OFF TOPIC What direction should the Army go?

[James2912]

Should we follow the Rumsfield doctine going for a technology advanced, small elite force? Should we expand Cold War style (both Active and Reserve components) this includes heavy equipment that would be used in a more conventional clash? Should we expand but forcus on a more police action kind of force (high amount of infantry and light forces, small amount of heavy)? Or some other variation?

Personally I think we need to expand in every direction, we need a lot of light forces and a higher amount of heavy. In fighting this conflict we are forgetting about the volatility of the future. If its one thing we've learned in this war is that you can never have to many soldiers and that we should have followed the Powell doctrine (overwhelming force) especially in the beginning in Iraq and Afghanistan.

[darthlaidher]

i think they need to build up because who knows what will happen 20 years down the road. russia might try to go all communist on us again or try to invade europe, look at the russian georgia conflict of last year. i dont trust russia. and then theres iran. you know if israel goes to war with them the u.s will go with them and i dont think iran is the iraqi army i think they will fight.

so i think that all branches need to build up but also build up in special forces as well with new ways of thinking and training because having a huge army marine corps and so on is good in my opinion,but we still need small groups of men to do covert operations.

[California Major]

We should go West....I've had enough of the East.

[richierich]

If I could change the Army

1. I would recommend that all recruiters wear Dress Blues.

2. And I never understood why soldiers take pictures in ACU's, why not put on a dress/service uniform?

[andrew.tischner]

Should we follow the Rumsfield doctine going for a technology advanced, small elite force? Should we expand Cold War style (both Active and Reserve components) this includes heavy equipment that would be used in a more conventional clash? Should we expand but forcus on a more police action kind of force (high amount of infantry and light forces, small amount of heavy)? Or some other variation?

Personally I think we need to expand in every direction, we need a lot of light forces and a higher amount of heavy. In fighting this conflict we are forgetting about the volatility of the future. If its one thing we've learned in this war is that you can never have to many soldiers and that we should have followed the Powell doctrine (overwhelming force) especially in the beginning in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Rumsfield was probably the worst SecDef i think.

I personaly have alot of faith in SecDef Gates. He has done great things so far.

A smaller more elite force is not the answer i can tell you that.

Strength in numbers and well trained soldiers will always win battles

[darthlaidher]

reagan was good, he transformed the military into what it is today we need someone like him to come around again and focus on the military. small is not good, especially with the world pretty much hating us right now. i could go on a rant but i wont because i dont want to sound to angry and use alot of *'s lol

[chd]

We should go West....I've had enough of the East.

I vote "North." Plenty of oil and natural resources... and not much resistance from those Canadians.

[darthlaidher]

I vote "North." Plenty of oil and natural resources... and not much resistance from those Canadians.

lol thats funny, you know we protect them anyway so why not take it over. and why not go south and take mexico so they wont hop our boarder.

[chd]

and why not go south and take mexico so they wont hop our boarder.

Nah. We use the timber from Canada to blockade the U.S./Mexico border.

[darthlaidher]

i read some where a few years ago that the mexican military actually crossed our boarder and fired a few shots at our boarder patrol guys. thats messed up that we didnt do anything in return.

[Spr Steve]

I don't believe Russia are or ever will be a serious threat. Their nuclear Submarines are lying rotting in docks and they can't even afford to own the fighter planes or other military equipment that they manufacture. The Russians build some great stuff but it's built for export.

[James2912]

"i read some where a few years ago that the mexican military actually crossed our boarder and fired a few shots at our boarder patrol guys. thats messed up that we didnt do anything in return."



well its happened here in El paso several times. In some places you can't tell if your in Mexico or America so the Mexican Army's excuse of that it was confused is concievable. However a lot of Mexican soldiers are corrupt so who knows? What really ticked me off was when a Texas National guard squad/platoon not sure on exactly how many solders. was surrounded by Mexican smugglers and instead of fighting back put down there guns. the smugglers just went on there way. Not sure about the reason whether it was because the soldiers were ordered not to fire or that they were so outnumbered they had no choice.

