Your turn America

[Oberon]

We've had our mass-culling, now it's your turn.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-16430405

Still, on the up side, at least you have plenty of reserve stuff that you can cull, we ran out of that during the 1990s.

[GoldenRivet]

no surprises there

[Herr-Berbunch]

Just sell off everything at Davis-Monthan either for scrap or servicable, don't just leave it all there.

That should cut a hole in the red!

[Schroeder]

What good is a huge army if you can't pay for it? Just look at the red army after the wall came down. Tons of equipment and everything in awful shape. That can't be the answer either, can it?

[GoldenRivet]

he's treating the a symptom... not curing the ailment just like they have all done and will do until there is nothing left

[Ducimus]

So yes, our military will be leaner," Mr Obama told reporters, "but the world must know - the United States is going to maintain our military superiority with armed forces that are agile, flexible and ready for the full range of contingencies and threats."

He sounds like F'ing Rumsfeld.

Edit:
As long as were downsizing (again), i still say, lets yank all those cold war era bases we have dotted all over the damn place that are doing nothing but supporting local economies. Bring some of them back stateside to support our own local economies for a change.

[soopaman2]

Originally Posted by Ducimus

He sounds like F'ing Rumsfeld.

Edit:
As long as were downsizing (again), i still say, lets yank all those cold war era bases we have dotted all over the damn place that are doing nothing but supporting local economies. Bring some of them back stateside to support our own local economies for a change.

It always amazes me how we need bases in Germany, but can't afford a space program or social programs for seniors that "need to be cut".

It is common sense for the citizen, but unspeakable for our politicians who are fed by the defense lobbies.

You know what they call "lobbying" in Europe?

Bribery.

Does this mean the Chagos Islanders can have their land back?

[magicstix]

The easiest way to fix the defense budget would be to cut out all the waste and fraud, but instead we have a President that has decided to hamstring our ability to fight two wars at a time when both China and Iran are acting more belligerent on the world stage.

[Schroeder]

Originally Posted by soopaman2

It always amazes me how we need bases in Germany, but can't afford a space program or social programs for seniors that "need to be cut".

It is common sense for the citizen, but unspeakable for our politicians who are fed by the defense lobbies.

You know what they call "lobbying" in Europe?

Bribery.

You are aware that the airbase in Frankfurt is your main hub for transportation for Iraq and Afghanistan (at least IIRC)?
So some of those bases are of strategic value when you go into other foreign lands again.

[magicstix]

Originally Posted by Schroeder

You are aware that the airbase in Frankfurt is your main hub for transportation for Iraq and Afghanistan (at least IIRC)?
So some of those bases are of strategic value when you go into other foreign lands again.

Most people who whine about US forward deployment bases have little understanding of our military strategy. ;P

[soopaman2]

Originally Posted by Schroeder

You are aware that the airbase in Frankfurt is your main hub for transportation for Iraq and Afghanistan (at least IIRC)?
So some of those bases are of strategic value when you go into other foreign lands again.

Yes you are right, Rammstein AFB I think it is. (IIRC)


Maybe we have no bussiness in foreign lands with so many of our own hurting. The basic American thinks fiddling about in the ME is bullstuff (schiesse)
Germany is strong, they do not need us anymore. My people need us, not yours, not the French, not English, not Afghani.

Xenophobic no. Isolationist? Perhaps. Or maybe just feel we should be as self absorbed as anyone else.

Europe is strong. Let them bear some of the weight.

[Catfish]

I think 450 billion dollars for the military in one year is not exactly "lean" ?
How much was it before, or are those only the "defence" costs not including offensive .. err .. hardware ?
600 billion for anti terror, additionally. National Defense [sic!] Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nationa...scal_Year_2012
http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=48574
http://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkain...-act-now-what/

This building of US interrogation campps all over the world basically undermines international law, it seems no one has even noticed that yet. And even without that i feel it is a serious blow against freedom in the US itself.

[kraznyi_oktjabr]

I noticed this nice comparison of military forces from BBC page: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-16428133 (I know its a bit simplified).

Some highlights:
UK $63.7bn, 174,000 personnel
Russia $52.7bn, 956,000 personnel
I know that Russia has conscription, lower material costs (fuel, food etc.) and so on but still that comparison doesn't make sense.

USA $739.3bn, 1,569,000 personnel
China $89.9bn, 2,285,000 personnel
I agree with small print (below comparison table) that China's official military budget figure is nonsense. It can't be that low.

[soopaman2]

Originally Posted by kraznyi_oktjabr

I noticed this nice comparison of military forces from BBC page: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-16428133 (I know its a bit simplified).

Some highlights:
UK $63.7bn, 174,000 personnel
Russia $52.7bn, 956,000 personnel
I know that Russia has conscription, lower material costs (fuel, food etc.) and so on but still that comparison doesn't make sense.

USA $739.3bn, 1,569,000 personnel
China $89.9bn, 2,285,000 personnel
I agree with small print (below comparison table) that China's official military budget figure is nonsense. It can't be that low.

But for the USA to cut back, would force Europe to step up. As of now Europe cannot afford to step up.

Costs not included in that figure is the USAs UN funding, which we provide a lions share of the funding and ground troops for.

In all fairness Europe has not paid its fair share since 1945. Your cities are not bombed out anymore. and alot of your countries are doing better than us.

Some help?

Not being mean, or "arrogant American man", just saying from a rational standpoint.

(pardon my bluntness)

.
Yes China will always lie. Sun Tzu always did preach deception, it was a running topic in his Art of War.