I think Thunder Run was an acceptable risk/gamble for speed to overrun. The Israeli's I believe use tanks in the cities effectively but as you say, a lot depends on how the enemy is armed.

The Arabs cant fight conventionally, when they do instead of terrorism, they get their ass kicked. Their culture and mentality doesnt enable them to look war or training for it, in a cool and analytical manner.

The Leo is a great machine, the Polish military is really satisfied with the A4. I believe that they even announced that they will be buying more A4's from German military stocks. A great decision since I think that the A4's are a bit sharper than our domestic designs. Too bad, that there is no money in the budget for the A6 version.

I think it is a matter of their leadership. Their officers feel entitled to their positions.

I went through my Basic Course with a couple of Egyptians in 1993. Many of the old tankers here remember the 10 Day War. (I've heard it's now the 7 Day War :nope:) The two Egyptians basically did not feel they should have to go out and sleep in the field. It's hard to win any type of war, when your combat arms officers don't like going to the field.

Well that too, it relates to the serfculture they have. Ive allways liked systems where every man has to go through the same basic training and work their way up from there. We have that and so do the Israelis for exsample. I know US has that possibility, but i assume its more of an exception.

You are correct about it being the exception in the United States, but really one of the smartest ways to pursue a military career in the American military.

If you earn a commission as an enlisted in the Regular Army, you will most likely be commissioned in the Regular Army. By going in as an officer, you may be commissioned into the Reserves or National Guard and serve no active duty time at all, or serve just a couple of years of active duty.

Even Academy graduates aren't guaranteed Regular Army any more.

36% of the junior officer corp are leaving when their commitment ends nowadays. Main reason sited is Iraq.

Gen .Franks wrote about his experience as corps commander, when he arrived in Saudi Arabia, inspected the already established sites and then was told of the training for the Kuwaiti of Saudi units in 1990/91 in one place. When he inspected the site, trainers complained that when they told their group to dig some foxholes for themselves, the troops said it would be offensive to their male honour to dig in the dirt or something like this. They got out their handies, called their families, and some time later servants of theirs tried to come in by car, to dig the foxholes for them. The US trainers of course went ballistic about this. And commander of VII. corps wrote he definitely was not pleased to learn about this.

another story he reported is this: that the first Kuwaiti or Saudi units (I forgot which one it was, I think it were Saudis), that recovered the Abrams in preparation for Desert Storm - jumped into the tanks, drove around like crazy or like being drunk, yelled like kids into the microphone and brought the whole radio network down. They also fired around blindly until the tanks ran out of ammo, like they use to shoot their rifles into the air during assemblies or festivities. It was a stockcar race. The tanks were scattered around over the whole training area, and finally stranded, out of ammo. Again, their US trainers went up into orbit... :lol:

That is very disturbing considering a few years ago they would have been killing each other to see their name on the Captains List in the Army Times.

In 1993 (iirc) the Canadian Army got 6 T-72's for evaluation, and I got to climb around on them at CFB Gagetown. I think the Russians were selling them for $10K each plus Shipping and Handling.

They are offering choices of training, $20,000 bonuses and some other stuff I can't remember for continuing service.


Edit: Here's a link with some information:
http://usmilitary.about.com/od/armyb...ficerbonus.htm
http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/arc...ention_crisis/

I find it interesting that it only applies to former Active Duty and not Reserve Officers.