The twilight days of Pax Americana and its coming fall

#201
#201
Gandalf said:


This video says pretty much everything you need to know about America, China, and Russia. How they see their place in this world and how they are preparing to take it. Consider, these recruitment videos are not just what these militaries are telling the world about themselves, they are broadcasting how they see themselves and what they believe will be attractive to the potential recruits from the "best" and brightest of the type they want to join them.

You do not need to speak Russian or Chinese to understand the message each delivers. As a thought exercise, answer each question after watching:

How do the Chinese see themselves? What do they believe makes them strong? If you think to attack them, when you look into their eyes, do you have thought to reconsider?
How do the Russians see themselves? What do they believe makes them strong? If you think to attack them, when you look into their eyes, do you have thought to reconsider?
How do the Americans see themselves? What do they believe makes them strong? If you think to attack them, when you look into their eyes, do you have thought to reconsider?

From a discussion on the fall of Rome:
The decay of the army, according to the 5th-century Roman historian Vegetius, came from within the army itself. The army grew weak from a lack of wars and stopped wearing their protective armor. This made them vulnerable to enemy weapons and provided the temptation to flee from battle. Security may have led to the cessation of the rigorous drills. Vegetius said the leaders became incompetent and rewards were unfairly distributed. In addition, as time went on, Roman citizens, including soldiers and their families living outside of Italy, identified with Rome less and less compared to their Italian counterparts. They preferred to live as natives, even if this meant poverty, which, in turn, meant they turned to those who could help—Germans, brigands, Christians, and Vandals.

Now consider this from a recent piece in the American Conservative:
I repeat what one active-duty service member told me not long ago, paraphrased: “The Pentagon doesn’t know how to win a real war against America’s enemies, so it’s focusing on winning the culture war against conservatives in the ranks.”

Whether you believe American military leadership is purifying its ranks or not, what matters is that significant portions of the American public do believe that and will make decisions accordingly. If the American public no longer identifies as American but as "natives" of some other tribe, what will be the result?

Every great empire has fallen from within long before it falls to "invaders". Consider how much effect a cohesive culture has on a mere football team, irrespective of its talent or even coaching. What then lays in store for our own nation, when forces are hell-bent on obliterating it to such a degree that the traits of self-reliance, hard work, timeliness, and rational thinking are actually held up as symbols of oppression?
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One if these things is not like the others...
 
#202
#202
85SugarVol said:
There are obvious physical differences in the sexes, and I assume there are different physical standards as well. I would imagine that doesn’t play well in some areas of the military.

I’ve wondered though, is there any reason an all female compliment couldn’t crew a submarine? Are there any requirements of the officers or enlisted that require a measure of physical prowess?

(I know you weren’t in the Navy. It’s just an example)
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Well that's an open invitation for a snarky answer. You know the thing about women in close proximity and periods aligning? Can you imagine a submarine full of weapons "manned" by a crew of women at the wrong time of the month?
 
#203
#203
jvol1 said:
Is warfare so much about brutality? It seems like discipline and strategy have always been more important in warfare.
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Logistics and now more than ever maintenance and logistics. Can we keep overly complex weapons systems operational long enough and often enough to be a threat? KISS is a long lost value when it comes to the arms race.
 
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#204
#204
McDad said:
Is there a point where defense is secured, militaries are large enough and a reduction of spending is appropriate?
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Not likely as long as we live in a world of other countries who don't respect the sanctity of other nations. Colonialism has just taken a different turn from when Europe was the master to communist monoliths expanding the system. Germany once coveted some neighbors' land (a time or two at least). Now it's China and Russia ... again. Basically you are a part of the bully club with restraint or you are somebody's dinner.
 
#205
#205
McDad said:
The necessary size is hard to quantify. All of us "feel" it is either too big or not big enough. Personally, I look at the size of our military in comparison to other countries. It is over sized to me based on that comparison.

I also wonder what is the appropriate size, appropriate capitalization, or appropriate budget if our military adhered to its constitutional directive...defend America? Not defend our interests abroad. Not defend our allies. Not equip the enemies of our enemies. But legit defend America and Americans.
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Somewhere we made a mind boggling decision that defense doesn't actually mean defending our borders against boarders. Somehow it's fighting somewhere else with nebulous goals to keep radical elements with limited capacities from attacking our porous borders. Meanwhile we continue to subsidize our real enemy, give them our manufacturing technology, and allow them to steal our defense technology. There must be a huge stock of whacky weed in DC, and it's melted what's left of their tiny little brains.
 
