How we cite our quotes: All quotations are from Platoon.
Quote #1
LT.WOLFE: I think in front of the men, it's necessary for me to give the orders.
Wolfe utters these remarks shortly after Barnes has given a litany of orders. Wolfe weakly attempts to assert his authority, but the politics of the platoon are such that Wolfe doesn't have a lot of say-so. The soldiers listen to Barnes, trust Barnes, and see him as their leader.
Quote #2
CRAWFORD: How come we always get f***ing ambush? Francis: 'Cause it's politics man, politics.
This short exchange makes it abundantly clear that platoon politics have a lot do with who gets the terrible job of a night ambush patrol. In this case, it's all the guys in Elias' squad, who have to go out because of the large number of new guys. The vets and the guys about to go on vacation (many of O'Neill's guys) are politically protected.
Quote #3
TAYLOR: I figured why should just the poor kids go off to war, and the rich kids always get away with it?
Taylor describes the politics of the military draft (the "rich kids" always seemed to be able to avoid being sent to war), and says that he volunteered for political reasons: joining the ranks of the "poor kids" is his way of trying to remedy a gross injustice. It's a political statement, and a noble one, maybe. But we're betting he regrets it.