US should stay out of land wars: Defense Secretary Robert Gates

Feuer Frei! · 03-01-11, 09:27 AM

Defense Secretary Robert Gates has warned against committing the US military to big land wars in Asia or the Middle East, saying anyone proposing otherwise should have his head examined".

Gates said he was not suggesting that the US army "will - or should - turn into a Victorian nation-building constabulary designed to chase guerrillas, build schools, or sip tea.
"But as the prospects for another head-on clash of large mechanised land armies seem less likely, the army will be increasingly challenged to justify the number, size, and cost of its heavy formations," he said.
Future US military interventions abroad will likely take the form of "swift-moving expeditionary forces, be they army or marines, airborne infantry or special operations," which Gates said "is self-evident given the likelihood of counterterrorism, rapid reaction, disaster response, or stability or security force assistance missions".
Gates is set to leave his job this year, and his presentation was a farewell speech to the West Point students.
"We can't know with absolute certainty what the future of warfare will hold," Gates said, "but we do know it will be exceedingly complex, unpredictable, and - as they say in the staff colleges - unstructured".
The United States also has a poor track record at predicting the next conflict, Gates said.
"We have never once gotten it right, from the Mayaguez to Grenada, Panama, Somalia, the Balkans, Haiti, Kuwait, Iraq, and more - we had no idea a year before any of these missions that we would be so engaged," he said.

SOURCE (FEB 26TH)

tater · 03-01-11, 09:32 AM

Gerald · 03-01-11, 09:34 AM

U.S, in my opinion will not be taking action of any kind, unless the vessels and other equipment are attacked.

Weiss Pinguin · 03-01-11, 10:44 AM

Quote:

big land wars in Asia or the Middle East

"Ha ha! You fool! You fell victim to one of the classic blunders - The most famous of which is 'never get involved in a land war in Asia' - but only slightly less well-known is this: "'Never go against a Sicilian when death is on the line!'"

Armistead · 03-01-11, 03:38 PM

Eventually we'll learn "putting a boot in someones ass" mixed with patriotic fervor ain't getting us anywhere.

gimpy117 · 03-01-11, 04:16 PM

I thought we learned this in vietnam??

Ducimus · 03-01-11, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gimpy117

I thought we learned this in vietnam??

I hear History is cyclical in nature.

Takeda Shingen · 03-01-11, 04:28 PM

I agree with Secretary Gates.

03-01-11, 09:27 AM	#1
Feuer Frei! Navy Seal Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Valhalla Posts: 5,295 Downloads: 141 Uploads: 17	US should stay out of land wars: Defense Secretary Robert Gates Defense Secretary Robert Gates has warned against committing the US military to big land wars in Asia or the Middle East, saying anyone proposing otherwise should have his head examined". Gates said he was not suggesting that the US army "will - or should - turn into a Victorian nation-building constabulary designed to chase guerrillas, build schools, or sip tea. "But as the prospects for another head-on clash of large mechanised land armies seem less likely, the army will be increasingly challenged to justify the number, size, and cost of its heavy formations," he said. Future US military interventions abroad will likely take the form of "swift-moving expeditionary forces, be they army or marines, airborne infantry or special operations," which Gates said "is self-evident given the likelihood of counterterrorism, rapid reaction, disaster response, or stability or security force assistance missions". Gates is set to leave his job this year, and his presentation was a farewell speech to the West Point students. "We can't know with absolute certainty what the future of warfare will hold," Gates said, "but we do know it will be exceedingly complex, unpredictable, and - as they say in the staff colleges - unstructured". The United States also has a poor track record at predicting the next conflict, Gates said. "We have never once gotten it right, from the Mayaguez to Grenada, Panama, Somalia, the Balkans, Haiti, Kuwait, Iraq, and more - we had no idea a year before any of these missions that we would be so engaged," he said. SOURCE (FEB 26TH) __________________ "History is the lies that the victors agree on"- Napoleon LINK TO MY SH 3 MODS

03-01-11, 09:32 AM	#2
tater Navy Seal Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: New Mexico, USA Posts: 9,023 Downloads: 8 Uploads: 2	__________________ "Government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state, an intolerable one." — Thomas Paine

03-01-11, 09:34 AM	#3
Gerald SUBSIM Newsman Join Date: May 2008 Location: Close to sea Posts: 24,254 Downloads: 553 Uploads: 0	U.S, in my opinion will not be taking action of any kind, unless the vessels and other equipment are attacked. __________________ Nothing in life is to be feard,it is only to be understood. Marie Curie

03-01-11, 04:16 PM	#6
gimpy117 Ocean Warrior Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Kalamazoo, MI Posts: 3,243 Downloads: 108 Uploads: 0	I thought we learned this in vietnam?? __________________ Member of the Subsim Zombie Army

03-01-11, 03:38 PM	#5
Armistead Rear Admiral Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: on the Dan Posts: 10,880 Downloads: 364 Uploads: 0	Eventually we'll learn "putting a boot in someones ass" mixed with patriotic fervor ain't getting us anywhere.

03-01-11, 04:28 PM	#8
Takeda Shingen Navy Seal Join Date: Mar 2000 Posts: 8,643 Downloads: 19 Uploads: 0	I agree with Secretary Gates.