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Having the might doesn't imply using the might, but maintaining the appearance of military supremacy.
A war with another Middle East country, and Iran in particular, would not provide us with the leverage you might expect. We have lost too many friends, and enemies of our friends, to play a lone hand and expect to come out the winner. Those days are over.
I am not against fighting when it is appropriate, and I'll be the first to take up arms (although they'll disqualify me based on age) if need be, but this is not that kind of situation.
Iran is not alone in its attempt to both discredit and set itself apart from the US and its power-base. To some degree the more rhetoric about a military strike against Iran, the more we lose face.
If I remember correctly the President of Iran met with some of our other friends in South America very recently.
Together, if clever and with the assistance of just one other major world player, the little guys can get us...and get us good.
isnt it interesting now that the french have a leader that is at least willing to consider other options besides appeasment Bush is critisized for leaving it to the europeans. It appears to me that the europeans are coming back to their senses.
Look at France's record: ten to ten lost wars, or some number like that.
While in France, it is necessary practically by law to argue politics, drink strong coffee with or without Pernod, and wear a hat, their military abilities match their small farming know-how. Low to average crops!
I'd rather have the German's on my side anytime in war and fountain pens.
Quote:
Originally Posted by silas777
isnt it interesting now that the french have a leader that is at least willing to consider other options besides appeasment Bush is critisized for leaving it to the europeans. It appears to me that the europeans are coming back to their senses.
Consider that the US has worked to gain bases that ring both China and Russia.
Consider that the anti missile bases scheduled for Poland are seen by Russia as threatening her.
Consider that both China and Russia see that America has been beaten by a rag tag insurgency.
Consider that Chinese banks are now supporting the American military.
The Hubris of American foreign policy in the past few years has created this problem.
It will be a serious problem, but remember those Russian overflights are being done with antique propeller aircraft. The Russian and Chinese militaries are no match for the US Navy and Air Force.
Although the ability of the Chinese to deny American Naval operation in the Western Pacific is a current and real threat.
The Russian and Chinese militaries are no match for the US Navy and Air Force.
Are military forces are overworked and tired. Not to mention many of the soliders once patriotic stance and confidence in the US has dwindled. There is an inherient distrust of the US gov't by its own people - not to mention the fact that many other nations who were once allies are distrustful now. I don't know - that old saying "divide and conquer". Right now we're ripe for it.
Are military forces are overworked and tired. Not to mention many of the soliders once patriotic stance and confidence in the US has dwindled. There is an inherient distrust of the US gov't by its own people - not to mention the fact that many other nations who were once allies are distrustful now. I don't know - that old saying "divide and conquer". Right now we're ripe for it.
What are you expecting to happen after 14 months that will address your concerns?
That the shiny penny I tossed into a fountain will grant my wish that ANYONE besides Caligula and Xerxes in the White House now will hold the reigns and for the love of God, it has to bet better than these two ideological mad men.
Quote:
Originally Posted by silas777
This is why I believe that the whole anti war, (anti-military) movement, the pacification of America is insanity * Peace through Strength!*
There is a need to maintain a military, there is also times when there is a need to enter into war with others. However, these are things of absolute last course of action, not the first option to turn to. The course towards Iraq was clear even before Sept. 11th as shown HERE by Paul O'Neil. While our military is being driven into the dust in Iraq, more immediate and imminent dangers lurk in the form of monetary, cyber, resource, and political wars, not to mention by traditional means. While I don't agree with many of the ways Ronald Reagan handled foreign policy, and using proxy, he at least he funded both sides of various wars and let the local peoples enter into their own wars and kept American soldiers out of it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jose Montara
Consider that the US has worked to gain bases that ring both China and Russia.
Consider that the anti missile bases scheduled for Poland are seen by Russia as threatening her.
Consider that both China and Russia see that America has been beaten by a rag tag insurgency.
Consider that Chinese banks are now supporting the American military.
The Hubris of American foreign policy in the past few years has created this problem.
It will be a serious problem, but remember those Russian overflights are being done with antique propeller aircraft. The Russian and Chinese militaries are no match for the US Navy and Air Force.
Although the ability of the Chinese to deny American Naval operation in the Western Pacific is a current and real threat.
Sometimes it is merely enough to show that you not only have the means but are also capable of using them and challenging us around the globe. This is something no other nation that I am aware of can do.
All Russia has to do is sit back and watch the loony-tunes of Bush/Cheney/PNAC and the cowardly lions of the do-nothing Congress, and wait for US to finish ourselves off. A couple more years of this and we will be looking more like Post-Soviet Russia than Russia did.
Sad part is Russia will probably warn us that we are screwing up, same as they did before we went stupid and invaded Iraq.
But if going broke and having China and Russia bail us out is what it takes to get US past the moron MBA/lawyer me-generation baby boomers (are not both Clinton and Bush perfect models of the condition?) it will be a bargain.
It seems of late there have been quite a few over flights by Russian bombers and surveillance aircraft. Places like Alaska, Northern Europe, The Marshall Islands, as well as a growing number of ships in the arctic.
Also today, Vladimir Putin announced he would seek the office of Prime Minister since he is no longer eligible to remain President. He stated he wished to remain active and prominent in Russian politics and to help shape Russia’s future.
That being said, I have to wonder if this somehow ties into our growing pressure to confront Iran militarily. The ties between Russia, China and Iran have grown over the past five years and grown greatly in the past 18 months.
Are we taking our eye off the global ball when we remain so focused on Iran and will this come back to bite us? Russia and particularly Putin is a very shrewd character that is the former head of the KGB as well as a strategist. He is no idiot and his quiet nature belies a great deal of his ambitions.
I can only hope that the next 14 months fly bye, for everyones sake.
My sentiments on this issue have been stated in other threads, a couple of which I even started, about the growing concern about Russian influence. In my POV, the Gazprom issue, coercing neighboring states to route oil through Russia for distribution, and the military stuff all ties together.
It is one of the reasons that on a recent thread I stated I support a big and continuing USA defense budget. Unlike many posters, I think the world is a continuing dangerous place, and I want us to be the 800 pound gorilla.
OUR........... As if you don't create typos (oh i forgot, u r perfect-LMAO)
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