2 years to this day...

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train

Guest
How do you all think the US has done since being sucker-punched?...

How do you all think the world has done?

I personally feel we're on track to end an extremely hard to fight battle... hopefully not many more casualties will be necessary to do so...

And holding a ceremony at Saddam's main palace - that was kind of questionable to me - but thne I changed my mind and figured Saddam deserved it!...
 

Spiderman

Administrator
Staff member
I moved this to Political 'cause I know it'll more than not involve those issues...

Personally, I think the US is staying afloat/treading water. It has done some improvements in terms of security, but still has a great many holes as exposed by that guy who shipped himself to his parent's house. And that's just air travel - there's still sea and land borders.

In terms of terrorist activity, the US has still not gotten bin Laden, although it has cripped Al-Quaeda. But overall I don't think the US is close to halting any attacks.

Saddam has been overthrown yet evidence keeps piling up that there hasn't been any WMD since the mid-90's. Since that was the justification used, I think the US made a mistake as I don't see them invading Korea anytime soon and they're openly declaring nuclear development.

I think the US needs to get its act together and rebuild Afghanistan and Iraq before committing to other projects and to put its full weight behind that rebuilding; i.e. more troops if that's what's needed. Otherwise, just pull out now; don't do it haphazardly.
 
N

Nightstalkers

Guest
Everyone seems patriotic... A little... Too patriotic.

Must... Control... Urge... to announce that everyone is a terrorist and kidnap the vice president for his own safety.


Osama Been Ladeled is still getting his little tapes out to the public though... "If you kill Osama during this war, you will be making him a martyr for his country. Let him sit in a nice five by five prison cell, then have a couple more hours peace before taking on another country."
 
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Astranbrulth

Guest
Train -- Egad! A vile sucker punch! Who would have imagined this? I think the people who supported the evil Saddam should just kill themselves or something. Give Rummy my regards when he jumps off the Grand Canyon. Some people have short memories....


Spiderman -- The US will not invade N Korea BECAUSE it has nuclear weapons. Saddam's big mistake was to disarm. What a fool.

In my country when I grew up there was plenty of terrorism, bombs planted and so forth. I remember school drills for evacuating in case of fire, bombs and attacks with guns. I got used to it, so will you.

I also think - that you broke it, now you fix it.

Iraq is going to still cost you a packet in blood and money. And I guarantee you that if it is not fixed, then all will be the worse for it. Pretty much all that has been said would go wrong has gone wrong...and will get worse.

Let me put forward an alternative theory to the "flypaper" theory :
Astranbrulth's "carcass" theory. Instead of the flies getting caught on the flypaper, they are drawn instead to Iraq's carcass, where the aroma of rotting meat defies the US efforts to ressurect the dead animal. Then, after many expensive operations that open the animals belly and internal organs, the whole thing is abandoned, and the flies that are let in are fruitful and multiply greatly.

I just hope you lot have some *really* good surgeons.


Nightstalkers -- That is what *should* have been done. Finished off Bin Laden, reconstructed Afghanistan, gone home, together with the troops in the rest of the Middle East. If Democracy spreads East, great.

If it doesn't, well, tough.


-- Astranbrulth --
 

Spiderman

Administrator
Staff member
The US will not invade N Korea BECAUSE it has nuclear weapons
I believe they have a nuclear program, not weapons yet. It is that final push that the area is trying to persuade N. Korea to stop pursuing.
 
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Reverend Love

Guest
Nukes aren’t the deterrent.

1. North Korea's military while using antiquated equipment is infinitely better then Iraq's.

2. There's lots of them. All located on the 39th parallel.

3. The big sticking point. N.K. has thousands of Artillery pieces presighted on Seoul. These aren’t clumsy and expensive SCUDs...but accurate and CHEAP artillery rounds.

4. The North's Chemical and Biological Warfare programs are incredibly diverse and well advanced. Beyond the stage of importing from allies such as China and Russia.

5. They've got artillery shells loaded with VX (A Chemical Nerve Agent..nasty stuff)....again presighted on Seoul.

6. The N.K. have a proven missile system capable of reaching Japan. How accurate it is up to debate.

7. Attaching VX to a missile that would survive the launch and transit while difficult is within their technological grasp.

Yes Nukes are scary but what they've already got is enough to keep the U.S. at bay.
 

Ferret

Moderator
Staff member
I can't wait to get an "insider's view" of all of this...

...this may sound crazy to a few of you, but in November I'm going to be re-joining the military (short hiatus planned, but I'll be back soon after I graduate from Boot Camp) and then I'll be joining the Army's Chemical Corps. I'll actually get the skinny on lots of countries' WMD's....unfortunately, I won't be able to tell anyone about it...

-Ferret

"But, at least I'll know and that will make me happy :D"
 
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Reverend Love

Guest
Hate to burst your bubble Ferret but the intelligence community isn't holding anything really interesting close to their chest concerning WMDs.

This link will probably educate you faster on the current state of WMDs capable countries then some hack Army instructor.

...and why in the world are you joining the Army of all services?..and please don't say because of their two year enlistment program.
 

Ferret

Moderator
Staff member
Originally posted by Reverend Love
Hate to burst your bubble Ferret but the intelligence community isn't holding anything really interesting close to their chest concerning WMDs.

