| McCain Wants Much Larger Military?
Posted: 7/4/2008 5:09:01 PM | ^^^I missed your point? You stated that all military personnel 'dont really wanna be there anyway' and enlisted out of desperation - which is completely false and a sterotype based on nothing but ignorance, as I said above, you might as well have said all banks are ran by big-nosed Jews or that all black people like chicken and cool-aid.
Your entitled to your opinions, but keep them just that, 'opinions'. Do not try to pass them off as fact, your 60yrs old for Christ's sake, I shouldn't need to tell you this. | |
|
| McCain Wants Much Larger Military?
Posted: 7/4/2008 5:10:25 PM |
Army 'Doggies'? So according to you there is only one branch of service that being the Marines? Callin the boys who join the Army 'doggies' ? I call that stereotyping, what would you call it?
I'd call it kind of normal really ~ It's to be laugh at ~~ sweetheart ~ and please don't take offence ~ the Army and Marine ~ have been taking cheap shot at each other longer then you are old ~ We've developed it into sport!
and it's all in fun ~ They have saved our bacon many times and we have saved theirs.
We are brother ~ and we fights like brothers ~ MOM love me best! ~ fu`k You!
Dance | |
|
| McCain Wants Much Larger Military?
Posted: 7/4/2008 5:25:45 PM | Dance that is true. It is just like high school, college or fraternal/sorority rivals. I love to hear my son calling my dad names and vice versa because my son is army and my dad in air force. It is like me teasing my sister because she graduated from The University of Texas or teasing my cousin when he invited me to Prairie View A&M's homecoming.
The bottom line they are all in it together. The same cause. | |
|
| McCain Wants Much Larger Military?
Posted: 7/4/2008 10:44:42 PM | Bluesman2008, I totally agree with you in post 128, I think the so-called defense and security we have is a JOKE and a SHAM.
My friend today told me about her trip to a family reunion and a horrible time over some water bottles her son had. He made a stupd comment, like "this is a bunch of BS" and the little security guy went all ballistic, called in a bunch of people over the loudspeakers and they all came running ..............
re:""""We're not facing conventional warfare any more (state armies against state armies). Didn't you get the memo? Bush has crammed it down your throats for over 7 years now. It's TERRORISTS. The bad guys in this NEW kind of war don't wear uniforms, get it?"""
Thats because they arent interested at ALL in protecting us, they are interested in doing their fascism thing and giving the big handouts to their republican defense industry pals. ALL OF THEM benefit from terrorism..........and there are zillions of little neo-Nazis out there in our population with their little brown shirts in their little closets waiting for their Fuhrer, too.
Odd that McCains aide would say a terrorist attack would benefit him, isnt it? One would think it would be time to throw these bums who are spending so much of our money on "defense" if such a thing happened again, but for them.........its a God send, oh, boy! MOre money!!! Times are good! Good times!
Its a joke. Obama is interested in REAL defense and seems to be the only one who "gets it". | |
|
| McCain Wants Much Larger Military?
Posted: 7/5/2008 3:52:01 AM | I just needed to say after reading the thread as a whole, the title is really misleading - McCain wants to increase the standing strength of the Army/Marines to 900k (it sits currently at 750k) thats not that big of jump. And considering we are a nation of 300million with troops stationed all other the world, a standing military force of 900k is probably a good idea.
And with that said, I dont support McCain, he's too old to be President (if elected he'd be 71 on inauguration) | |
|
| McCain Wants Much Larger Military?
Posted: 7/5/2008 4:30:19 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.
Horse chips. While most young people don't want to serve in the military, that is the way it has been since the founding of the country. A very structured lifestyle is just not what many people choose to pursue. But to imply that those who do are only doing so for poor economic reasons is ignorant. People are not joining the military because they CAN'T go to college, but because they either want to serve, feel a sense of patriotism in doing so, looking for adventure/ravel or help with paying for college. They can go to college like everyone else, with loans and scholarships. The GI Bill is not attracting tens of thousands of people whom have no other options in life.
