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Post by Sailor on Feb 25, 2014 9:53:55 GMT -8
Washington (AFP) - The Pentagon plans to scale back the US Army by more than an eighth to its lowest level since before World War II, signaling a shift after more than a decade of ground wars. Saying it was time to "reset" for a new era, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel recommended shrinking American forces from 520,000 active duty troops to between 440,000 and 450,000. In a speech outlining the proposed defense budget, he said Monday that after Iraq and Afghanistan, US military leaders no longer plan to "conduct long and large stability operations." If approved by Congress, the Pentagon move would reduce the army to its lowest manning levels since 1940, before the American military dramatically expanded after entering World War II. news.yahoo.com/pentagon-proposes-shrink-us-army-pre-wwii-level-183915098.html;_ylt=AwrTWf1X8gtTyCsAGVTQtDMDNot just the Army either. The Air Force, Navy and USMC are facing cuts as well. And there are the proposed cuts to active duty benefits - Pentagon budget slashes benefitsthehill.com/blogs/defcon-hill/budget-appropriations/199050-hagel-unveils-basics-of-2015-defense-budget-requestEnd of American Military DominanceHagel announces steep U.S. defense cuts in aircraft, ships, troops, weapons freebeacon.com/end-of-american-military-dominance/I’ve been treated to the “we spend more than everyone else in the world combined” so many times today on the local bird cage liner’s comment page that I thought it had been invaded by the dregs of the old THC site. Yeah, Defense is expensive. But consider how expensive the alternative would be, if the people calling for these cuts are wrong. We have technological advantages today, but I can guarantee you that somewhere in the world some very smart and sharp people are working very, very hard to find ways to negate the advantages Hagel and Obama are counting on. We thought we had advantages that made us safe prior to Pearl Harbor and prior to 9/11. History has shown that military advantages are fleeting at best and illusions at worst. - Sailor "Si vis pacem, para bellum" - "If you will have peace, prepare for war" - Publius Flavius Vegetius Renatus |
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Post by tankcommander on Feb 25, 2014 11:24:47 GMT -8
"Hagel's plan protects funding for Special Operations forces and cyberwarfare."
So, the army will be green beanies & geeks, until they get the rude surprise that they need ground pounders to take and hold ground (again). The last time they learned this lesson, North Koreans were pounding the Pusan Perimeter in 1950.
"The budget proposal mandates the elimination of the entire fleet of Air Force A-10 attack aircraft."
So, ground troops have lost one of the best close-air support aircraft ever made ...... I doubt there will be any aircraft able to replace it.
FYI -- Before WWII, the U.S. had the 19th largest army, slightly behind Rumania.
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Post by Sailor on Feb 25, 2014 15:15:41 GMT -8
Ours defense budget may well be the largest in the world, but our total force lags behind the personnel numbers of both Russia (1/2 the size) and the PRC (1/4 the size.) Unlike them the single largest line item in our budget is personnel compensation.
Food for thought.
"Quantity has a quality all its own." - Attributed to Joe Stalin
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Post by 101ABN on Feb 25, 2014 18:50:13 GMT -8
Stupidest fucking idea yet in a long and seemingly never-ending parade of the from this administration.
Somebody tell that idiot Hagel and his idiot boss that there was a reason why those levels were PRE-WWII. Because we failed to adequately prepare while the Axis powers were arming themselves to the teeth.
Do we really want to CUT forces as China arms and Russia rearms? Can this President REALLY be this stupid?
This admin is failing in it's FIRST responsibility.
Time to impeach, IMO.