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#206
#206
McDad said:
Times have changed. But if someone wants to hit us with long reach tech, no amount of troops will fix that.
We can and will fill boots and mechanical needs if we must. Did it in WW2. Can do it tomorrow if absolutely necessary.
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We keep believing in long range delivery, technology, etc, etc. We don't have a real assessment of what a nuclear strike would leave, but we certainly have enough history with strategic bombing, artillery shelling, and so on to know that when you finish dropping shells and bombs the enemy comes crawling out to fight. The other question gets to the thing about super sophisticated weapons (say an aircraft) and the belief it can defeat any number of the enemy's planes and troops ... if you can keep the damn thing flying. Makes you think that may be the next tactical lesson we learn on a battlefield. If you can't keep a plane flying in a pristine environment, why think you can keep it flying under battle conditions. The Soviets planned fighters for crappy conditions and poorly maintained runways; we don't think that way.
 
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#207
#207
McDad said:
I used to believe same.

We are not a sitting duck waiting to be subjugated. Our geography, our bordering neighbors, and the massive oceans are our best deterrents against attack.
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Perhaps the reason for the covid experiment. Like this was the questionnaire phase, and we've flunked by not wanting to annihilate China over the disruption. They are now well aware they can basically plan any measures they want without risk of our involvement - they've proven it by technological theft, unfair trade, huge military buildup our trade financed, and medical graft, and we aren't listening to the lessons.
 
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#208
#208
AM64 said:
Well that's an open invitation for a snarky answer. You know the thing about women in close proximity and periods aligning? Can you imagine a submarine full of weapons "manned" by a crew of women at the wrong time of the month?
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That’s certainly one of the physical differences between the sexes. Probably not a significant concern though.
 
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#209
#209
AM64 said:
Well that's an open invitation for a snarky answer. You know the thing about women in close proximity and periods aligning? Can you imagine a submarine full of weapons "manned" by a crew of women at the wrong time of the month?
Click to expand...
It’s just a bad idea.
 
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#211
#211
85SugarVol said:
What makes you think so?
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My oldest was in the navy. She retired 100% medical. I’ve met many of her ship mates, went on a dragon cruise with the ddg996 and saw her bunk areas. They also joined us for holidays when they couldn’t go home.
There’s no other way to put it, personal hygiene standards for some of the women were non existent. Some had to be ordered to shower and use hygiene products.
The amount of back biting and pettiness for the women aged 20 to 26 was impressive. I think a sub crew would be less likely to be so because of higher training standards but damn women can be petty.
 
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#212
#212
NurseGoodVol said:
My oldest was in the navy. She retired 100% medical. I’ve met many of her ship mates, went on a dragon cruise with the ddg996 and saw her bunk areas. They also joined us for holidays when they couldn’t go home.
There’s no other way to put it, personal hygiene standards for some of the women were non existent. Some had to be ordered to shower and use hygiene products.
The amount of back biting and pettiness for the women aged 20 to 26 was impressive. I think a sub crew would be less likely to be so because of higher training standards but damn women can be petty.
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So you’re saying a confined space, 1500 feet below water for months at a time might be a bad place to deploy an all female crew :)
 
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#214
#214
Gandalf said:


This video says pretty much everything you need to know about America, China, and Russia. How they see their place in this world and how they are preparing to take it. Consider, these recruitment videos are not just what these militaries are telling the world about themselves, they are broadcasting how they see themselves and what they believe will be attractive to the potential recruits from the "best" and brightest of the type they want to join them.

You do not need to speak Russian or Chinese to understand the message each delivers. As a thought exercise, answer each question after watching:

How do the Chinese see themselves? What do they believe makes them strong? If you think to attack them, when you look into their eyes, do you have thought to reconsider?
How do the Russians see themselves? What do they believe makes them strong? If you think to attack them, when you look into their eyes, do you have thought to reconsider?
How do the Americans see themselves? What do they believe makes them strong? If you think to attack them, when you look into their eyes, do you have thought to reconsider?