[darthlaidher]

all they need is another stallen or however you spell his name, alot of old timers in russia would love to see comunism back. so all it would take was some crazy guy to get some followers and then they are back in business look at germany after ww1 they were destroyed then all the sudden ****** pops up and they became a big threat. same thing could happen with russia.
yeah as of right now they arnt to big of threat but 20 years or so down the road and the right situation. they could be a big threat.


and i seen a video on the california national guard site saying the california army national guard are patroling the boarder but are in no way allowed to take illegals into custody they are only allowed to radio in when they see them so the boarder patrol can get them. that blows.

[ctfrasier]

I don't believe Russia are or ever will be a serious threat. Their nuclear Submarines are lying rotting in docks and they can't even afford to own the fighter planes or other military equipment that they manufacture. The Russians build some great stuff but it's built for export.

Russia scares me more than the USSR ever did. Putin greatly reminds me of ****** in that he is rebuilding the military and using it as a source of national pride a la Germany in the mid-1930s. When you do that and pound your chest enough the people may start itching for a fight.

[James2912]

China and Russia have started a rather alarming alliance with other countries including each other its called the Shanghai cooperation organization and they claim its just to combat terrorism but of course they would say that heres a link

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shangha...n_Organisation

[Recruiter yosis]

That's about it. The Old timers are pretty much the only ones that would like Communism to bring back the good 'ole days of Sovet Russia. My father-in-law voted for and no joke the Beer Lovers Party.Don't ask what the views in that party is I wouldn't know.

As of now their is four major parties the biggest United Russia (Centrism) was lead by Mr Putin.

Communist Party of the Russian Federation now has around 170,000 voters to their party.But still the second biggest party in russia.

Fair Russia there isn't much to say about that party,other than a Democratic Socialism.

The Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (who I would be worried about)there views as Ultranationalists.

Maybe 20 to 30 years down the road, US will have to deal with Russia once more due to oil.

I belive we should mind our own for awhile care of our borders, upgrade the infrastructure.

[ctfrasier]

i read some where a few years ago that the mexican military actually crossed our boarder and fired a few shots at our boarder patrol guys. thats messed up that we didnt do anything in return.

It's okay. They're just now getting around to answering Pershing's Punitive Expedition into Mexico. When was that...1916?

[chd]

all they need is another stallen or however you spell his name, alot of old timers in russia would love to see comunism back.

Yeah, if I was Russian I'd yearn to return to the days of pushing a wheelbarrow full of worthless rubles to wait in line for eight hours for t-shirts or bread.

[Recruiter yosis]

China and Russia have started a rather alarming alliance with other countries including each other its called the Shanghai cooperation organization and they claim its just to combat terrorism but of course they would say that heres a link

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shangha...n_Organisation

Sorta reminds me of the old WARSAW pact but bigger

[James2912]

No you've got it wrong about the communism thing they realize that was stupid! They are now into fascism and ultranationilism! That why they miss the USSR they miss the power there country had! There more into imperialism than communism. They want to use capitalism to reach there nationalistic goals.

[Recruiter yosis]

Yeah, if I was Russian I'd yearn to return to the days of pushing a wheelbarrow full of worthless rubles to wait in line for eight hours for t-shirts or bread.

I wouldn' go that far CHD. I talked to my mother-in-law a few days ago. She was telling me last month that alot of the business transactions over in Russia where she is at, Most sales were paid buy rubles not dollar (the standard).For about a week the dollar was worth less than the ruble.

[Recruiter yosis]

No you've got it wrong about the communism thing they realize that was stupid! They are now into fascism and ultranationilism! That why they miss the USSR they miss the power there country had! There more into imperialism than communism. They want to use capitalism to reach there nationalistic goals.

Who has it wrong?

[chd]

I wouldn' go that far CHD. I talked to my mother-in-law a few days ago. She was telling me last month that alot of the business transactions over in Russia where she is at, Most sales were paid buy rubles not dollar (the standard).For about a week the dollar was worth less than the ruble.

Sorry, I was being sarcastic. This thread became wacky so I played along.

[Recruiter yosis]

It's cool. You know how many jokes I get because my wife is russian??

I get the bread line thing or I should go buy a grandmother to wait in line.(old bread line saying)

Good thing. I'm not POLISH j/k

[James2912]

Who has it wrong?

It doesn't matter. Im just trying to say there into nationalism over there not communism.