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Post by warrior1972 on Feb 27, 2014 5:09:53 GMT -8
Stupidest fucking idea yet in a long and seemingly never-ending parade of the from this administration. Somebody tell that idiot Hagel and his idiot boss that there was a reason why those levels were PRE-WWII. Because we failed to adequately prepare while the Axis powers were arming themselves to the teeth. Do we really want to CUT forces as China arms and Russia rearms? Can this President REALLY be this stupid? This admin is failing in it's FIRST responsibility. Time to impeach, IMO. You all knew it was coming, if you all have half the sense I think you do. And guess what? The next President, Democratic or Republican, ain't gonna bring it back. |
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Post by warrior1972 on Feb 27, 2014 5:42:00 GMT -8
Stupidest fucking idea yet in a long and seemingly never-ending parade of the from this administration. Somebody tell that idiot Hagel and his idiot boss that there was a reason why those levels were PRE-WWII. Because we failed to adequately prepare while the Axis powers were arming themselves to the teeth. Do we really want to CUT forces as China arms and Russia rearms? Can this President REALLY be this stupid? This admin is failing in it's FIRST responsibility. Time to impeach, IMO. You all knew it was coming, if you all have half the sense I think you do. And guess what? It ain't gonna be coming back. |
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Post by 101ABN on Feb 27, 2014 7:23:42 GMT -8
Oh, it WILL come back.
Right after the next catastrophic attack against us.
Bet the ranch on it.
Si vis pacem, para bellum. True then, true now.
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Post by warrior1972 on Feb 27, 2014 19:18:55 GMT -8
"bet the ranch on it"?
Oh, we will.
Count on it.
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peck
Junior Member
Posts: 17 
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Post by peck on Feb 28, 2014 9:32:30 GMT -8
"bet the ranch on it"? Oh, we will. Count on it. Warrior you invest too much in this president. I suspect it is because he is black but I digress. This president has diverted too much of the nations treasure to domestic spending especially on Social Programs. This is just another strike towards enslaving the people. If you give and give and give, it is hard for them to stand on their feet and the government becomes their only hope. Who is going to give you that heroin you need. Barack Obama and his diseased offspring, that is who. Then when any voice of reason sets out to right the wrong, they are evil for weaning the hog from the government teat. I know CHuck Hagel, I have worked with him before, he is a weather vane, he flows wherever the winds of change push him. If he got polling that said being gay would move him forward, he would be on his hands and knees the next day. Chuck of all people should realize that the military should be able to have whatever tools they need to fulfill their job. Imagine if they told the US Navy that they had to do their duty in a rowboat. In the end, the US Military needs to be cut back, withdraw forces from Korea, Withdraw forces from Germany. I am all for it. One thing about the current regime. If you don't think the rest of the world believes he is a pussy, you look at what the Russians did the other day in landing an intelligence ship in Cuba unannounced. The Russians have announced increased military presence around the world. If you don't think we should maintain our military "Republican or Democrat," you are either irredeemable stupid or you are so in the bag for Barack Obama you can't reason properly. |
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Post by 101ABN on Feb 28, 2014 9:45:56 GMT -8
Hagel is a lackey, a toady lickspittle doing his master's bidding.
And dumb as a rope.
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Post by 101ABN on Feb 28, 2014 9:48:58 GMT -8
"Of the four wars in my lifetime none came about because the U.S. was too strong." - Ronald Reagan
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Post by Sailor on Feb 28, 2014 15:30:54 GMT -8
"Of the four wars in my lifetime none came about because the U.S. was too strong." - Ronald Reagan You beat me to it 101. |
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Post by warrior1972 on Mar 1, 2014 5:52:54 GMT -8
"Of the four wars in my lifetime none came about because the U.S. was too strong." - Ronald Reagan
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Post by 101ABN on Mar 1, 2014 8:58:16 GMT -8
Neither did we have a president who would rather expand welfare and upsize DHS while emasculating the military.
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Post by CommonSense on Mar 1, 2014 9:01:16 GMT -8
Give those able bodied young men who wish to be on welfare and play video games the option to earn money and defend their country instead! Aim recruitment toward the young men who appear to have nothing else in life going for them. Ah but that would solve two problems and probably lead to accusations of "forcing the poor to fight for the rich"
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