lol longprime... I am not a big fan of school. I only went back to try to get internships that will lead to a job, which thankfully looks like it is working.
All our regional beers, Olympia, Hamms, Blitz, Rainier, are no more. The remaining beers are the Buds, Millers, PBR, maybe SamAdams and a lot of craft beers. Yuenling doesn't get to Oregon. I was offerred the Miller's lineup and Yuenling, I assumed that Yuengling was an import and willing to try anything other than Millers.
my apology. I hope that Yuenling remains a successful distinctive regional brew.
-- Edited by longprime on Monday 13th of June 2011 06:05:12 PM
>>>>I discovered, Yuengling is a Polish derived brew rather than a Chinese beer. <<<< Huh?? Yuengling is an American beer. Brewed at America's oldest brewery in Pottsville, PA - est in 1829 - and now also in Tampa Fl to appease the snowbirds! In these parts it's known simply as "Lager". It is a great choice. The original Yuengling's were German immigrants.
The logic and rationale for having a draft in the military is that the risk will be spread out to all Americans. Hence Congress will think twice or three times before committing our troops to harm's way. Little known fact - which state has the highest ratio of their citizens killed in Iraq/Afghanistan to total number of citizens? Vermont.
-- Edited by justamomof4 on Monday 13th of June 2011 12:44:32 PM
This is what I wrote in May: "...the U.S. should reconsider the position it is playing in the alliance, and whether the other members are carrying their weight." I think my grade should be changed from an A- to an A, haha.
I mean, it is blatantly unacceptable that our "allies" run out of ammunition in Libya. They cannot even fight a war against a 3rd world country without "key US assets"... it is ridiculous.
The problem is that if something happens to Europe (say, Iran launches a couple missiles), they KNOW that the US will jump to their rescue. The services that the US provides for Europe are a lot more than Europe provides to the US. It is not that Europe does not have a role to play; they can be very beneficial to the US. The problem is that they choose not to hold up their end of the bargain in the alliance. Keep in mind that NATO is a military alliance. Not a glorified international political arena like the EU. Members that cost more to the alliance than they add should be considered for expulsion. NATO keeps expanding further and further east, with no goal in mind, except to seemingly piss off the Russians.
I discovered, Yuengling is a Polish derived brew rather than a Chinese beer. I felt a really stupid when I decide to try that Chinese beer at Hooters-Pittsburgh.
So far the professional military obeyed orders in doing these wars, Would a conscripted military do the same?
Oddity: As the rest of the World better their economies and the USA looses its pre-eminence, the need for a military lessens.
Actually, longprime, it's cheaper to have a volunteer military, as retention is higher. Having to replace and train those troops each year as the commitments of draftees expires gets very expensive very quickly. Also, enticing those who have been drafted to stay to keep our experience levels where they are now and keep our extremely valuable (and extremely talented) NCO corps full would require some pricey incentives (i.e. higher re-enlistment bonuses).
And I'll have a Yuengling....
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You can't handle the truth! Son, we live in a world that has walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with guns. Whose gonna do it? You? I have a greater responsibility than you could possibly fathom.
As to instituting the draft again? Why, when we have been able to meet our recruiting requirements for the past few years (and except for perhaps 4 years out of the past nearly 40 since we've gone to an all-volunteer military, we continually meet those recruiting goals)?
Again, the purpose of the military should be to ensure our National Security, not to ensure jobs.
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You can't handle the truth! Son, we live in a world that has walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with guns. Whose gonna do it? You? I have a greater responsibility than you could possibly fathom.
Tom, no problem at all discussing secondary effects.
Bringing troops home and reducing troop levels are two different subjects entirely. The first is determined by WHERE we want to remain engaged in world affairs, the second HOW MUCH we want to remain engaged.
We keep troops in Europe because it is faster, cheaper, and more efficient to move them to where they are needed from there. Also, it is easier to supply and support our current efforts in the Middle East (and potentially increased efforts in Africa in the future) from these forward locations.
We have specific troop levels based on what we have determined to be necessary to achieve the current National Security Objectives, which are drafted by the President and Congress.
Bottom Line: removing our troops from Europe would have NO impact on our troop levels unless the Administration and Congress simultaneously calls for a troop reduction. In a time of 3 wars and global instability, that seems unlikely (for now). Actually, there may be a BENEFIT to local US economies, as reductions in Europe could lead to increases in the number of troops at US bases (unless the administration decides to shift them elsewhere overseas, say perhaps Qatar or the UAE). Increased base populations, with the families and dependents they bring with them, would mean more support for the economies of the communities these bases are located at.
Unfortunately, the issue is not just the extra capacity in Europe, but it is ALL the extra capacity throughout ALL the military bases. The US military has TOO MANY bases, everywhere, which they are required to support. This is a HUGE logistical bill to the US taxpayer, but trying to consolidate and close the smaller and less needed bases is usually a non-starter to Congress, who (rightfully) sees the loss of jobs and federal funding going to the communities which may lose a non-essential base. Communities that may be in their home districts. We have been at the point where Congress sees our military as a jobs program, and NOT what it should rightfully be, the means to provide for our National Security.
Want to reduce the Defense budget about 30%? Easy, right off the top, close about 100 military bases across the country while we also talk about reducing our military footprint significantly in the rest of the world. Hard choice, and and one most Congressmen and women won't even consider.
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You can't handle the truth! Son, we live in a world that has walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with guns. Whose gonna do it? You? I have a greater responsibility than you could possibly fathom.
Bullet- slightly off topic- with unemployment so high can we really start bring soldiers home and discharging them from the service? Not that we should not draw down in Iraq and Afghanistan but when we do are these soldiers returning to civilian life or are they mostly staying in the service?
Maybe we should institute a draft when the country decides to go to war or the unemplyment rate is over 9%.
-- Edited by Tom1944 on Saturday 11th of June 2011 07:36:04 AM
Razor, not exactly. There is still a strategic need to remain engaged and present in Europe. Mostly as a strategic logistical staging area for the Middle East and Africa, and I can agree that our presence there can significantly be reduced with most of our capabilities, and troops, over there returning home.
Gates wasn't arguing for leaving NATO, he was arguing that we as a nation are quickly getting tired of doing the heavy lifting for them, both with troops and money, and it's time for them to step up and take their fair share of the load. That is something I definitely agree with.
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You can't handle the truth! Son, we live in a world that has walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with guns. Whose gonna do it? You? I have a greater responsibility than you could possibly fathom.
Except for the British, most of NATO is worthless. I wish the US would pull out of NATO and save the money. There is little need for us to be in Europe.
Hmmm.. perhaps Sec Def was channeling soccerguy!! Read the text, it was a terrific speech. Glad he laid it out for the world to see. He is going out in a blaze of glory. Sec Gates was the speaker at our kiddo's graduation 2 weeks ago and what an engaging speaker he is. He choked up at the end and not a dry eye in the vicinity. Such a genuine man. The Pentagon is going to miss him, as will military families.
Gates with some harsh words for NATO today... about other members not carrying their weight. Other countries running out of ammunition in the Libya effort.
Someone must've given Gates the term paper I wrote for my spring class on the future of US force structure and key considerations for policymakers. Guess this means I should be vaulted to the high levels of Pentagon leadership in no time, lol.
