| We hope you enjoy your visit. You're currently viewing our forum as a guest. This means you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are some features you can't use. If you join our community, you'll be able to access member-only sections, and use many member-only features such as customizing your profile, sending personal messages, and voting in polls. Registration is simple, fast, and completely free. Join our community! If you're already a member please log in to your account to access all of our features: |
| The US Military | |
|---|---|
| Tweet Topic Started: Aug 7 2005, 10:04 AM (517 Views) | |
| who | Aug 7 2005, 10:04 AM Post #1 |
|
Have light saber. Will travel.
|
It appears that there is a decline in the US for support for the war in Iraq and people want the troops brought home. If the war loses support of the people then I suspect it will be lost as Vietnam was. If the people in the US do not have the will to use the military then it seems like a huge waste of taxpayer's dollars. Should the US military be reduced in both size and expense? |
| Offline | Profile | | Quote | ^ |
| somerled | Aug 7 2005, 10:17 AM Post #2 |
|
Admiral MacDonald RN
|
Yes : the money is better spent elsewhere. |
| Offline | Profile | | Quote | ^ |
| captain_proton_au | Aug 7 2005, 11:54 AM Post #3 |
![]()
A Robot in Disguise
![]()
|
|
| Offline | Profile | | Quote | ^ |
| Mainiac | Aug 7 2005, 11:59 AM Post #4 |
|
Lieutenant Commander
|
There is nothing wrong with the number of troops serving in the US military. In fact, they are stretched dangerously thin right now. As far as spending, well, too much of the defense budget goes to miltary contractors and is wasteful in the extreme, but I think these are separate issues. |
| Offline | Profile | | Quote | ^ |
| Dr. Noah | Aug 7 2005, 12:01 PM Post #5 |
|
Sistertrek's Asian Correspondant
|
I know my opinion will not be a popular one, but I think the United States should reduce our military influence in key places across the world. For example, is Taiwan really worth going to war with China over? There's really no reason for us to have a base in Cuba either. Whenever Kim Jong Il kicks the bucket, we should be able to tear down the 38th parallel wall. It's not necessary anymore for us to serve as Germany and Japan's armed forces at this point. The Phillipines are also an autonomous nation, there's no reason for us to have a base there either. In the beginning of the 20th Century, America expanded it's influence almost in an imperial manner resulting in annexes of several independent nations such as Samoa and Puerto Rico, etc. It's time we allow these areas to become totally autonomous. OK, shields up! |
| Offline | Profile | | Quote | ^ |
| psyfi | Aug 7 2005, 12:12 PM Post #6 |
|
psyfi
|
Noah, I would be for this IF we closed our borders down tight and monitored with an eagle eye anything and anyone crossing them and if we strengthened our military three times what it is. I say this because without the presence and help of the US, many countries will fall to the tactics of the most ruthless among human beings. After the insane and the powerful rule a large chunk of the globe they just might turn their eyes toward us. If so, it seems important that we be prepared to annihilate people in great masses. |
| Offline | Profile | | Quote | ^ |
| Fesarius | Aug 7 2005, 01:43 PM Post #7 |
|
Admiral
|
No. Having a strong military is a very good thing, and I support it wholeheartedly. I'd even pay more taxes to the military (or have my monies that go to the government earmarked for our defenses) if asked to do so.
|
| Offline | Profile | | Quote | ^ |
| fireh8er | Aug 7 2005, 01:48 PM Post #8 |
|
I'm Captain Kirk!
