I fear the Republicans. I fear they just might get their way, calling for action, and our involvement. What I see is atrocious acts all over the Mid East and Africa but it seems to be Muslim on Muslim for the most part. I pity the poor Christians, perhaps they better get their butts up with the Curds and perhaps we should get them all some weapons to defend themselves. But now is not the time to send eager young people of our nation to whoop ass. That takes leadership, leadership with a moral plan, a winning plan. We lack the leadership at this time. Much better to let the Muslim on Muslim conflict mature. The winner will come for us when his confidence is flush from victory. This will no doubt, focus attention on selecting a leader up to the task at hand. Sending our youth into this mess to flail away would be tantamount to squandering them for no good under the leadership in place today. Be silent, we wait.
This article details my understanding of what ISIS really is. Sunni insurgency continued after our surrender in Iraq. http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/dec/11/-sp-isis-the-inside-story
Damn Brian, very well stated. People need to wake the hell up. Thank you for making this as clear as it can be.
Brian, don't wast too much energy on those that profess to not understand. Most of them have never faced nor ever will face any threat, let alone a person or group of persons that state they are our enemy and work for our extinction. I for one have no hope or wish that we ever face our enemies in a fair and equal way. I always want the most advantage we can attain. Fairness is not the goal and I find it stupid to speak of anything like fairness. I always hope we can remain on moral high ground but never equal in a confrontation. I would and did do, without remorse, those that would be our enemy and hope we will always have men that will do the same, without guilt or even a second thought. To those that say, we get what we sow, are simply ignorant hardly deserving the free speech they over use. Do not fret for leaving them uninformed, some are out of reach and unworthy of your effort. It sucks but it is.
Brian, why do we still have 40k troops in Germany? 50k in Japan? 11k in Italy? I'm assuming because of a war 70 years ago?
Germany and Japan, yeah, that's how it started. We disarmed their entire countries and our occupying troops were the "constabulary", both for internal policing and foreign attack. In Japan's case, they're constitutionally not allowed to have an Army or Navy (they can, and do, have a "self-defense force" that's a military by another name). Now, we are mostly using our residual bases in Germany (and Italy) for NATO and EUCOM/AFRICOM support. Our bases in Japan are for defense of Japan and staging areas for defense of our other Far East allies.
Would it make sense to shut all of those bases down and bring those 100 thousand troops home? Seems like they can take care of themselves at this point. 70 years later.
Too bad we didn't disarm the Iraqis (thus ISIS) once we decided to stay. We occupied Germany and Japan for a decade. McArthur was military governor of Japan, Ike of Germany. Not handed over governing right away to a government we designed and put in place. Bremer was governor of Iraq for a millisecond.
Seems like a question from a person that has no idea why we have a 7th fleet. Or any idea at all what being part of it involves. But I am surprise the current Commander in Chief has not done as you suggest. With him in command we might as well have the 7th anchored in San Diego training the crew on how to apply for food stamps.
Wrong! We should have left the existing army intact. The mistake the US made was disbanding the army after we invaded and won. Ssu-ma Ch`ien gives the following biography of Sun Tzu: Sun Tzu Wu was a native of the Ch`i State. His ART OF WAR brought him to the notice of Ho Lu, [2] King of Wu. Ho Lu said to him: "I have carefully perused your 13 chapters. May I submit your theory of managing soldiers to a slight test?" Sun Tzu replied: "You may." Ho Lu asked: "May the test be applied to women?" The answer was again in the affirmative, so arrangements were made to bring 180 ladies out of the Palace. Sun Tzu divided them into two companies, and placed one of the King's favorite concubines at the head of each. He then bade them all take spears in their hands, and addressed them thus: "I presume you know the difference between front and back, right hand and left hand?" The girls replied: Yes. Sun Tzu went on: "When I say "Eyes front," you must look straight ahead. When I say "Left turn," you must face towards your left hand. When I say "Right turn," you must face towards your right hand. When I say "About turn," you must face right round towards your back." Again the girls assented. The words of command having been thus explained, he set up the halberds and battle-axes in order to begin the drill. Then, to the sound of drums, he gave the order "Right turn." But the girls only burst out laughing. Sun Tzu said: "If words of command are not clear and distinct, if orders are not thoroughly understood, then the general is to blame." So he started drilling them again, and this time gave the order "Left turn," whereupon the girls once more burst into fits of laughter. Sun Tzu: "If words of command are not clear and distinct, if orders are not thoroughly understood, the general is to blame. But if his orders ARE clear, and the soldiers nevertheless disobey, then it is the fault of their officers." So saying, he ordered the leaders of the two companies to be beheaded. Now the king of Wu was watching the scene from the top of a raised pavilion; and when he saw that his favorite concubines were about to be executed, he was greatly alarmed and hurriedly sent down the following message: "We are now quite satisfied as to our general's ability to handle troops. If We are bereft of these two concubines, our meat and drink will lose their savor. It is our wish that they shall not be beheaded." Sun Tzu replied: "Having once received His Majesty's commission to be the general of his forces, there are certain commands of His Majesty which, acting in that capacity, I am unable to accept." Accordingly, he had the two leaders beheaded, and straightway installed the pair next in order as leaders in their place. When this had been done, the drum was sounded for the drill once more; and the girls went through all the evolutions, turning to the right or to the left, marching ahead or wheeling back, kneeling or standing, with perfect accuracy and precision, not venturing to utter a sound. Then Sun Tzu sent a messenger to the King saying: "Your soldiers, Sire, are now properly drilled and disciplined, and ready for your majesty's inspection. They can be put to any use that their sovereign may desire; bid them go through fire and water, and they will not disobey." But the King replied: "Let our general cease drilling and return to camp. As for us, We have no wish to come down and inspect the troops." Thereupon Sun Tzu said: "The King is only fond of words, and cannot translate them into deeds." After that, Ho Lu saw that Sun Tzu was one who knew how to handle an army, and finally appointed him general. In the west, he defeated the Ch`u State and forced his way into Ying, the capital; to the north he put fear into the States of Ch`i and Chin, and spread his fame abroad amongst the feudal princes. And Sun Tzu shared in the might of the King.
There was a tough old Democrat in charge back in those days. They have morphed into entirely different creature since then.
Those south koreans need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps and quit mooching off american welfare. Do they really need a giant american force on perpetual regional standby? Jeesh. How did they get so lucky? And being Japans army? completely ridiculous
We shouldn't have occupied in the first place. What exactly would be the issue with the pacific fleet operating in San Diego? We wouldn't be able to deploy ships to hot spots quickly. That's the point.