This link will probably educate you faster on the current state of WMDs capable countries then some hack Army instructor.

...and why in the world are you joining the Army of all services?..and please don't say because of their two year enlistment program.
Actually, it's going to be six - at least. I tried to re-enlist in the Navy, but the practicaly wanted me to BEG to get back in. The Air Force said I was too old, so I went w/ the Army. They've got some nice benefits for me and the wife and call me a patriotic fool (Not you, DUke - other people!), but I'm tired of talking about the problems in the world. I'm ready to do something about it...

-Ferret

"Do you SERIOUSLY think that information about all of the WMD's in the world would be made public knowledge?"
 
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Chaos Turtle

Guest
You patriotic fool... ;)

I couldn't even get in the service on account of being deaf in one ear. :(

Good luck with that. Keep the peace and all.
 
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train

Guest
Keep the peace and all
Literally...

or if not peace - make sure you have good aim... though it doesn't really matter with chemical/biological warfare...:rolleyes:

Glad to see some thoughts... I did think we'd hear from Duke though...
 
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Reverend Love

Guest
Ferret have you ever given the Coast Guard a thought? Those guys bust ass 24/7 protecting the ports and waterways from Drug runners, Piracy, Coyotes (people smugglers), and Terrorist. Talk about having an impact with your profession! They're state funded so I'm a little fuzzy on their health/education benefits. I just looked up some stuff here ...this is one of the more interesting items;

The Coast Guard, during an average day, will:

Conduct 109 Search and Rescue Cases
Save 10 lives
Assist 192 people in distress
Protect $2,791,841 in property
Launch 396 small boat missions
Launch 164 aircraft missions, logging 324 hours
Board 144 vessels
Seize 169 pounds of marijuana and 306 pounds of cocaine worth $9,589,000
Interdict and rescue 14 illegal migrants
Board 100 large vessels for port safety checks
Respond to 20 oil or hazardous chemical spills totaling 2,800 gallons
Service 135 aids to navigation
Pretty cool eeh. Don't know how old you are but their age cap is 27, however with a little finagling I'm sure you c ould receive a waiver if you surpass that.

P.S. Looks like they recieve all the benefits of the larger services..

P.S.S. There's Coast Guardsmen serving in Iraq as we speak.
 

Ferret

Moderator
Staff member
Originally posted by Reverend Love
Ferret have you ever given the Coast Guard a thought? Those guys bust ass 24/7 protecting the ports and waterways from Drug runners, Piracy, Coyotes (people smugglers), and Terrorist. Talk about having an impact with your profession! They're state funded so I'm a little fuzzy on their health/education benefits. I just looked up some stuff Pretty cool eeh. Don't know how old you are but their age cap is 27, however with a little finagling I'm sure you c ould receive a waiver if you surpass that.

P.S. Looks like they recieve all the benefits of the larger services..

P.S.S. There's Coast Guardsmen serving in Iraq as we speak.
Thanks - I appreciate that. There's even two Coast Guard bases in town, but I don't think I could respect myself after serving in the Navy...long running joke between the Navy and and the "Shallow Water navy..."

-Ferret

"I was hoping for Military Intelligence, but they were full...Chemical is going to be a blast - not literally..."
 
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train

Guest
Chemical is going to be a blast - not literally...
-Hey - what's that growing on your forehead Ferret?...

-That - oh... well, I got some of that X-9 on me last week and while wiping the sweat off my brow from working with it...

-It looks like a fuzzy mushroom...

-Yeah - they said it might do something like that...



:p :p :D

Actually - my dad was in a chemical reserve unit in Mass. - funny to see Darth Vader running around an obstacle course...;)
 

Ferret

Moderator
Staff member
Originally posted by Killer Joe
That used to be the Army's Chem Corp HQ. I know, I did my boot camp training there, OY!
Cool. From what I've been told so far, I should have Boot Camp and AIT at Ft. Leonardwood, Missouri. Hopefully, when I start AiT I'll have access to the internet so I can go back to posting...

-Ferret

"I'm not worried about the growths on my forehead - I was careful enough to avoid a combat job; I can be a little more careful to avoid THAT"
 
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Reverend Love

Guest
"I'm not worried about the growths on my forehead - I was careful enough to avoid a combat job; I can be a little more careful to avoid THAT"
Just like those supply clerks whom were lost and subsequently ambushed did?

Army brass learned the lessons the Marines had figured out years ago. They're going to adopt a rifleman first policy similar to the corp.

Anyways what do you honestly think you'll be doing as chemical warfare!? Your the subject matter expert, testing air samples, water samples, and processing potentially contaminated individuals for clean-up. You will be up front, where the action is.
 

Ferret

Moderator
Staff member
Originally posted by Reverend Love
Just like those supply clerks whom were lost and subsequently ambushed did?

Army brass learned the lessons the Marines had figured out years ago. They're going to adopt a rifleman first policy similar to the corp.

Anyways what do you honestly think you'll be doing as chemical warfare!? Your the subject matter expert, testing air samples, water samples, and processing potentially contaminated individuals for clean-up. You will be up front, where the action is.
True. There will always be risk. But, one thing I learned from my previous stint in the military is that safety is always their primary focus in EVERYTHING. I imagine myself running around in those suits from Outbreak a lot...

-Ferret

"Keep that monkey away from me!"
 
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