Calling up the ready reserves...

[richlevy]

Originally Posted by lookout123

the problem is that we are always forced to fight the current war with the last administration's military. 2 1/2 wars was difficult even with the larger reagan/bush military. bush I started the restructuring post cold war, clinton just went too far in downsizing. the war on terror is being fought by clinton's military. bush and rumsfeld are still working on their own restructure but they are not increasing the size of the military fast enough, IMO.

Actually, during Clinton the military was restructured for just these kinds of low intensity conflicts. More nuclear subs and heavy bombers would not go any farther in winning Iraq for us.

What the military was not ready for was a large scale peacekeeping/occupation/nation building role. GWB led us unprepared into a role we have not held in 60 years. Even then, we had the whole world, except for the Eastern Bloc behind us. Even they would probably have preferred a stable West Germany to the kind of chaos we have in Iraq.

[lookout123]

Originally Posted by richlevy

Actually, during Clinton the military was restructured for just these kinds of low intensity conflicts. More nuclear subs and heavy bombers would not go any farther in winning Iraq for us.

i was referring to bodies, not hardware. hardware will always be upgraded that is good. reducing the active duty force to levels unable to sustain long term combat operations is not (if we are going to stick to expeditionary force rotations, which looks probable.)

[Troubleshooter]

Originally Posted by richlevy

More nuclear subs... ...would not go any farther in winning Iraq for us.

I remember in '92 when we were sent on deployment in the Med to work on ways to expand out capabilities into the intel gathering arena.

[LSMFT]

Frightening news. Years after my discharge from the Air Force, I continued to keep my multiple addresses current with a local recruiter. I dreaded the idea that they could call me up for whatever reason, but it was part of the deal. I was a child when I signed up, and immediately regretted my decision within seconds upon entering basic training. My service was hardly remarkable, but I had specific skills and clearances that the military likes to keep track of. Nothing at all like a James Bond or Rambo-like resume, in fact, both the Air Force and myself considered my service a horrible waste of time. If the "ready reserves" are called up in large numbers, I feel sorry for the thousands of people that have gone on to a better way of life. At this point, we should all reconsider the high cost of this war.