| McCain Wants Much Larger Military?
Posted: 7/3/2008 3:22:48 PM |
I watched Obama meeting with the press and saying the same thing to them over and over even while the press asked the same questions over and over and over. .. will Obama.. if given the chance be able to back up his words with actions? This is an election year.. candidates say things to pander votes.. Bush never waivered on his answers to the press either he has stayed the course.. he backed up his words with actions...like it or not.. he has kept his word even when the path was not popular. | |
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| McCain Wants Much Larger Military?
Posted: 7/3/2008 3:26:48 PM | | OK, guys, this ain't an Iraq policy thread. God knows there are plenty of those here. This thread was doing jest fine until... *wags finger at Padawan* "Naughty!" | |
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| McCain Wants Much Larger Military?
Posted: 7/3/2008 3:27:08 PM | EDITed for purposes that what was written might have been as another Poster said 'a stretch' and since I was accused of attempted 'thread hijacking', the content of this post removed.
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| McCain Wants Much Larger Military?
Posted: 7/3/2008 3:36:49 PM | | This thread is about McCain wanting a 900,000 troop level as opposed to Bush's (and Obama's) intent to have the level be 750,000. Your newsflash (which I am watching yet not talking about here) serves only to derail the thread from that subject, and your justification for it is quite a stretch. | |
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| McCain Wants Much Larger Military?
Posted: 7/3/2008 3:40:07 PM | Bush never waivered on......where to start......North Korea??? Sure he did.....and once again, the will of the American people had no bearing in that decision either. Right now, our foreign policy is being dictated by the military and Iraq and I guess we're not supposed to leave there until there's no more violence over there too. But you know what? That's ok because we STAYED the course!! I would prefer that we had a Commander in Chief who acted on the best interests of the American people. I would prefer we had a Commander in Chief who does know how to make decisions and embraces that level of responsibility.
I would suggest that the monumental concern behind Bush's coming to a press conference and saying "I'm the decider." was that he wasn't. Along with a host of other people controlling him he allowed the military to do so as well. We don't have to have a crystal ball to know what McCain's postion regarding the military is and will be. I guess in order to elect Obama we'll have to consult with the soothsayers and psychics because then we'll know how he's going to act in the future.
Obama isn't pandering to anyone on Iraq; his position remains unchanged. | |
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| McCain Wants Much Larger Military?
Posted: 7/3/2008 6:29:43 PM | | I always thought military service should be MANDATORY - just like in ancient Rome. This is 1 of the reasons I enlisted, didnt want to be a hippocrite (sp?). | |
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| McCain Wants Much Larger Military?
Posted: 7/3/2008 7:07:46 PM | Of course McCain wants to increase the Military. It is my belief that if he
gets elected to the Presidency he will go ahead with his plans to invade
Iran alongside Israel. So many thousands of our boys and girls are dead from
the wars initiated by this administration and bogus 'intelligence'. How many more of our children have to die for these politicians and their eagerness to go to war. How many more innocents have to give their lives for an unjust cause? Killings, rapings,
maiming, it has to be stopped. Americans dead! Iraqi's dead! WHY?
This is my opinion and should that happen, which is likely, then Americans better
expect more deaths...of our brave men and women. And
expect oil to go up to $500.00 a barrel, and we shall have another
Great Depression. When will this madness end?  | |
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| McCain Wants Much Larger Military?
Posted: 7/3/2008 7:17:04 PM | Right now it is voluntary but just don't hold your breath, they will institute the draft at the first possible opportunity...it is coming...there are fewer boys and girls volunteering and if McCain wants to build up the Military, how else can he do it
but with a mandated draft? It should be mandatory as it is in Europe then those
wealthy politicians kids' would also have to serve which is as it should be, instead
they find loopholes to get themselves excused from serving. At lease we may
have some fairness then...we'll have to wait and see..won't we?
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| McCain Wants Much Larger Military?
Posted: 7/3/2008 7:24:43 PM | | irishgal2312 the draft isn't coming! The military hates the thought of it. It's repugnent to people like me who've spent 25 years in the military. It means we have to motivate people who don't want to be here. It isn't necessary because of the volunteer force! Get a new clue please! | |
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| McCain Wants Much Larger Military?
