MEDAL OF HONOR Banned From Sale on Military Bases

The military of the United States has a long history of defending our nation from foreign threats. Most recently, the war in Iraq moved from being a full on war to a support position, and troops are being deployed in Afghanistan to finish the fight against the Taliban. Now, the wars have been a political third rail, and a new controversy has brewed around the war in Afghanistan. In the upcoming Medal of Honor release, the option to play as the Taliban in multiplayer matches has led the Army and Air Force Exchange Services to not allow the game to be sold on bases around the country.

I personally do not find this to be a contentious issue, and actually can understand the reasoning for having the option in the game. A similar debate arose when Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 came out, and part of the campaign involved being an covert double agent who tags along as Russian nationalists commit a terrorist attack at a Russian airport. The makers of the game developed a patch that allowed players to skip the level and not have any penalty for doing so.

Currently, I have not heard of any patches or add-ons that eliminate the ability to play as the Taliban in the multiplayer matches. Those supporting the option in the game essentially compare it to pro-Grand Theft Auto arguments, that these are just games and are not representative of any underlying political of anti-military sentiments. However, I completely understand where the AAFES is coming from and not wanting the games to be sold on bases. Our nation is currently involved in a war with the Taliban in Afghanistan, and sensitivities must be accounted for. It would be a horrific mistake for Electronic Arts (the game’s publisher) to come out and say something to the extent of “Well, you can play as Nazis in shooter games, and you don’t complain about that.” That’s true that you don’t hear that often, but then again, we aren’t fighting Nazis now, and it’s impossible to say how our nation would have felt if you could play as Germany in the 1940s.

The men and women who serve our nation deserve our support and our loyalty. I’m glad the military has not come out and said they are banning the game from being played on base, just willing to consider the sensitivities of those whose lives are being directly effected by the war.

How do you feel about Medal of Honor, particularly about the playable Taliban feature? Do you support the inclusion of it, or do you feel it crosses the line? Leave your thoughts below.