From a discussion on the fall of Rome:
The decay of the army, according to the 5th-century Roman historian Vegetius, came from within the army itself. The army grew weak from a lack of wars and stopped wearing their protective armor. This made them vulnerable to enemy weapons and provided the temptation to flee from battle. Security may have led to the cessation of the rigorous drills. Vegetius said the leaders became incompetent and rewards were unfairly distributed. In addition, as time went on, Roman citizens, including soldiers and their families living outside of Italy, identified with Rome less and less compared to their Italian counterparts. They preferred to live as natives, even if this meant poverty, which, in turn, meant they turned to those who could help—Germans, brigands, Christians, and Vandals.

Now consider this from a recent piece in the American Conservative:
I repeat what one active-duty service member told me not long ago, paraphrased: “The Pentagon doesn’t know how to win a real war against America’s enemies, so it’s focusing on winning the culture war against conservatives in the ranks.”

Whether you believe American military leadership is purifying its ranks or not, what matters is that significant portions of the American public do believe that and will make decisions accordingly. If the American public no longer identifies as American but as "natives" of some other tribe, what will be the result?

Every great empire has fallen from within long before it falls to "invaders". Consider how much effect a cohesive culture has on a mere football team, irrespective of its talent or even coaching. What then lays in store for our own nation, when forces are hell-bent on obliterating it to such a degree that the traits of self-reliance, hard work, timeliness, and rational thinking are actually held up as symbols of oppression?
Click to expand...


Desperate For More Recruits, Army Offers $50,000 Signing Bonus | ZeroHedge
 
#215
#215
Rasputin_Vol said:
Desperate For More Recruits, Army Offers $50,000 Signing Bonus | ZeroHedge
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Maybe the US Army could simply ask the Chinese or Russians to make the recruiting films for them.

Btw - this is a basic translation of the Russian part:
"This is the first day of your new life. What happened yesterday doesn't matter. Nobody cares about who you were before, now what matters is who you will be today. What do you know about yourself? What can you do? Questions may remain unanswered, but can you then sleep peacefully? Know yourself, know the limits of your capabilities. f*** the boundaries, are you ready to break yourself? To the point of exhaustion, every day. Here pain hardens, scars are everyday. You decided to prove something to yourself, the commander is here only so that you can see the enemy in him, because without the enemy there is no fight, and without the fight there is no victory. But in fact, the main enemy is you, yesterday's you. Your task is to hunt down the enemy, catch up with him, surpass him, become better than him, and return back the winner. Because tomorrow is the first day of your new life."

I mean, what Russian wouldnt want to go running down to the recruiting office for that?
 
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#216
#216
Gandalf said:
Maybe the US Army could simply ask the Chinese or Russians to make the recruiting films for them.

Btw - this is a basic translation of the Russian part:
"This is the first day of your new life. What happened yesterday doesn't matter. Nobody cares about who you were before, now what matters is who you will be today. What do you know about yourself? What can you do? Questions may remain unanswered, but can you then sleep peacefully? Know yourself, know the limits of your capabilities. f*** the boundaries, are you ready to break yourself? To the point of exhaustion, every day. Here pain hardens, scars are everyday. You decided to prove something to yourself, the commander is here only so that you can see the enemy in him, because without the enemy there is no fight, and without the fight there is no victory. But in fact, the main enemy is you, yesterday's you. Your task is to hunt down the enemy, catch up with him, surpass him, become better than him, and return back the winner. Because tomorrow is the first day of your new life."

I mean, what Russian wouldnt want to go running down to the recruiting office for that?
Click to expand...

Even the French Foreign Legion is recruiting and retaining soldiers better.

The French Foreign Legion recruits 1300 volunteers in 2021
 
#221
#221
AM64 said:
Well that's an open invitation for a snarky answer. You know the thing about women in close proximity and periods aligning? Can you imagine a submarine full of weapons "manned" by a crew of women at the wrong time of the month?
Click to expand...

If any of you old dudes are wondering how third wave feminism happened, you could pretty easily point to yáll constantly saying sh*t like this.

Good one, bro.
 
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