Originally Posted by Kenny

We can debate about who has the world largest military all day long. But, the fact is, the United States wouldn't dare wage war with not even a single world power because US knows that there wont be a winner no matter if they have the most powerful military or not. China could invade Taiwan at this moment, and US wouldn't do anything other then talk and talk. But, if someone like Burma attacked Taiwan, US would be the first on board.

And, regardless of your political stance, lets be honest and admit that China wouldn't hesitant to use nuclear force against the US if invaded, despite retaliation. We all know that China doesn't currently have the capabilities to invade the US, but lets face reality and realize that the US wouldn't declare step foot in Chinese mainland due to their nuclear power. It would be a death wish for the United States.

Also, lets note that a war with China would certainly be the fall of US economy. It would hit US citizens very hard. After the war with China we would be in a country with less civil liberties and poverty rates at an all time high. Most people don't even know that China funds the U.S. war in Iraq. Without China, we can expect slave tax along with insane gas prices and extreme poverty....100 times worst then the Great Depression. US would actually lose more then China economically.

Originally Posted by BobH.

No disrespect, but it is not the US Military that has a weakness for sustaining an indefinite war, that weakness falls upon the Civilian side of the balance.

If one drafts a person more suited for Basketball onto a Baseball Team, can one really expect this person to be a better Baseball Player?

I don't think so. One because there is a different need and quite possibly a desire between Baseball and Basketball, and like an Involuntary Draft into Military Service results might not be as good as opposed to one that desired to be in the Military.

IMHO

Originally Posted by jpn of Seattle

I think we Americans need to get past this silly idea that we are exceptional. We aren't.

Our military is the most powerful in the world by a long shot because we spend almost as much as every other nation combined. For that reason alone we can project power like no other nation can.

Originally Posted by BobH.

No disrespect, but I believe your premise to be flawed.

One the US spends more money toward Military Technology then any other Nation on the Planet, not because the US wants to impose power towards other Nations, but rather deter other Nations from trying to impose their power onto us.

What can be argued is the intent upon why the US does intercedes on behalf of one or more other Nations.

Are "we," Americans exceptional?

The answer, I suppose, depends upon the nature of the question.

One can argue this case as well:

For years the general attitude of the European Elite has held that the Americans are a step below them in every way, and in particular culturally, a somewhat distorted and racists attitude, I might add.

IMHO

Originally Posted by pedex

Constitutionally a neverending war under our laws really can't exist. Up until the Bush admin and others violated the pre-emptive war policy which we have tried people and found them guilty in the past our military exists for one purpose and one purpose only, defense of the nation, in reality though it has historically been used constantly as an offensive weapon. The need for long protracted wars should never occur. In the event of an actual threat to the homeland there would be no shortage of recruits, the govt would have the same problem we see in Iraq, an out of control insurgency.

Originally Posted by pedex

our military is set up to do what jpn suggests not what you are, and it also acts accordingly

nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles plus a basic army for home defense is all that is needed, those alone prevent invasions of the homeland

700+ military bases in more than 130 countries isn't about defense, it's about offense and maintaining hegemony

Originally Posted by Kenny

We can debate about who has the world largest military all day long. But, the fact is, the United States wouldn't dare wage war with not even a single world power because US knows that there wont be a winner no matter if they have the most powerful military or not.

Originally Posted by BobH.

Example Vietnam: The Government of South Vietnam, not perfect in any particular way, and many of it's citizens did not want to live under Communist control.

In the 1954-56 Geneva Convention, the Nation of Vietnam was divided between the North and the South. Citizens from both sides had the option of relocating into the section they so desired to live. The Act was accepted by both sides and agreed upon.

However before the ink was dry, the North, led by Ho Chi Minh began recruiting agents in the South to try to take down that Government and replace it with a Communist one, yet they had willingly signed the Treaty.

I believe that the original intent by both Eisenhower and Kennedy Administrations was to support the South Vietnamese Government from the Communist North.