The invincible American Army? - Page 10 - Political Forum

rakkasan · #91 (**permalink**) 03-31-2008, 09:32 PM

the only area the american military is weak at is in the Public Relations war that has waged for the last 10 years and our enemies have kicked our asses in it to say the least

Roundeye · #92 (**permalink**) 04-01-2008, 12:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rakkasan

the only area the american military is weak at is in the Public Relations war that has waged for the last 10 years and our enemies have kicked our asses in it to say the least

Though I wouldn't say that "our enemies have kicked our asses" in this regard, I will admit that our opponent benefits tremendously from their closest and most valuable ally, that being the media.

presluc · #93 (**permalink**) 04-01-2008, 03:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by indvdlthnkr

Wow where to begin.

On American being an empire:
The U.S. is an empire if not militarily then at least economically. We invade countries militarily for many reasons some noble others not. But economically our society has invaded nearly every nation. Source: The McDonaldization of Society by George Ritzer.

On Rome's relevance to America:
The founding fathers did based much on the Classics so i agree with that point.
zZz point b though: "B) America is an empire. 725 military bases in 130 foreign countries."
Wrong: The entire U.S. war effort almost came to a screeching halt over Turkey's conflict with the Kurds. American is an empire but not simply because it has bases in hundreds of countries.

And the Pax Romana? Do you know what Augustus did to establish the Pax Romana? He warred with about half the know world, evicted about almost all of the native Italian peasants from their lands because he promised his soldiers lands in Italy (adding to vast #'s of poor in Rome's cities), oh and most importantly eliminated the senate's role in the government and started a huge string of emperors to include the ever popular Nero and Caligula.

On military strategy:
Pedex is correct. We may have the strongest military in the world but...

Iraq is the biggest mistake of U.S. military politics/strategy yet. Thank god its at least a good testing ground, but we proved that in the Gulf War by testing the Maverick missile out there anyways.

On military spending:
This is what should be our main concern. I believe defense spending is critical but we waste so much money on these absolutely useless run around contractors that spend millions of dollars to pick their nose and stamp a paper. Now R&D is critical but what happened to having thousands of scientists or analysts on government payroll. We've downsized our influence over the R&D side of the game and we are losing money because of it. We have big business fighting for contracts and every inch of the way they are hiding costs. Fuck the F-35 is ready to be made but we've wasted so much time and money that just now we are coming to terms that we have to spend more money cause simple additions such as maintenance or base renovations or carrier deck protectants?! Christ you think something with a billion dollar budget could afford to spend less money on a bunch of nimrods and more time on finding intelligent human beings capable of thinking past their last breakfast. Christ we even had to buy the technology from the Brits that is now going into the "next gen fighter".

Oh and on whether the U.S. is the best military:
Yes.

Sorry I forgot that was such a realization to some.

Man come on,
America an empire economically huh?
If it is your beleif that America actually tells corporations to pay foriegn workers rather than American workers,If it is your beleif that more American made products in the world than other contries, Ihave one question for you.
Who benifits from this?
I mean for every payroll check that is cashed overseas from an American company America loses tax dollars, for every business that is set up in a foreign country America taks astep back in money cirulation.
For an empire thats invadeing the economy of other countries it's sure costing America a lot.
I thought empires didn't take losses.
You guys want to find empires ,easy look toward corporations and CEO'S in any country there's your Empires.not government, business.

calmObserver · #94 (**permalink**) 04-01-2008, 03:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by presluc

...America goes to war with a country knocks shit down, and then after they win spend money to build it back up, and then turn it back over to the people that started the war...

i hope this was not in reference to iraq. if so your in very deep self serving denial

BTW some of the group that brought us the fiasco in iraq had the notion of turning iraq in mcWorld. in the old days empires would grap a country to obtain its natural resources. today the u.s. grabs a country and mines it's national companies.

