Is the current size of the US military too small?

No, I’m pretty sure that the French didn’t help us at all during the Revolutionary War. And surely the Statue of Liberty wasn’t made by the French!

that was hundreds of years ago. their opinion has changed. and by the way, the statue of liberty was facing towards france, it was suppose to symbolize that THEIR country was the origin of liberty.

Well, then you say how much good the US did in WWII, because our opinion has changed.

Marine,
Ummmm, no. The French Revolution was after the American Revolution.

If we really need a larger military, why don’t we just feed them McDonalds for every meal. I hear that will make them much larger fast and it’s probabbly cheaper than MRE’s. Whose with me?!

@Lizardbaby:

Marine,
Ummmm, no. The French Revolution was after the American Revolution.

If we really need a larger military, why don’t we just feed them McDonalds for every meal. I hear that will make them much larger fast and it’s probabbly cheaper than MRE’s. Whose with me?!

don’t you guys already pay enough on health care?

Ha ha ha! Good one CC! :)

But that would come into play only after they left the army (and survived). I mean, they make good and slow targets in the mean time.
And of course, if they die younger, that saves money for the retirement fonds.

marine is seeming more and more like the bastard child of Mutharussia and that spammer that was here awhile back.

i take offense to that janus1 :x

I am no mod but you guys are seemingly personally attacking Marine36…. cool it!!!

GG

@Guerrilla:

I am no mod but you guys are seemingly personally attacking Marine36…. cool it!!!

GG

as a mod, i feel i should say something . . .
ummmm . . . be nice?

You guys suck at staying on topic. You really, really suck. Very badly :lol: .

To clear up why we hate the french, it is becuase they originally said they would back the Iraq war and would support the bill, but when the UN held the summit they completely changed their policy and vetoed our resolution. The Germans betrayed us as well, but France has veto, so thye did more damage. Since then, it has spiraled out of control, in both nations, due to the media.

Now, i think we should employ a larger army, but as we are a volunteer force, that would be difficult. I would not have a problem with a mandatory 2 year service in the military at a certain age, or some other form of conscription, but that wont ever happen in America, so i might as well forget about it. To increase troop supply for the important wars like Iraq, we need to reorganize our deployment. We need to pull out of all the nations we had troops in becuase of the Cold War, and we also need to pull our troops out of S. Korea, becuase thye are not doing anything their. SImply put, N. Korea wont be attakcing anyone, they cant afford to. Go the Korea topic if you feel like debating or want to hear my reasons.

Another way we could increase troop supply is rearm Japan. Thye want desperatly to help in Iraq, and would always support America becuase we did, and still do, so much for their economy. They could get a large volunteer service together relatively quickly, and since the population has little fear of war compared to Europe, the people would undoubtedly support such a war by a majority or at least 50/50. The current size of Japan’s military forces is 180,000, but i beleive thatcould eb expanded at least two fold if promopted by America. Thats another 100,000 troops for Iraq at least. I dont think we should accept allowing Japan to help only in reconstruction and security in non-combat areas, like the recent bill allows. They should be equal participatants. OF course, America cant really force Jpaan to change it’s policy, but their are many politicians hwo want to change that policy. I think it could be done.

@cystic:

@Guerrilla:

I am no mod but you guys are seemingly personally attacking Marine36…. cool it!!!

GG

as a mod, i feel i should say something . . .
ummmm . . . be nice?

forgive me CC…

Referring to people dying so one can get money and calling someone a bastard and a spammer??

You are the mod I am not denying it… But judge right besides your personal feelings please!!!

GG

To clear up why we hate the french, it is becuase they originally said they would back the Iraq war and would support the bill, but when the UN held the summit they completely changed their policy and vetoed our resolution. The Germans betrayed us as well, but France has veto, so thye did more damage. Since then, it has spiraled out of control, in both nations, due to the media.

Yes, the French could have at least been upfront with our diplomats from the beginning. I saw a TV article (PBS? Discovery channel? can’t remember) that Colin Powell and the other diplomats were shocked at the actual vote, because the very day before the French and German diplomats he was talking to said they would support the US resolution.

I don’t think that we need a larger Army, we do have sufficient forces to deal with any situation (or two situations that may come up). The problem that we have is that we never leave (Germany, S. Korea, …) afterwards.