Posted: 7/3/2008 7:27:18 PM | To be honest we have to take a look at the problems we are faced with right now with a military that was much smaller due to cuts during the Clinton years. Because of this we have had to actually use National Guard troops in a capacity that they were not intended for.
To increase the levels of troops should then be a no brainer as we seem to be heading into even murkier waters concerning Iran. I would hate to see us having to resort to using our own National Guard continuously in such a manner.
McCains approach seems to be overkill compared to Bush and Obama however if you take into account the time needed to train new troops (and by this I mean complete training and not just your basic training ) it will take several years to accomlish this goal. At this point maybe overkill is what is needed to ensure that we will never have to use our National Guard in this manner ever again.
Some of the problem may be the cost involved in suh an undertaking however this is something that will definately start a whole new thread over aout how our money is used to finance large corporations for research and development of new weapons and armor that in my opinion is not justified. Maybe a return to the old days of when a corporation did its own research and development then brought the finished product to the military for review would cut those costs way down and open the door for more actual boots on the ground? Just doesnt sit well with me to think that some of my tax dollars goes into the till at General Dynamics or any other large corporation to pay them for developing a product that even if it works or is applied will then be purchased by the military and our tax dollars. Sort of paying for it twice?? | |
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| McCain Wants Much Larger Military?
Posted: 7/3/2008 7:52:12 PM | *- Offtopic/Flaming/Flamebaiting posts removed...a LOT of restraint shown to not send several people to "banned camp" Don't make me regret it. Read the rules on Partisan Political Arguments and obey it when you choose to post here again as that form of baiting will not be tolerated. STAY ON TOPIC or DO NOT POST -TheMadFiddler-* | |
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| McCain Wants Much Larger Military?
Posted: 7/3/2008 8:13:30 PM |
To be honest we have to take a look at the problems we are faced with right now with a military that was much smaller due to cuts during the Clinton years. Because of this we have had to actually use National Guard troops in a capacity that they were not intended for. Good point.. I remember the cuts during that time and from listening to military personnel /Pentagon on CSPAN I've learned alot about how cuts effect the military.. so I think McCain is right to beef up the military and it's technology.. we are still using old equipment/tanks due to defense cuts. | |
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| McCain Wants Much Larger Military?
Posted: 7/3/2008 10:48:50 PM | | The problem is not our military is not too small, it's our "invade first" mentality that causes problems. The security of the US is not tied to our military, but our values and moral compass. The 9/11 attacks, while tragic, did not effect the basic structure of the US AT ALL. The country runs arounds looking for threats in other countries where in reality very little exsist. If we had a more effective foreign policy we would not need a military capable of fighting several wars at once. The real question is why does McCain feel the need to increase our forces, is he planning to start yet another war in a far off land that does not threaten us? | |
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NERO1
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Joined: 3/8/2008
Msg: 64 | |
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| McCain Wants Much Larger Military?
Posted: 7/3/2008 11:57:33 PM | I have another somewhat philosophical for everyone here....
When it gets to the point that the military spending causes a economic collapse or even hardships on the rest of America, is it safe to say the terrorist win? | |
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jedi4
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Joined: 4/3/2008
Msg: 67 | |
| McCain Wants Much Larger Military?
Posted: 7/4/2008 5:06:48 AM | Cost of Iraq Invasion.. over 2 trillion on borrowed money, McBush or Bama, who ever comes in will have to raise taxes to pay for the invasion.. get used to smaller pay check and higher prices..
Gas Prices are only going to go higher, food and necessities will cost more..
Dollar fallen 41% against the Euro since Bush took office..
Social Security on its last leg..
2.2 million: Approximate number of families who may lose their homes and up to $164 billion of accumulated wealth due to foreclosure, according to the Center for Responsible Lending.
Jobless lines growing longer..
McCain can only wish for a larger army, fact is United States cannot afford a larger Army.. | |
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| McCain Wants Much Larger Military?
Posted: 7/4/2008 5:30:11 AM |
I have another somewhat philosophical for everyone here....
When it gets to the point that the military spending causes a economic collapse or even hardships on the rest of America, is it safe to say the terrorist win?
Smart cookie prize for that one.
That's why they hit the towers, to destroy our financial system. And bush went right along with the plan. | |
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| McCain Wants Much Larger Military?