|
NO! |
| Offline | Profile | | Quote | ^ |
| Wichita | Aug 7 2005, 03:19 PM Post #9 |
|
The Adminstrator wRench
|
Why should people be offended by the view that the US should follow a stict isolationist policy? I've actually been waiting two years for someone to come out and verbalize it. As to the question ... I think the US could and should tighten some of it's expenditures, but not otherwise reduce its military influence. In the first days after the tsunami, the aircraft carrier groups dispatched to the region saved a lot of lives. As the only country who can afford that type of resource, we should continue to do so. Also, the UN clearly was incapable of doing anything about the slaughter of nearly a million people in Rwanda and allowed over 300,000 people to die and nearly another 700,000 to disappear with their fate unknown in Iraq. Now we have holocausts in the making in Sudan and Zimbabwe that they are also ignoring. Sooner or later someone will have to do something for those areas. In the past several years, the US (and a few other countries) have been providing logistical support to regional peacekeepers to keep other "fires" from getting out of control. If they are willing to put troops on the ground, I am not offended by the US offering them the ride there. Again, if we have ability, we should make it available. And heaven help us all when Kim Jong II dies .... Even if no attack is launched against South Korea (and I believe that one will be) North Korea could literally implode with a nuclear weapon during infighting. The government of Philippines is on the verge of collapse ... I think the Tawaineese would probably answer "yes" to your question, but I would support the near total removal of US armed forces from most of Europe. |
| Offline | Profile | | Quote | ^ |
| ds9074 | Aug 7 2005, 04:12 PM Post #10 |
|
Admiral
|
I think the US should perhaps scale down some of the roles it took on during the post-ww2 period such as in Europe and should expect countries like Germany - and indeed Europe more widely - to provide for their own defence now. That said I dont think there is much room for an immediate reduction in the US military. For reasons which we can debate its got into a situation where it has a lot of activity going on in both Iraq and Afganistan. These are vital areas and the last thing that needs to happen is for the troops to be streched further. However I disagree with the idea of America isolating herself. For one I dont think that is possible in this global age and two I dont think its in the interests of the USA. But being active in the international community is different from having troops stationed in XYZ countries. |
| Offline | Profile | | Quote | ^ |
| 24thcenstfan | Aug 7 2005, 08:22 PM Post #11 |
|
Something Wicked This Fae Comes
|
Other: We don't necessarily need to scale down the number of soldiers we have, but the DOD needs to trim some fat. They are a bloated bureaucracy in need of an overhaul. Along with the DOD's plan to redeploy troops over the coming years, I hope to see massive reorganization and elimination of waste. |
| Offline | Profile | | Quote | ^ |
| Timbo | Aug 8 2005, 10:31 AM Post #12 |
|
Lieutenant Commander
|
Yes please keep your strong military. If for no other reason, on the oft chance someone decides to invade us and our joke of a military falls over (the military here itself isn't a joke, just the sheer size of the country compared to the manpower available) I'm hoping to see the Marines landing on my front lawn warding off baddies. On a slightly more serious note, everything you seem to hear over here about the US as far as things like education and healthcare go, it's an absolute shamozzle, with many of the $$$ which are spent on the latest variant of thr F-18 fighter jet or M-16 rifle could go a long way to fixing these problems. |
| Offline | Profile | | Quote | ^ |
| Dr. Noah | Aug 8 2005, 10:36 AM Post #13 |
|
Sistertrek's Asian Correspondant
|
We're talking over 300 billion dollars a year. That's over half of the entire total US budget. I believe in security and a strong military, but as 24 said, they are an enormous beaucracy that needs some trimming and I think we also ought to look at cancelling some of those contracts that haven't born fruit after several billion taxpayer dollars. |
| Offline | Profile | | Quote | ^ |
| Timbo | Aug 8 2005, 10:43 AM Post #14 |
|
Lieutenant Commander
|
It's amazing the government over there can possibly justify that amount of money on bullets and bombs when the schools and hospitals struggle to function. I knew it was alot of money but I had no idea it was $300 billion! My estimations would have been less than a third of that! How do they get away with it! |
| Offline | Profile | | Quote | ^ |
| Dr. Noah | Aug 8 2005, 10:45 AM Post #15 |
|
Sistertrek's Asian Correspondant
|
There's an old saying here: It will be a great day when schools have all the money they need to function and the military has to hold a bake sale to buy a bomber.
|
| Offline | Profile | | Quote | ^ |
| Go to Next Page | |
| « Previous Topic · Politics and World Events Forum · Next Topic » |




2:07 PM Jul 11