SEN. TOM COTTON: war with Iran would be just ‘two strikes’

I am thinking Russia would get involved at some point.

 

Yawn. American middle east policy should be to bug out and let Israel do whatever they want.

 

Interesting ... so I make the same mistake as the lefties you say...
OK, let's go into the details and INTO FACTS:

Could it be that you are just wasting taxpayer money in the Pentagon?
Of course, a soldier of your potential opponents gets less pay than one of your soldiers, but there is already the first mistake in your thinking! Of course, China has the most soldiers ... they also have the most inhabitants on the planet with 1.4 billion people. But how are the facts?
US, Force 2018: 1,600,000 active soldiers
Russia, troop strength 2018: 1,014,000 active soldiers
China, Force 2018: 2,260,000 active soldiers

Conclusion: You have more active soldiers than Russia ... and only about 600,000 fewer soldiers than China, even though they have 4 times the population as the US ... and all, even though a US soldier earns more than one of their Soldiers in Russia or China!
Funny, so you have to pay so many of your gizmos, even though the opponent has less armed gizmos!
If we continue with the equipment, it looks the same! You have a mountain of mega expensive modern high tech weapons. Of course there is no objection to being as modern as possible, but if I look at the cost explosions of your recent projects and look at them in relation to the alleged technological advantage, then that is at least very questionable.
It's also about the mass you have in part ...
For example, you have over 7,800 x M1A1 / A2 Main Battle Tanks. Russia has a lot more on paper first, but if you put it into perspective and take out those that are the equivalent of US models that you have long phased out, Russia still has about as much as you - 600 x T-90, 4,500 x T -80 and of the approximately 9,500 x T-72 are only about 1/3 combat value increased and modernized. And from the new T-14 Russia has so far eta 40 or 50 pieces (by the way, the number behind the "T" indicates the year of introduction to the trupope in the Russan Forces... So, for example, T-90 = 1990!).
Or carrier ... you have currently 10 x Nimitzklasse in the service and this comes the first of 3 of the new Gerlad R. Ford class ... which these 3 are supposed to replace the oldest Nimitzklasse Carriers. In short .. you have 10 aircraft carriers and they are the clear symbol of your worldwide claims to be present everywhere!
Strange ... everyone else has, if anything, only 1 to 2 and then also much smaller aircraft carriers in the world. And if I still have these ... I call them "Mini Aircraft Carriers" ... like the 8 ships of the Wasp class (which are about the size of the carriers of the others) then you have even more .. Yes, I know, the Wasp is not officially a carrier, but an LHD = Landing Helicopter Dock = amphibious assault ship etc. Nevertheless, it has many helicopters around even some AV-8 Harrier on board!


So we come to the basic problem ... which is is that you have a worldwide geopolitical interest and thus have a worldwide military interest and be present everywhere ... I want to replay and mark ... want but not must!
Now I do not want to go into all the hypocrisy and ignorance that has to do with it ... because you are playing the biggest and exemplary democracy that brings peace and opposes evil dictatorships only if you like it and ignore it all at once such a dictator your friend is ... but on the immense financial effort that has to do with it. In short .... your questionable ambitions and claims everywhere where it is important to have the say, costs damn much tax money.

Again ... you only spend the most money on the military by far, but more money for the military than spending the number 2 to 11 on the ranking list together, and China is in second place with only 1/3 from what you practice and Russia, which does not even have 10% of your expenses and is in sixth place!

But I make the same mistake as the lefties you say? Really? Sorry ... for sure not!

 

That is exactly what I said - minus the gibberish - on the bugging out portion. Is America not letting Israel do whatever they want ? How about Iran and North Korea - should they be allowed to do what ever they want as well ?

 

I would comment here but the bizarre presentation of your post makes it impossible to take anything said seriously...

 

Sorry, but you do not really address my point...As the authoritarian powers of the world pay a LOT less for defense items, from boots on the ground to advanced weapons than we do, they get to buy as much as we do at a far less cost so simply comparing budgets does not give an accurate look at relative power.

 

Sorry ... you miss the point totally ...!
If you spend 10 times more of money on your military as Russia and nearly 3 time smore as China, then has this nothing to do with lesser costs for Russia as you have, but with wasing tax money due to your global interests!
For what do you need 10 or currently 11 Aircraft Carriers please? Answer this question for your own and you know the reasons ... because every of these Aircraft Carriers costs a mountain of money each year and you need them for what again?

 

Numbers mean nothing.
Any major war is about strategy and tatics.
Assuming everything stayed conventional.
Who wins such a battle is the one who stays a couple steps ahead of the opposition.
Because of the sizes of the landmasses involved it would be stupid for America to engage in a land battle unless absolutely necessary. That means war on the seas and in the air. I don't know much about sea power but i know that in the air re pretty much cannot be touched. Our old stuff is better than everyone elses new stuff. Its more due to the training of our personnel but consider that the f-15 is undefeated in the air.

If you're not American it's none of your business what we spend our money on nor is it your business what our navy does in international waters.
I am sorry you hate America so much but your existence likely is due to thoes Aircraft carriers. So... you're welcome.