And if you had ever served in the military, calling if a 'living wage' is a little strong. Even with the benefits, the pay is rarely worth the personal sacrifices that most are required to make in terms of hours, working conditions, and time spent away from family. From my experience the vast majority have voluntarily enlisted for either patriotic reasons or adventure, not because they had no other options. | |
|
| McCain Wants Much Larger Military?
Posted: 7/5/2008 6:03:43 AM | I have read that many think we joined only to get out of a bad situation or to get money for college etc.... So not true. I went in because I wanted to. I enjoyed the time I spent in the Army and if given the chance would do it all over again.
Yes we need a larger force and I agree with this totally. What happened this time was sad because of the military cutbacks we had to use forces in the National Guard and to extend tours of duty. We need to increase our boots on the ground to alleviate this so that we never again have to use our National Guard in this capacity. Another answer would be to close down our remaining bases in Europe since the advent of the EU I believe that they would or should be handle their own defenses now. This is of course with the exception of say Ramstein airbase which affords us access when we need it.
Also people are not paying attention to the fact that we are fighting on more than one front and if anyone noticed our casualties in Afghanistan has now surpassed those of Iraq. Fighting on several fronts takes even more rescources, equipment and men than before.
Remember when families with servicemembers were sending them the armor and gear that were needed because we were short on them? Thank the Clintons cutbacks for that little fiasco. Our military is the best in the world we have to treat them as such and provide them with what they need. Funny how Clintons cutbacks to the military were suddenly blamed on the new administration almost immediately. Yes there were many mistakes in this whole undertaking but now we need to learn from those mistakes and keep an adequate force to field should the need arise. Lets never put ourselves in the position to have to use under equipped men and women from the National Guard (NO-GOs hee hee had to drop that in being regular army) ever again. | |
|
| McCain Wants Much Larger Military?
Posted: 7/5/2008 6:47:57 AM | When I joined the Navy my brother who was a Vietnam Vet and in the Signal Corp tried very hard to get me to go to community college. He was the biggest drug dealer in Colorado Springs during the years when there was a draft, but he had volunteered so he could pick his training.
I didn't want to go to college and frankly thought my brother was a jerk. I wanted to see the world and I have as well as getting a world class education in satellite technology.
My rambling has a point I promise. My brothers army and todays army are quite different. The infestation of drugs has ended, mandatory drug testing started in 1984 and it's made a huge difference. It's made the all volunteer force not only possible but reliable.
Comparing the Vietnam era military with todays is like comparing apples to oranges.
In 1984 I was denied a hotel room for my mom to see my A school graduation because I was in the Navy. 1985, I was denied entry to a bar in Norfolk because I was Navy and there was a sign "dog and sailors" keep off the grass. Yeah that stuff happened in the old days just like racism, that stuff ended when the services started taking legal action.
Recruiting is the toughest job in the service. It always been tough to make the monthly quota. It's not any tougher now, I've known a lot of recruiters who were fired for not making quota in peace time.
And I've known many college educated and financially secure people in the Navy just as I've known Sailors who couldn't pour piss out of a boot with the instructions written on the heel. The demographics pretty much reflect society as a whole. I've known people who joined for a change of pace, because they were tired of running a business or because there weren't any jobs for a Phd in physics. You can't make sweeping generalizations about the military and say it's a fact.
McCain wants to expand the military more than Bush and Obama because he recognizes that we have cut the services too thin in favor of automation and expensive gadgets. | |
|
| McCain Wants Much Larger Military?
Posted: 7/5/2008 7:41:01 AM | McCain wants to expand the military because he intends to occupy Iraq indefinately. If he envisioned withdrawal during his administration, would there be such a need for these troops levels?
I am all for upgrading and expanding our military troops if it is for a peacetime miliary and for our defense. If the purpose is to occupy other countries, I am not buying it.
Anyway, my guess is that the military is a relatively smaller percent of the pentagon budget. I am guessing, but the big ticket items are really the budget-busters, like star wars and $45 billion dollar tankers, etc.
