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chrisa

(4,524 posts)

23. Spending more and size =/= a better army

Reply to Redfairen (Original post)

Mon Feb 24, 2014, 10:02 AM

Feb 2014

Sometimes size can be draining on an army. Also, throwing money where it isn't needed is wasteful and hurts us overall.

We need to return to the "snipers harassing the British" army that we were. That's metaphorical, but what I mean is, lean and mean > big and slow. We can still pick pirates off and perform rescues without having a gigantic invasion force. Large land wars are becoming passé.

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Pentagon Plans to Shrink Army to Pre-World War II Level [View all] Redfairen Feb 2014 OP

I thought this was The Onion. Spitfire of ATJ Feb 2014 #1

Why? It's been Obama's stated defense priority for 5 years now (nt) Recursion Feb 2014 #15

War spending is all that's keeping some Red States going.... Spitfire of ATJ Feb 2014 #39

This will never happen. tatum37 Feb 2014 #33

You want to go back to this? Sunlei Feb 2014 #36

False dilemma. tatum37 Feb 2014 #41

How about pre-first world war levels? Crowman1979 Feb 2014 #2

How about Constitutional levels? The Founding Fathers considered a standing army to be tblue37 Feb 2014 #18

What tblue37 said Android3.14 Feb 2014 #20

Exactly! The profiteers in America have enjoyed destroying countries and then rebuilding them. It's RKP5637 Feb 2014 #27

I'm all for that!! 2naSalit Feb 2014 #3

I am all for cutting down the war machine but... C0RYH0FFMAN Feb 2014 #4

No, all military spending is a waste. PSPS Feb 2014 #7

I understand what you're getting at... C0RYH0FFMAN Feb 2014 #11

Ding, Ding, Ding. TexasTowelie Feb 2014 #14

works for me weissmam Feb 2014 #19

This is why I supported Hagel's nomination in the first place fujiyama Feb 2014 #5

The various cuts, so far, will hurt military service men and women. djean111 Feb 2014 #28

Including or excluding private contractors? snot Feb 2014 #6

And the national guard. AtheistCrusader Feb 2014 #10

This is a key question onwardsand upwards Feb 2014 #22

And the overall Pentagon budget?? cprise Feb 2014 #8

I expect more outsourcing too Auggie Feb 2014 #16

It won't go away, it's just morphing into something else. n/t RKP5637 Feb 2014 #29

Like paying for Ukranian soldiers and arms. n/t cprise Feb 2014 #32

Right wing heads will explode over this AgingAmerican Feb 2014 #9

They will really try to discredit Chuck Hagel now. Enthusiast Feb 2014 #17

Jefferson et al. didnt want standing army at all. ErikJ Feb 2014 #12

Show me the money. ReRe Feb 2014 #13

While I am not a big fan of an over the top level of military spending melm00se Feb 2014 #21

Lets get some facts straight. happyslug Feb 2014 #35

Spending more and size =/= a better army chrisa Feb 2014 #23

This will be without accounting for contractors Scalded Nun Feb 2014 #24

This is just another draw-down agent46 Feb 2014 #25

"Success would take longer." malthaussen Feb 2014 #26

They can start by demilitarizing the local police departments. Some of the police RKP5637 Feb 2014 #30

Flowery words... Javaman Feb 2014 #31

As the President always said, and that will save billions we can use on domestic issues!! :) Sunlei Feb 2014 #34

He won't get everything he's proposing, and he probably knows that. TwilightGardener Feb 2014 #37

So the Army get reduced MicaelS Feb 2014 #38

Good! hedgehog Feb 2014 #40

Shrink ? Hi ho, Hi ho.................. dipsydoodle Feb 2014 #42

This is NOT that big a CUT, for two reasons happyslug Feb 2014 #43