Posted: 7/4/2008 5:43:38 AM | Well exactly....we have this unfathomably bad combination here. The uber wealthy getting access to virtually unlimited tax dollars in the form of selling something to the military. How odd......the wealthy thinking there's unlimited tax dollars to spend on the military. It's a circle jerk of the worst kind......and there's no way to rein them in until Nov. unless of course, McCain gets in. If people can't see the dangerousness associated with propping up another war hawk, we're in real trouble here.
Obama '08 | |
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| McCain Wants Much Larger Military?
Posted: 7/4/2008 6:45:04 AM | | teachpeace, wasnt that Reagan's strategy with the USSR, to bust them financially with an arms race? Seems like binLaden might have learned a few tricks from him because it is working. The Pentagon is bleeding this country. | |
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| McCain Wants Much Larger Military?
Posted: 7/4/2008 7:23:51 AM | Tyme, most young men and women don't want to be in the service anyway, circumstances sometimes require them to
make the choice to join the Armed Forces. Particularly children from lower income families who have no chance of attending college, trade school, and no decent jobs with a living wage. These are the kids that make up most of our voluntary Armed
Services. Do you see the rich kids volunteering? Maybe a few, but none that I
am aware of at this time. I congratulate you for your years of service, I have a husband and two sons who served and I am proud of that fact. However, the
fact is our military is decreasing in size due to the loss of lives in these ongoing wars and I have a nephew who is a recruiter for the Army and he tells me it is difficult to
get new recruits at this time. That is my new clue....and it is a factual one! | |
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| McCain Wants Much Larger Military?
Posted: 7/4/2008 7:36:07 AM |
Tyme, most young men and women don't want to be in the service anyway, circumstances sometimes require them to
make the choice to join the Armed Forces. Particularly children from lower income families who have no chance of attending college, trade school, and no decent jobs with a living wage. These are the kids that make up most of our voluntary Armed
Services. Do you see the rich kids volunteering? Maybe a few, but none that I
am aware of at this time. I congratulate you for your years of service, I have a husband and two sons who served and I am proud of that fact. However, the
fact is our military is decreasing in size due to the loss of lives in these ongoing wars and I have a nephew who is a recruiter for the Army and he tells me it is difficult to
get new recruits at this time. That is my new clue....and it is a factual one! Couple of things..
No.
No.
And No.
Recruitment in the United States Marine Corps is up 140%, they've already met their quota till 2010, the Marines (unlike the Army) DO NOT offer the large cash bonuses - this is to insure that Marine Corp is comprised of individuals who WANT to be there. There is definately, most positively, no shortage of volunteers.
Maybe the Army is comprised of people who 'dont wanna be there' but the Marines sure as hell aren't - and the vast majority of my fellow poolee's who I see ever Wednesday DO NOT come from low-income families and like I stated before, WANT TO BE THERE.
And these loss of lives you've mentioned. We've lost 4k men since 2003 - thats NOTHING. Triple that number are killed every year in America due to violent crimes.
Please, you are entitled to your opinions but do not try to pass them off as fact. Man, I cannot put into words how insulting that post was. | |
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| McCain Wants Much Larger Military?
Posted: 7/4/2008 7:54:46 AM | Well said Ray and may I add thank you for your service.
Irish, I just attended my son's graduation in January from the Coast Guard boot camp and again his graduation from his A school in June, and I can tell you that the young men and women I saw and talked to were proud of themselves and of their service to their country. | |
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| McCain Wants Much Larger Military?
Posted: 7/4/2008 7:58:23 AM |
I have another somewhat philosophical for everyone here....
When it gets to the point that the military spending causes a economic collapse or even hardships on the rest of America, is it safe to say the terrorist win?
One of the biggest myths currently extant in the West is that the military is an economic positive. It's not. Overall it is a negative.
Certainly, it does provide jobs, and in my opinion far too much profit for the companies involved in it, but much of the money spent on weapons simply disappears from the economy. It goes into expendables.
It goes into to weapons that sit there until they are blown up or blow themselves up. Or they become obsolete. Or they become too old to maintain properly. The money spent on them disappears when they disappear.
That said a nation does need a military. There do come times when violence needs to be used. Not as often as people think, but it's best to be prepared.
But spend too much on a military and an economy is going to be in trouble. It would be like an individual spending money on his gun collection when he needs to repair his house and put food on the table for his family.
My $0.02. | |
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