The other problem is that the media isn’t being accurate about the entire Iraq situation either. They want the story to read a certain way so they spin it into half-truths (another name for a lie) to sell more papers and to fit their preconcieved notions. For example, their story about the 911 commision was (and still is :evil: !!) that there was no link between Saddam and al-Queda. But this has been publically disputed by 1) The 911 commission members, 2) President Bush, 3) Russian President Putin. Putin actually said that Saddam was connected to Al Queda and wanted to give Al Queda weapons of mass destruction. But this should be the subject of another post. :lol:

LOL

.Yeah, that really pissed me off. When the commission said that Sadaam did not assist Al-Queda in 9/11, the emdia went off to sya that absolutely no link exists, which is completely false. They have talked several times, proetcted Al-Queda terrorists, and provided them with with money and aid on several occasions. Stupid media :evil:

@Guerrilla:

@cystic:

@Guerrilla:

I am no mod but you guys are seemingly personally attacking Marine36…. cool it!!!

GG

as a mod, i feel i should say something . . .
ummmm . . . be nice?

forgive me CC…

forgiven

Referring to people dying so one can get money and calling someone a bastard and a spammer??

the reference to people dying - brush up on your satire.
as for Janus1’s reference - impolite, and very close to flaming. Still, it was difficult to disagree. Also he did not “call” him these things, but rather said that he was reminded of other posters with these qualities.

@CommissarYarric:

You guys suck at staying on topic. You really, really suck. Very badly :lol: .

To clear up why we hate the french, it is becuase they originally said they would back the Iraq war and would support the bill, but when the UN held the summit they completely changed their policy and vetoed our resolution. The Germans betrayed us as well, but France has veto, so thye did more damage. Since then, it has spiraled out of control, in both nations, due to the media.

this is the right of the French to do, however. For them to at one point publically issue one opinion and change it the next day required something to happen. I’m not sure what this is - perhaps the US invasion plans were MUCH more hasty than they had anticipated, perhaps there was a discussion about their military and future capabiliities, or perhaps their best interests as a trading partner with Iraq arose and convinced them to change their minds.
This is not new. The US does this on important issues that we have to deal with nearly daily. Commodities prices and stock prices, as well as jobs and the status of entire industries fluxuate directly in response to American “changes of heart” often with devestating consequences - and not just in my country, but all over the world. If we have to learn to deal with it, so can the US.

Now, i think we should employ a larger army, but as we are a volunteer force, that would be difficult. I would not have a problem with a mandatory 2 year service in the military at a certain age, or some other form of conscription, but that wont ever happen in America, so i might as well forget about it. To increase troop supply for the important wars like Iraq, we need to reorganize our deployment. We need to pull out of all the nations we had troops in becuase of the Cold War, and we also need to pull our troops out of S. Korea, becuase thye are not doing anything their. SImply put, N. Korea wont be attakcing anyone, they cant afford to. Go the Korea topic if you feel like debating or want to hear my reasons.

conscription is a terrible idea - in any country. I have no trouble with serving my country and i would be prepared to as a physician, or in a civic role. But a gov’t telling me to go out and kill people whether i want to or not is one of the most oppressive regimes i can imagine.

Another way we could increase troop supply is rearm Japan. Thye want desperatly to help in Iraq, and would always support America becuase we did, and still do, so much for their economy. They could get a large volunteer service together relatively quickly, and since the population has little fear of war compared to Europe, the people would undoubtedly support such a war by a majority or at least 50/50. The current size of Japan’s military forces is 180,000, but i beleive thatcould eb expanded at least two fold if promopted by America. Thats another 100,000 troops for Iraq at least. I dont think we should accept allowing Japan to help only in reconstruction and security in non-combat areas, like the recent bill allows. They should be equal participatants. OF course, America cant really force Jpaan to change it’s policy, but their are many politicians hwo want to change that policy. I think it could be done.

why would you expect them to double their forces at your whims, but not be allowed to help in reconstruction and security?
And if this invasion was for the good of Iraq, why should the best firms (or at least the best prices) not benefit Iraq and Iraqi’s? (unless the war was for US self-interest - in which case the French are right to not participate).

@cystic:

@Guerrilla:

@cystic:

@Guerrilla:

I am no mod but you guys are seemingly personally attacking Marine36…. cool it!!!

GG

as a mod, i feel i should say something . . .
ummmm . . . be nice?

forgive me CC…

forgiven

Referring to people dying so one can get money and calling someone a bastard and a spammer??

the reference to people dying - brush up on your satire.
as for Janus1’s reference - impolite, and very close to flaming. Still, it was difficult to disagree. Also he did not “call” him these things, but rather said that he was reminded of other posters with these qualities.

