EA’s recent announcement that the Taliban would be a playable faction in their upcoming Medal of Honor got a lot of people hot under the collar. Conservative westerners are generally more comfortable playing as the traditionally perceived “good guys”, which is understandable. The fact that the Taliban is currently perceived by many as the ultimate enemy of the west,  makes them a very contentious choice for a playable faction in a game.

The UK’s secretary of defence is even calling for the game to be banned, claiming that it is “tasteless” and “un-British.”

VGChartz decided to get in touch with some actual soldiers that have been involved in the recent Middle Eastern conflict, and most of the 9 soldiers don’t have a specific problem with players playing as Taliban soldiers. 

“People freaking out about the inclusion of the Taliban as playable characters in the multiplayer mode of the new game is ridiculous. In every FPS-type game, there is a bad guy,” said one soldier. Broader points were made however, such as the ethics behind anyone profiteering from war, whether it be EA for making a war themed game, or “companies that produce ACU backpacks for school children.”

Be sure to read the full interview.