The Lying Dutchman · #95 (**permalink**) 04-01-2008, 03:34 PM

america is not an empire in the classical sense, but it does have the dimensions of an empire. i used this book last trimester from bacevich that gives a good insight of how the US can be interpreted as an empire.

http://www.h-net.org/reviews/showpdf...16361093973971

presluc · #96 (**permalink**) 04-01-2008, 03:53 PM

Sir, as I have said I was against going to Iraq from the first time it was brought up.
I have never been for starting a war with Iraq or staying at war with Iraq.
However there are a few other places in history that although they started the war by bombing Pearl Harbor,after it was over America spent money to help rebuild, same with Germany, and as I have said more than a few countries get foreign aid from America wether they hate us or not.
You must also take into account that presentlly there are quite a few civilians in Iraq working for civilian companies,plus the fact that 45 million dollars a month sent to Iraq a country that has oil and the gas prices still go up.
If we should leave Iraq to the Iraqi people fine let them rebuild their own country,useing the money they can get from the oil they have I hear the price of oil is very good today.
Bottom line You want empires think CORPORATIONS AND CEOS, it is they who benifit not America.

Troianii · #97 (**permalink**) 04-01-2008, 04:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hbloms

I've gotten this crazy idea that most americans believe they have the greatest fighting force on the planet called Earth...

Which facts (if any) do they build this claim on?

As far as i can see the American Army is far from an exceptional institution.
They were in a couple of world wars where they luckily came out on the winning side, but really... What makes the Army so extemely dangerous that no other force should oppose it?
The Iraqi forces fought and still fights the Army. Same goes for the Afghan militias. And the African ones too. No country they have fought in the last 10 years has given up.
Actually, no country they have fought in 50 years has given up...

Russia is growing once again. China is about to out do USA. Europa finally seems like it has rebuild itself. North Korea, Somalia, Iraq, Iran, Vietnam and Afghanistan. All standing while the dollar falls, the army loses and noone seems to be getting any happier within the american borders.

Now i repeat my question: Which facts (if any) do they build this claim on?

Why is the american army so great? 60% of the population has more faith in the army than in any other institution. Where does this come from?

Just because we aren't using our military to it's full capacity doesn't mean it's weak. When you put it all together, we're applying roughly 5% of our military manpower (actually less) in Iraq and Afghanistan, and we're using a far smaller percentage of our real military capability. We could be using tanks, bombs, missiles et cetera, but it doesn't fit into our "gameplan".

presluc · #98 (**permalink**) 04-01-2008, 05:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Lying Dutchman

america is not an empire in the classical sense, but it does have the dimensions of an empire. i used this book last trimester from bacevich that gives a good insight of how the US can be interpreted as an empire.

http://www.h-net.org/reviews/showpdf...16361093973971

I disagree, empires in any sense should not have to borrow money from other countries, nor if infact America was an empire we would be telling not asking.
However as I have said America is not an empire nor do I think America should want to be one.

zZz · #99 (**permalink**) 04-01-2008, 05:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by presluc

I thought countries was supposed to pay tribute to an empire not an empire pays tribute to countries.

This aspect of the U.S. not being paid its tribute, fucking irks me to no end! The U.S. dominates the world, yet it doesn't just take the resources of the conquered lands. Why? Why don't they claim the right of possession by conquest? Why? It protects the sea lanes and doesn't charge the fuckers benefiting from this protection for the service. (I'm talking to you Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Dubai, etc. Give me my fucking money!) Why? What the fuck? Why even have the biggest, baddest, fucking military on the planet, if you aren't man enough to use it? Give me my fucking tax money back, you congressional cocksuckers!

Bobcat1 · #**100** (**permalink**) 04-01-2008, 08:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hbloms

I've gotten this crazy idea that most americans believe they have the greatest fighting force on the planet called Earth...

Which facts (if any) do they build this claim on?

As far as i can see the American Army is far from an exceptional institution.
They were in a couple of world wars where they luckily came out on the winning side, but really... What makes the Army so extemely dangerous that no other force should oppose it?
The Iraqi forces fought and still fights the Army. Same goes for the Afghan militias. And the African ones too. No country they have fought in the last 10 years has given up.
Actually, no country they have fought in 50 years has given up...

Russia is growing once again. China is about to out do USA. Europa finally seems like it has rebuild itself. North Korea, Somalia, Iraq, Iran, Vietnam and Afghanistan. All standing while the dollar falls, the army loses and noone seems to be getting any happier within the american borders.

Now i repeat my question: Which facts (if any) do they build this claim on?

Why is the american army so great? 60% of the population has more faith in the army than in any other institution. Where does this come from?

No warrior, in history, has ever claimed invincibility. We watch out brothers in the field die every day. And only someone like yourself, who has never raised a finger to defend anything, would have the temerity to post such a complete piece of crap as this.