Aye Aye Sir…

Concerning Conscripts…

Would you be willing to go out and fight if people invaded Canada??

GG

Fight? No. This would be the biggest waste of resources, and no military leader would let me fight, nor would i fight.

1. it would be wrong of me to kill another person. I have trouble envisioning the scenario where i would do this. If i claim to follow the bible, and i try to follow Jesus’ teachings, then killing another solder would directly violate His greatest teachings, and the very principals which should differentiate Christians from other religions.
2. i am too intelligent and too old to serve in an infantry, artillary, etc. capacity. The military would much more likely assign me a rank of Captain or greater.
3. the miliatry would never take a physician and have them serve as a warrior. I have 10 years of education that would be much better served in a lab constructing bio/neuro/chemical weapons, as a physician/surgeon, in an administrative capacity (i have served on a board of directors, and worked as a territory manager for a corporation) etc.

If Canada was to be invaded/require a massive increase in enrollment, i would serve in a military hospital, and apply my skills without prejudice for Canadian or other nationality to the best of my abilities in so far as i was able.
If i was compelled to serve in the infantry with a weapon, then i would protest as a conscientious objector, and still serve as a physician. If this was not possible, then i would have to take the alternative (prison), and serve my fellow prisoners as a physician insofar as i was able.

this is the right of the French to do, however. For them to at one point publically issue one opinion and change it the next day required something to happen. I’m not sure what this is - perhaps the US invasion plans were MUCH more hasty than they had anticipated, perhaps there was a discussion about their military and future capabiliities, or perhaps their best interests as a trading partner with Iraq arose and convinced them to change their minds.
This is not new. The US does this on important issues that we have to deal with nearly daily. Commodities prices and stock prices, as well as jobs and the status of entire industries fluxuate directly in response to American “changes of heart” often with devestating consequences - and not just in my country, but all over the world. If we have to learn to deal with it, so can the US.

Of course it is their right to do so, but that does not mean we cant be mad at them for it. We should be. It was only the spark, however. It was escalated by the media (the O’Reily embargo, for example) and certain individuals. I guess I should have clarified that I do NOT hate the French at all, except for their soccor team when they beat England in the Euro Cup this year. I was at the game in Portugal, it was devastating.

conscription is a terrible idea - in any country. I have no trouble with serving my country and i would be prepared to as a physician, or in a civic role. But a gov’t telling me to go out and kill people whether i want to or not is one of the most oppressive regimes i can imagine.

Maybe you were trying to spark a different debate, otherwise you are picking straws. Anyway, if you were drafted you would become a medic for your skills, in all likelyhood anyway. I dont view it as my government telling me to kill people, but telling me to protect others and protect my government, an organization that i hold an almost unpayable debt to, by fighting against terrorists and murders.

2. i am too intelligent and too old to serve in an infantry, artillary, etc. capacity. The military would much more likely assign me a rank of Captain or greater.

Im glad your not too full of yourself :lol: .
As for the religious issue, i dont think you would be violating any laws, becuase you are trying to save the lives of people. Its open to interpretation, of course, but i beleive that self defense is soemthing you can perform without punishment under God. Of course, you could always aim for the legs :wink: .

why would you expect them to double their forces at your whims, but not be allowed to help in reconstruction and security?
And if this invasion was for the good of Iraq, why should the best firms (or at least the best prices) not benefit Iraq and Iraqi’s? (unless the war was for US self-interest - in which case the French are right to not participate).

I never said either of those. Japan’s military forces are limited by thier constitution, if the government, or more importantly the emperor, asked more people to join, im sure they would. And it would not be at the whim of America. Their are many Japanese politicians who want to alter the constitution, and that would be much easier if they had a specific reason to. I think the Japanese want to participate, they were very mad when they could only help out monetarily in the Gulf War of 1991. I also never said they could not help out in reconstruction, i just think they should be able to fight as well. American soldeirs are doing both, so can the Japanese. I think they want to do it, and we should give them a reason. Right now we arent trying to convince them to do so, we should be more openly positive and receptive to the idea. If that fails, we could always threaten them with economic sanctions 8) :lol: .
As for the firms, they are benefitting the Iraqi’s, its just that they are benefitting Americans too. We are using the oil income to rebuild the infastructure, and American companies are sending over engineers to rebuild the essential services like power and water. We cant just create a new company out of thin air to rebuild Iraq, we have to use existing ones, and the ones in the best position to help were largely American. They are providing jobs for Iraqi’s and rebuilding the country, how is that not benefitting the Iraqi’s?