These older generations seem to keep wanting to fight WWII or do Viet Nam all over again and that is not going to protect us in an era when the danger to us isnt wearing uniforms or waving flags on battlefields or even represented by countries........it;s guys with boxcutters. | |
|
| McCain Wants Much Larger Military?
Posted: 7/5/2008 9:27:29 AM | An older document but it still is an interesting read http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/report/crs/33855.pdf
Troop strength as of the end of last fiscal year.
http://siadapp.dmdc.osd.mil/personnel/MILITARY/rg0708.pdf
The idea is about increasing the Army from 520 thousand to 600 or 900 thousand. The Army was stretched thin even before 9/11. With all the crap expected of the Army and Marines I think we need numbers more in line of 900,000 like McCain wants rather than what Bush and Obama want. | |
|
| McCain Wants Much Larger Military?
Posted: 7/5/2008 6:28:42 PM | Yes I agree since believe it or not ultimately its the soldier who wins the day not technology though technology does have its purposes its the soldier who utilizes that technology and more importantly the grunts who do the work. We fell amazingly short of showing any kind of overwhelming strength due to the shortage of actual troops.
McCains view to increase the actual troops to 900,000 is one that would regain our troop strength and provide the deterrence we need. | |
|
| McCain Wants Much Larger Military?
Posted: 7/6/2008 6:51:44 AM |
McCain wants to expand the military because he intends to occupy Iraq indefinately. If he envisioned withdrawal during his administration, would there be such a need for these troops levels? We occupied Bosnia as well for many years but of course not at the same troop level as in the beginning. I think it would be a good idea to have troops rotate to Iraq in the future as least to keep an eye on Al Qaeda which as we know does not want Iraq to be successful. | |
|
| |
| McCain Wants Much Larger Military?
Posted: 7/6/2008 7:36:17 AM | | Prediction on McCain presidency: 4 more years of Iraq in the news, more money to the Pentagon, no agenda otherwise, nothng else changes, things at home worsen. | |
|
| McCain Wants Much Larger Military?
Posted: 7/6/2008 8:52:22 AM |
Prediction on McCain presidency: 4 more years of Iraq in the news, more money to the Pentagon, no agenda otherwise, nothng else changes, things at home worsen.
If the US continues on its current course (which is a negative one according to most Americans), I wouldn't rule out popular revolt.
There are serious issues at home:
1) Medical expenses have been rising at double digit rates, but salaries and wages are not.
2) The debt will have gone up by almost as much as it did under the first 41 Presidents (from Washington to Bush Sr.) by the time Dub's eight years are up. That's undermining the US dollar, which is increasing oil prices, which is weakening the economy, which is putting pressure on government receipts, which is increasing borrowing....and so on.
3) Unfunded liabilities in Social Security and Medicare are staggering and aren't going away. Whatever you thought of Dub's reforms of SS, at least he had the guts to touch the third rail of American politics.
4) Infrastructure. It's old and crumbling in many places.
5) Americans spend more per capita on public education but don't get the results that other nations do. There is a lot of debate about this subject, including what the numbers in those studies mean, but you've got to wonder how the US will continue to lead the world economically if it doesn't continue to excel in math and science.
It seems McCain can't run a campaign (or a computer) and Obama had two years' experience in the Senate before he declared his candidacy. Is either one of them up to the job? | |
|
| McCain Wants Much Larger Military?
Posted: 7/6/2008 3:10:04 PM | | I think that a larger military could be very beneficial, in many ways. Especially, if we need to fight on different fronts like the future seems to be pointing at. It would also be good for the economy. Many politicians have ideas about the military. Obama would like to loan our military to the UN to fight in tribal wars in Africa, and to help his cousin maintain power in Kenya. See. Different agendas. Some help America. Some don't. | |
|
| McCain Wants Much Larger Military?
Posted: 7/6/2008 7:44:25 PM | | yes, evilside, there are wars in our future, wars and rumors of wars but don't be troubled, these things need come to pass, but the end is not yet come. | |
|
| |
| McCain Wants Much Larger Military?
