Washington Post: HOLMES: U.S. backtracks on missile shield

[Oakman]

Ilíon wrote:

"Fotress America" is not viable

You'll fight the bad guys to the last ounce of everybody else's blood?

Jon Smith & Wesson: The original point and click interface Algoraphobia: An exaggerated fear of the outside world rooted in the belief that one might spontaneously combust due to global warming.

[Lost User]

Since the end of the cold war, Russia not being the threat it once was deemed to be, the United States could easily withdraw to its national boundaries. However, there are political and economic investments that the United States has around the globe so it is understandable that they might also wish a military presence as well, if only to give some measure of security towards those other stated investments. But should the United States at some future time return all of its servicemen etc to home soil, your armed forces may need to be trimmed down in size, there would be no need for such huge numbers unless civil insurgency is a worry to Washington. And I can thus understand the Ilion comment of Fortress America not being viable.

[73Zeppelin]

Ah, good points Richard.

[Lost User]

Pre Cuban crisis: Cuba: Russian missiles? No. Turkey: American missiles? Yes. Post Cuba crisis: Cuba: Russian missiles? No. Turkey: American missiles? No. Twas a famous victory.

Bob Emmett

[Oakman]

Ilíon wrote:

But regardless of the expence of maintaining our committments, radioactive cities, or even the credible thread of radioactive cities, whether in Europe or in America, will be far more expensive.

Oh please, General LeMay, do tell us about the monolithic commies' plans to take over the world. Thanks for a golden-oldie flashback from 1957, Troy! As a combat vet, as someone who has contacts with some senior officers on active duty and retired, as someone who has studied military history, as someone who thinks about the parlous state of the world, America, and the American military, I would like to thank you for sharing your thoughts. It's always good to know what people who aren't any of those things, are thinking. However, you couldn't be more wrong if you tried.

Jon Smith & Wesson: The original point and click interface Algoraphobia: An exaggerated fear of the outside world rooted in the belief that one might spontaneously combust due to global warming.

[Lost User]

Both Moral and Machiavellian? :rolleyes:

Bob Emmett

[Oakman]

Bob Emmett wrote:

Twas a famous victory

Perception is (almost) everything. Otherwise it'd be the Turkish Missile Crisis and women wouldn't wear padded bras.

Jon Smith & Wesson: The original point and click interface Algoraphobia: An exaggerated fear of the outside world rooted in the belief that one might spontaneously combust due to global warming.

[Lost User]

Mike Mullikin wrote:

pull ALL U.S. military personnel, hardware and bases from all foreign countries - Japan, South Korea, Germany, UK, etc...

When we ceased to be a World Power, we had to relinquish our colonies too... :sigh:

Bob Emmett

[Oakman]

Richard A. Abbott wrote:

However, there are political and economic investments that the United States has around the globe so it is understandable that they might also wish a military presence as well, if only to give some measure of security towards those other stated investments.

Here's a thought: Let's not get involved in entangling foreign alliances. . .where have I heard that before?[^] By the way, at least in theory, the U.S Government does not make economic investments but leaves that to private companies. I personally find the concept that we would use American troops to defend the interests of Haliburton or Walmart to be less than appetising.

Jon Smith & Wesson: The original point and click interface Algoraphobia: An exaggerated fear of the outside world rooted in the belief that one might spontaneously combust due to global warming.

[Lost User]

Oakman wrote:

women wouldn't wear padded bras.

How do you expect me to concentrate on a serious wind-up?

Bob Emmett

[Lost User]

Bob Emmett wrote:

When we ceased to be a World Power, we had to relinquish our colonies too...

It's time we release them or make them states so they can be taxed properly. ;)

[Ilion]

Bob Emmett wrote:

Both Moral and ["]Machiavellian["]? :rolleyes:

Yes. :rolleyes: yourself.

[Lost User]

Oakman wrote:

Let the arseholes who talk about America's "moral" responsibility to the rest of the world

Presumably these are citizens of the USA? Everyone else seems to want either your money or your lives. :sigh:

Bob Emmett

[Oakman]

Mike Mullikin wrote:

It's time we release them or make them states so they can be taxed properly

Even Canada?

Jon Smith & Wesson: The original point and click interface Algoraphobia: An exaggerated fear of the outside world rooted in the belief that one might spontaneously combust due to global warming.

[Oakman]

Bob Emmett wrote:

How do you expect me to concentrate on a serious wind-up?

Think of bras as support housings for frontal radars ;)

Jon Smith & Wesson: The original point and click interface Algoraphobia: An exaggerated fear of the outside world rooted in the belief that one might spontaneously combust due to global warming.

[Lost User]

I should have guessed: the USA and devious cunning, I haven't seen that in many years. Still got the ruthlessness, though.

Bob Emmett

[Oakman]

Bob Emmett wrote:

Presumably these are citizens of the USA? Everyone else seems to want either your money or your lives.

Germany and the UK are paid around 3 billion a year as rent for the American bases in their country. The payrolls for the locals in those two countries alone are gi-normous and the amount of money the American GI spends locally has a major impact on the local economy. The primary purpose of those bases, or so I am told, is to protect the UK and Germany from those countries which might wish to do one or both of them, harm. Of course the love and undying gratitude of the average Brit or German and the total lack of any anti-American prejudice shown to our tourists more than makes up for our investment.

Jon Smith & Wesson: The original point and click interface Algoraphobia: An exaggerated fear of the outside world rooted in the belief that one might spontaneously combust due to global warming.

[Lost User]

Oakman wrote:

I personally find the concept that we would use American troops to defend the interests of ... Walmart

Great, we're nationalising Asda, in order to secure the great British supermarkets.

Bob Emmett

[Lost User]

Oakman wrote:

By the way, at least in theory, the U.S Government does not make economic investments but leaves that to private companies.

This is as true today as it was when Britain militarily protected its interests around the globe in those Empire days. And in respect of Washington's comments, if you are not seen to be protecting your foreign assets then those assets may be seized with you being unable to suitably respond to rectify the seizure. To protect the interests of Haliburton you might indeed find distasteful or unappetizing or even objectionable but if that company is a source of revenue that your government can tax then protection of that revenue stream could be as important to the American Government as Hong Kong (Opium Wars) was to the then British Empire.

[Christian Graus]

I am pleased to see that you're actually discussing things around here nowadays. I don't want that to sound patronising, I don't expect you to care what I think, but it still makes me glad.

Christian Graus Driven to the arms of OSX by Vista.