America's military once was courageous and honorable

I want to make this clear. I'm the biggest fan there is of the U.S. military doing all it can to provide the defense of this country. I am in no way, shape or form opposed to anything about providing national defense. I'm a staunch conservative who would even approve of Ronnie Reagan's "Star Wars" missile defense system.
That's not the issue for me.

The Vietnam and Iraq fiascos contributed nothing to our defense. In actuality all the Iraq War has accomplished is to make our national defense much more difficult and much more expensive. Because it created more fucking enemies than we already had. And it wasted so much of our national treasure and military assets which could be applied to actual defense.
And contrary to Pacedog, there's not a goddamn thing about that which is "patriotic" or "honorable".

Sal wrote:

gatorfan wrote:
where the U.S. couldn’t defend its global interests

Whose interests??

Certainly not mine.

Well done, Gunga Din.

You are a very useful idiot to the corporatist oligarchs.

Ever heard of global trade? Of course not, you're a neanderthal. You are very to....said no one ever.

2seaoat wrote:The military is necessary.   I do not live in an Ivory tower.  It is the extent of militarism which is obscene.  I am talking about at least a  25% cut back in our military in the next ten years.  This idea of honoring mercenary wars and those who participate in the same is a moral question.  I just do not see the need to export war.   What happens when we stop fighting wars......shareholders lose money, so MIC is going to keep stoking the immorality.   I have no problem killing to defend this nation.....zero problem.    I have a huge problem not being able to distinguish proxy wars for MIC profits.    This idea of the worship of Military and ex Military.....this is what feeds the horrors we have caused innocent civilians all over the world.    Pull back.....pull back some more......modernize and change the paradigm to defense.....not offense.   This lock step honoring of war only begets more war.......it has to stop.

Politicians cause wars. The people in the military are just following orders, most get out after a few years and none that I know consider themselves "heroes". I consider myself "lucky" for not getting whacked or wounded in combat. Nothing more and nothing less.

I can agree that there is tremendous waste in military spending, just like there is in federal govt civilian sector spending. That is also the fault of politicians. When the military is fighting Congress to close unneeded bases and eliminate outdated weapons systems but are forced to maintain them you must look to politicians to place blame and point fingers.

Global trade is essential to growing the world GDP. I agree that the American Military can in a very limited way assure in certain circumstances to minimize the disruption of that trade. However, even in the Jefferson Presidency we went after pirates and had national interest in not seeing folks stopping our ships and removing our sailors. That reality will be here today off the Somali coast, and it will be here 20 years from now. Again, I am not proposing to eliminate the military, I am only asking for sanity and to stop the militarism which has created a mercenary force which goes around the world securing goals of the plutocracy which knows no borders, has no national loyalty or patriotism. America needs an efficient and reduced military footprint. As soon as people talk about the same they are attacked. The revolving door of military generals being hired by MIC to continue these very profitable and top heavy weapon systems is not the course of action of Civil War generals who left the war with legs missing and arms missing actually fighting in the front lines, actually risking their lives for the state and citizens they loved, who certainly were not in battle to secure a corporate job and wealth. I will be happy when we have the World's best defensive military, and America is secure. Having American kids die in the Middle East to secure oil for traditional corrupt Monarchies and Colonial interests is not defending America, rather it is the killing of the innocents for cowardly goals where 10 to 1 advantage has no honor, has no morality, has no concern for America or Americans.