"I ain't got no quarrel with the Vietcong."- Muhammad Ali

     So far in my reading, I get a sense of resentment from Tim O' Brien towards the war.  He clearly expresses the ambiguous reasoning behind the war.  Young boys, some only 18, were asked to kill and possibly die in a country with its own problems.  I find it extremely disturbing that our country has been involved in such a serious conflict without any definite goal.  Sure, predicted theories like the "Domino Effect" allowed for slight reasoning, but most of the boys drafted either did not understand the reasoning behind the conflict, did not care, or were in opposition to the cause.  I feel that Tim O'Brien's story of fleeing from the draft raises questions pertaining to the fairness and legitimacy of the draft method.  I understand that in desperate situations a draft may be necessary, however I feel that because of the Vietnam War the system should be reviewed extensively.
    This chapter "On The Rainy River" also highlights the issue of nationalism and patriotism.  It made me question when does patriotism lose against personal beliefs?  As in Muhammad Ali's quote above, some of the soldiers who participated simply did not care for the cause.  I dont find this to be a selfish response, but one of question.  Why should the soldier's care?  They were given a "patriotic" death sentence for a cause never made lucid to them.