the USA will not win another world war...

[John21]

[ QUOTE ]
Once again, ignoring my point.
Tis ok to insult those who disagree with you?
Do you always deal with absolutes?
CAN you accept that someone seeing things even moderately different from your viewpoint might, just possibly, NOT be ignorant?
OR, is everyone who disagrees with you clearly ignorant/uneducated/hasn't seen the light e.t.c?

[/ QUOTE ]
But it is black and white. We'll never get in a full-blown war with Russia or China. N. Korea seems to be a non-issue. Iran will either desist from aquiring nukes or acquire them and not use them; attempt to acquire them and be obliterated or acquire them and use or threaten to use them and be obliterated.

It's really not something to lose sleep over. The administrators of the US have taken an oath to protect and promote the interest of it's citizens and they've yet to fail. After WWII, they figured it was important to own the sky and built an Air Force second to none. No one asked for anyone's opinion, and we had no control or input over what happened - it just got done.

For the most part, American citizens sleep well.

As bad as the misuse of military might can seem at times, it's nothing compared to not having the military might to exercise. Like you said about other countries who aren't as confrontational as the US - they're all hunkered down behind our shield. It's just like South Korea, the Brigades we have over there are no match for North Korean forces, we're basically cannon fodder. It's what what comes afterwards that holds the line.

[John Kilduff]

[ QUOTE ]
But it is black and white. We'll never get in a full-blown war with Russia or China.

[/ QUOTE ]

I believe this is a case where one should "never say never". It just isn't possible to have full confidence about such things several decades in the future.

[NewTeaBag]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Once again, ignoring my point.
Tis ok to insult those who disagree with you?
Do you always deal with absolutes?
CAN you accept that someone seeing things even moderately different from your viewpoint might, just possibly, NOT be ignorant?
OR, is everyone who disagrees with you clearly ignorant/uneducated/hasn't seen the light e.t.c?

[/ QUOTE ]
But it is black and white. We'll never get in a full-blown war with Russia or China. N. Korea seems to be a non-issue. Iran will either desist from aquiring nukes or acquire them and not use them; attempt to acquire them and be obliterated or acquire them and use or threaten to use them and be obliterated.

It's really not something to lose sleep over. The administrators of the US have taken an oath to protect and promote the interest of it's citizens and they've yet to fail. After WWII, they figured it was important to own the sky and built an Air Force second to none. No one asked for anyone's opinion, and we had no control or input over what happened - it just got done.

For the most part, American citizens sleep well.

As bad as the misuse of military might can seem at times, it's nothing compared to not having the military might to exercise. Like you said about other countries who aren't as confrontational as the US - they're all hunkered down behind our shield. It's just like South Korea, the Brigades we have over there are no match for North Korean forces, we're basically cannon fodder. It's what what comes afterwards that holds the line.

[/ QUOTE ]

Whilst I agree with the thrust of your arguments in favour of a strong military as a strong guarantor of our freedoms and strategic interests, I disagree WRT to China and the possibility of a fullscale war. Currently tis not highly likely but down the road (10-30years) it's nearly inevitable unless we divert into close allies instead of fierce competitors for scarce global resources and world influence.

[NewTeaBag]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
because rock music and rap music has made its young men hate its government and they lack patriotism for their country, and they will not be willing to storm any beaches because everyone saw the dozens of world war II films and they dont want to get slaughtered like that... therefore the USA will have to resort to nuclear warfare (unsurprisingly).

America is [censored].

[/ QUOTE ]


Maybe it is because men nowadays are smarter and lot as likely to fall for the propaganda the armed services dish out.

Pick a service, pick a challenge, set your self apart.

Gimme a FN break!

[/ QUOTE ]

Pick a service: OK that's fairly straighforward and doesn't seem too propagandized

Pick a Challenge: Without a doubt anyone who joins any of the different services will find it rather challenging.

Set yourself apart: At a minimum, those who join have at least set themselves apart from those who loathe and ridicule the very people who protect them and their way of life.

[TheEkim]

What people seem to be missing here (with the exception of natedogg) is that Soldiers have very little to do with winning wars. Soldiers march up and down streets, they mop up, they calm the populace and restore order.
Technology wins wars. The US has an insurmountable technological superiority over all possible opponents. Its not close.
Natedogg mentioned aircraft carriers ... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraf...carriers_today
note, the US has 12 of the 25 active aircraft carrier in the world, and has 12 more in reserve.
Consider the US has the most advanced airforce in the world, the B2 bomber is virtually invincible (because it is undetectable) and gives the US unlimited surgical deep-strike capabilities, some engineers have even commented that if this plane had not already been built during the cold war it would not have been built today as it is simply an unnecessary superweapon. Its so good its wasteful.
No one has a submarine that is a threat to US submarines and the US has more submarines then the rest of the world combined. Beginning to notice a trend?
Consider that the US is already developing the next generation of fighting systems despite the fact that the current equipment they have is 10-20 years ahead of anyone else. Do a search for Arizona class naval vessels, or google DARPA, or take a look at some of the truly frightening things they are doing with drone/unmanned weapon systems.

Does this mean the military could easily supress an unruly population? NO
Does this mean they can repel and eliminate any conventional military buildup or threat? Yes
Does this mean they could easily cripple any conventional military force and destroy its ability to project its power onto american soil? Yes