Posted: 7/6/2008 9:55:25 PM |
Yes, there are many dark days ahead. Earthquakes in diverse places as well. But, A larger military could be quite useful. Especially, in the hands of a commander and chief who understands the military, because he actually served his country.
Man, I'm really starting to get sick of these one word rebuttal's but here it is:
Bush. | |
|
| McCain Wants Much Larger Military?
Posted: 7/6/2008 10:50:04 PM | | Good idea millitary spending should incraese from 4.5% of GDP to about 7.5% of GDP to invest in more millitary weapons, and build smarter weapons, and speical ops tools, and pyscholoigcal weapons. McCain should do it, but close the tax looppoles of Uber Actors, and Athetes to pay for the expansion, and pare down spending on govt pork. Also, a tax on steel exports to China to encourage the recylcing of steel used in Untied States. Also, prohibition on all outsourcing of my defense or millitary related industries. Strong offense is best determinet from countries that dont like America too much. | |
|
| McCain Wants Much Larger Military?
Posted: 7/7/2008 4:49:00 PM | after the last 8 years of kicking sand in people face ~ we be foolish to not. ~
But if we plan any future military take overs ~ we need ~
Military Leadership ~~ handling things ~ not what we've seen.
I'm not interested in spending a nichol on defence ~ if resourses
are continued to be mishandled ~ by the likes of people like 43 and Rummy.
We need a Draft ~~ it's the right of passage ~ we need 12 month tours
We need more professional soldiers. ~
If McCain plans to stay ~ the men need good hot chow!!!!! everyday! unless they are in the field ~ or dunes in this case in small units.
And the soliders need access to the local women ~ with some restraints ofcoarse
I've just being "real" ~~ If we must stay ~ we need sons and daughter there!
Young men don't do well without women extended periods of time. ~ It's emotional damaging ~ The reason "why" ~ needs to be reenforced ~ sometimes in difficult situtations ~ is Nature.
if you are not ready for that thought ~ we need to get our ass out!
Dance | |
|
| |
| |
| McCain Wants Much Larger Military?
Posted: 7/7/2008 6:48:41 PM | | What do you think will happen when Obama visits the middle east. Do you think he will start sounding more like McCain? | |
|
| McCain Wants Much Larger Military?
Posted: 7/8/2008 4:57:26 AM | I really don't know Faith ~ Speaking with leader is clear
and this conserns many ~ How will he proceed?
I see nothing wrong with talking with anyone myself, unlike the many others that do.
It's dialogue that stays off conflict ~ But where that will lead , I just don't know.
One of the great perceived achievments of the Nixion Adminstration was to open dialogue with China ~ then a big mystery and of great uneasy consern to us.
Now we are having to compete with them on a global scale. ~ Is that a "bad" thing?
I think not ~ But now, we can ill afford time wasted with clumsy leadership. Their needs are many and by nature they are fierce competiors.
Can American Ego exist wih such a strong competior in such a small world?
We could easily find ourselfs ~ like the Iraq's ~ left only with our llusions of grandure of past history ~ the only true greatness at hand self serving illusions of what we once were.
Time marches forward ~ and we are each~ only as good as our last rodeo
The future belong to those that continue to work on sound principals and solid judgement.
It'd require a major world event to put Gobalization back in her box at this point.
The water shead of wealth thats been stored up , allow some to live well ~ while others do with less is slowly being unleashed.
I'm not sure that we are ready ~ Is Obama the man to lead us through this?
I wish McCain would say something that made me feel that he knew and understood where the future is going. But he seem to be engaged with way it "was" ~ He's lost touch with the people, save for people like himself on Capilal Hill and lobbist.
I feel stuck with Obama ~ can he wield power? Can he make decisions that reflect the will of the people? Can he curb run away government agencys? Can he offer us some tranparency affording every American the comfort in knowing we are all singing from the same piece of sheet music?
McCain can't ~
Dance | |
|
Home
login 
