put their lives at risk. However, it does absolutely nothing for the general population. In fact, it probably harms the general population.
Every single jihadist cites Western military occupation, drone attacks, etc., for their radicalism. They attack the West because the West is in THEIR land, occupying THEIR countries. Ron Paul is 100% right.
So American soldiers essentially put their life on the line to make their fellow Americans more susceptible to terrorist attacks. Their good intentions and the lies they've bought doesn't change these facts.