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Actually, it would be the exact other way around. The members should not have US citizenship. If US citizens want to join, they should have to give up their citizenship.
The 30 Years War and the FFL attempted coup after France gave up on Algeria both tend to suggest that standing mercenary armies loyal mainly to themselves are generally bad ideas. Do we really want military bases in the US where the servicemen's motto is, "The legion is my fatherland." or whatever similar phrase the FFL uses is.
The French still have and use the FFL, and still use it as originally intended.
As far as basing, we have lots of alternatives out of the CONUS.
Think about things like what's happening in Yemen, now. We're hitting them with Drone launched Hellfires, and I'm sure the CIA has coverts on the ground. But if we have to send in some forces to eliminate some AQ en mass, it would be nice not to have to worry about the PR if one got grabbed in the process.
Quote:
Originally Posted by AuburnAL
The 30 Years War and the FFL attempted coup after France gave up on Algeria both tend to suggest that standing mercenary armies loyal mainly to themselves are generally bad ideas. Do we really want military bases in the US where the servicemen's motto is, "The legion is my fatherland." or whatever similar phrase the FFL uses is.
Blackwater, and the other contractors, were an intermediate step. But they're too small, and were used for mostly support and security operations. We need a group of expendables we can use for direct combat.
Blackwater, and the other contractors, were an intermediate step. But they're too small, and were used for mostly support and security operations. We need a group of expendables we can use for direct combat.
If one study's Ancient Rome you would see that when they were on the downward slide the Legions were manned in large part by peoples of the provinces or conquered tribes. Augustus reformed the army in 25 BC; 50% of the army was legionaries, still citizens, still almost exclusively Italian. The other 50% were auxiliaries, but now these were part of the regular Roman army, trained and equipped in Roman style. They were recruited from non citizens both inside and outside the empire, recruits being granted Roman citizenship on completion of their full term of enlistment. For certain campaigns, barbarian specialist troops were still hired; one example were the Moorish light cavalry and Spanish slingers used by Trajan in his Dacian wars. So, the Roman army was largely Italian until the reforms of Augustus in 25 BC, after which about 50% (the citizens comprising the legions) were Italian. Following the Constitutio Antoniniana of 212, the % of Italians in the army steadily declined, and by the fall of the Western empire often only local garrisons survived of the regular Roman army, the main forces being barbarian Foederatae.
The overall effect from 212 of the steady reduction in the Italian % of the Roman army was an ongoing decline in its status, professionalism, morale, discipline and effectiveness.These troops fought in their traditional native style. IS it an indication of the downfall of a society that the general populace no longer wants to serve in the Military?
My thoughts as a former military X2 are this. We keep shipping our troops to all kinds of foreign countries for all kinds of reasons. How many countries are we currently in troop-wise? In my opinion our military should ONLY be used to protect and defend the constitution (our country) not sent off as mercenaries for the benefit of some other nation/region. Let the UN get up it's own multi-national force and do that. Yes an american foreign legion would be all volunteer, paid for by someone other than the US taxpayers. Hell you have private contractors that practically do this but they are still paid for by american taxpayers. Let the countries involved pay. You say, "Aha but they do/have" so why is it no matter where it is, we ALWAYS have to get involved? I for one, and I am NOT alone, are tired of paying for other people's wars. In blood and money. Call me an isolationist, I don't care. General Smedley Butler, USMC had it right, war is a racket. When we do commit we need to commit to WIN and not use "lawyer rules" of engagement that get out troops killed at the price of "playing fair". The national guard should be used WITHIN THE 50 STATES only. The reserve and active is what you use for overseas wars unless it is an actual invasion of the USA. So much for my two cents.
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