American Military in Europe

[Deluge]

13 hours ago, Aristides said:

That's less than half as many than in Germany alone during the Cold War.

First Iraqi war. HW Bush. Second Iraq war and Afghanistan. GW Bush. You were saying?

Bad idea.

Wars started by democrats:

War of 1812, Mexican-American War, Spanish-American War, BOTH World Wars, Korean War, Vietnam War, and GOD KNOWS what the hair sniffer will drag us into this time around. 

[Aristides]

13 minutes ago, Nationalist said:

 

Of course not. Putin said long ago, refugees are welcome, but they will become Russian or don't come.

No one in their right mind would choose Russia over anywhere in Western Europe.

Edited June 23, 2023 by Aristides

[Deluge]

17 hours ago, robosmith said:

Bush Jr started our last 2 wars. Biden caught hell from Republicans for pulling out of the last one, despite the FACT that it was Trump who negotiated our surrender without the involvement of the Afghan National Government.

AKA, you don't know what you're talking about. ?

The democrats have started more wars overall, and it looks like bumbling Biden is about to lead us into another one. Try reading about history rather than just making shit up - it'll help you look less foolish. 

I ALWAYS know what I'm talking about as far as YOU are concerned.

Edited June 23, 2023 by Deluge

[Aristides]

5 minutes ago, Deluge said:

Bad idea.

Wars started by democrats:

War of 1812, Mexican-American War, Spanish-American War, BOTH World Wars, Korean War, Vietnam War, and GOD KNOWS what the hair sniffer will drag us into this time around. 

The World Wars were started by Germany and the US showed up several years late for both of them. In WW2, Japan attacked the US and Germany declared war on the US first. Not the other way around.

Korea was a UN affair, more than 40 UN countries sent troops. It started when the North Invaded the South.

The Viet Nam War started long before the US became involved.

McKinley, a Republican was president during the Spanish American War.  Even though he was against it, he couldn't carry the rest of the party. By your  standards, I guess Lincoln started the Civil War as well.

[NYLefty]

2 hours ago, Rebound said:

I agree. Germany has done everything that American conservatives describe as the “destruction of America,” and the result is an economy that’s stronger than America’s. 
 

Germany has national healthcare. 
Germany has very strong labor unions. 
Germany granted instant citizenship to millions of impoverished East Germans and integrated them into their nation. 
Germany then accepted the EU, with a common European currency and centralized regulations. 
Germany allowed workers from any EU nation without any immigration process.  
Gay rights and abortion, too. 
 

All that, and Germany’s kicking a$$. 

Sadly many of these things were originally American ideas. That is before we were taken over by the troglodytes

2 hours ago, Nationalist said:

Ok...I'm sure you'll believe WAPO...

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/german-town-fears-loss-of-us-army-base/2012/03/23/gIQAoNzzeS_story.html

OOPS...better load up on Viagra. It's Friday and you might just need to wake that wet little wet noodle of yours.

Give me your mailing address. I'll send you pics of my noodle. You seem interested ?

[Nationalist]

55 minutes ago, Aristides said:

No one in their right mind would choose Russia over anywhere in Western Europe.

Really? Why how very presumptuous of you.

[Nationalist]

18 minutes ago, NYLefty said:

Give me your mailing address. I'll send you pics of my noodle. You seem interested ?

Absolutely! Here...

80 Wellington Street Ottawa, ON K1A 0A2

I'll expect your mail.

Edited June 23, 2023 by Nationalist

[August1991]

On 6/22/2023 at 4:25 PM, reason10 said:

I graduated from a college that believed in ACTUAL education. In the Global Politics Class, we studied the concept of "rapid deployment.'

FDR lied to get the United States into the European theater to take down the Democrats ally Adolf Hitler, mostly because the increased military spending would bail the country out from the disaster his New Deal had created. It took a mild depression he inherited and expanded it to disastrous proportions.

This created a mentality that if the war is going to be on the other side of the world, it would be best to have the manpower and equipment there as well. Since America (and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republic) basically saved Europe from being turned into lampshades by the Nazis, the idea of America being the world's policeman took hold. Democrat presidents likewise got the United States into Asian civil wars, (Truman/Korean War and Johnson/Vietnam War.) The concept of "rapid deployment" means the men and the gear are already in place, in countries were American dollars are spent protecting them. Animal regimes like Iran are prevented from just marching into Israel based on the idea (besides the fact that Israel has one of the most fearsome armies in the world) that it would be simple for American fighter bombers to be scrambled from an aircraft carrier in the Med.

(My brother was stationed on the Forrestal in the late Sixties, and he knew for a fact the fighter jets were carrying nukes.)

Some people refer to this as the Military Industrial Complex, with all the negative hoopla that comes from the term. Ironically, the last time the American federal budget was balanced was in 1969, during the Vietnam War, when Defense spending was the largest item.

Since then, (and you can thank Nixon and a Democrat Congress for this) baseline budgeting has made ENTITLEMENTS the largest budget item there is, and they are growing exponentially.

The ultimate irony is that our LAST LEGALLY ELECTED PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP was the beginning of a movement to reverse this trend, even by baby steps. He brought peace to the Middle East (FOR THE FIRST TIME IN ALL OF HUMAN HISTORY) and was hinting that our allies should PAY US for our military presence protecting their countries. He initially was going to target deep pockets like Saudi Arabia and South Korea.

Then again LEGALLY ELECTED PRESIDENT TRUMP was the OPPOSITE of a neoconservative. He was opposed to the Iraq War, (a war Democrats voted for, as well as Republicans.) That's probably why he ran afoul of the Bush family in 2016.

 

Well, George Patton wanted to have it out with the USSR while we were there at the end of World War II. He said we have the men and the equipment here now. Let's just get it over with or those commie bastards will come at us later on.

Amazing posts. I largely agree.

====

But I also fundamentally disagree. Trump is a buffoon.

[Deluge]

23 hours ago, Aristides said:

The World Wars were started by Germany and the US showed up several years late for both of them. In WW2, Japan attacked the US and Germany declared war on the US first. Not the other way around.

Korea was a UN affair, more than 40 UN countries sent troops. It started when the North Invaded the South.

The Viet Nam War started long before the US became involved.

McKinley, a Republican was president during the Spanish American War.  Even though he was against it, he couldn't carry the rest of the party. By your  standards, I guess Lincoln started the Civil War as well.

The point is, democrat presidents led this county into war more than Republican presidents did.

What baffles me is that you pseudo-intellectuals support any kind of war at all. Especially given your history of protesting. 

[Aristides]

On 6/24/2023 at 7:24 AM, Deluge said:

The point is, democrat presidents led this county into war more than Republican presidents did.

What baffles me is that you pseudo-intellectuals support any kind of war at all. Especially given your history of protesting. 

No, they didn’t.

Wha baffles me is your support for dictators and aggressors.

[Deluge]

43 minutes ago, Aristides said:

No, they didn’t.

Wha baffles me is your support for dictators and aggressors.

Yes, they did. Go count. 

What baffles you is that conservatives don't buy into your bullshit.