 

Sorry ... I have to contradict you here!
Your current stuff was never ever really tested agains tthe depending new stuff of same development generation at enemies. In Iraq 1991 you fought mostly against jets which were of generation when your major USAF fighter was the F-4 Phantom and not the F-15 Eagle ... and those few Mig-29 which Saddam had were lousy used if they ever were able to start at all.
And that the Mig-29, if flown by much better trained pilots, could be a real threat was proven in Kosovo war. Here one of the Serbian Mig-29 made one of the rare starts and brought 2 of your USAF F-15 and one F-16 from the Netherlands in serious touble. There were 5 ... I repeat ... 5 AIM-120 missiles shopt on them and all was fought of by the Mig-29 and then these single Mig-29 started counter attack in a 1 vs. 3 situation and made your pilots necessary to use all their skills to escape. Rssult was that no one shot anyone down in this clash.
And again ... we are talking about Serbia, a country a little bit larger as South Carolina and with Armed Forces were most of your State Natiional Guards are better and stronger!

I'm not American, I'm German ... but it's been made into a business by your president. Why? Because your impudent president - Trump - has fired a constant fire of lies on the subject in the direction of my country and is currently only reloading to continue to spread fake news. Keyword: Germany does not meet its 2 "% of GDP requirement and that will cost the US taxpayer a lot of money ... A total lie ...
1. Germany must contractually like all others only from 2024 to meet the 2% ... 2. I want to have examples where and how it costs the US taxpayer money!

And no ... I do not hate the USA. I hate Trump, but does not mean I hate the US.
I criticize the US very often, but that's because here's so incredible hypocrisy, arrogance, and ignorance at work with many Americans that it takes your breath away that people actually believe and can think such a bullshit! And then when Americans also have to play my teacher and tell us and everyone else on the planet what's right and wrong, then the fun stops.
But this is still no hate for the US, but only reaction on my part to a previous action on your part!

 

That simply makes no sense. A Defense budget, like any other budget, reflects the money needed to buy a specific number of things. If your neighbor can buy as many or more for less money, then he grows stronger compared to his higher spending neighbor.

Wars are fought with what one has with now spending producing results years later. We nearly lost WWII because one side spent money and built a military while the other relied on wishful thinking and appeasement.

 

I am sick of people bad mouthing America.
If you want my attitude about the world situation . I would refer you to some music.
Youtube dos gringos and their song ww3

 

On behalf of America i apologize.

1. For not pushing the Russians out of eastern Europe in 1945.
2. For allowing the Chinese civil war to end in a commie victory.
3. Not kicking the Chinese out of the Korean Peninsula
4. Failing to support the bay of pigs properly and allowing Castro to maintain control
5. For not obliterating the north vietnamese ability to wage war and abandoning the sourh vienamese
6. For not invading iraq and not setting up permanent residence to keep cheap oil flowing to the rest of the world and putting Iraqis to gainful employment to make their society better.
7. Not nuking Iran back in 1980.
8. Arming Saudi Arabia.


Ehh i don't really care about anything else. But don't see that as me holding up my middle finger or anything like that.

 

No sense?
You have more active soldiers as Russia and not much fewer as China in Service! You have more noteable tanks in service as Russia and in total over 1,000 more M1A1/A2 tanks as the total number of Chinese tanks at all .... and of which are most the Chinese Version of the ancient T-55 tank!

So ... tell me ... where does your neighbour buy more for lesser money as you did?

 

Oh ...
Have I really disturbed your US dream world with the realities and facts? I'm really sorry for that ... not at all!

And you know what? I am very amused by such American people as you, who react to the evil realities and facts like you!
Every time you can not refute the facts, this bullshit comes as your answer right now!

 

No you post "facts" in a skewed manner. America is the greatest force for good onnthe planet, no matter how much you hate us, we are the good guys.

 

So, how do you account for those near parities when they spend so much less than us to get similar results? Is it possible they get about the same force for way less money?

 

Ehm ... which similar results and about same forces please?
Again ... you have more soldiers and noteable tanks as Russia!
And at China you have not much soldiers in service and more than 1,000 more modern tanks. The most used Chinese Main Battle Tank is the Generation of the American M-48 and the first M-60 tanks of the 1950's and 1960's!

Ask yourself, why you Russia, China and many others like, for example, very recently treated Iran as an opponent and take as reason for your enormous military spending ... conversely, these countries do not have such a long list of opponents and potential opponents , or do not even consider it as something like that?
I would say, that's up to you and that there is something wrong with you, because you want to get involved in everything on the planet!

 

A classic response because you have none to the questions that was asked. Our army is to defend us, not to be used for some asinine regime change.

 

Defending oil supplies from the middle east IS defending us....

 

Wrong answer. Thanks for playing.

 

You seem locked in the ground war. Do you believe anyone contemplates invading China? What matters is tech and force projection. We are low on ships, working aircraft, and smart weapons. We have enormous military spending because stuff and personnel are vastly more expensive here.

 

Right answer.... do this little mental exersize.


Tell me the sequence of future events starting with the USA completely leaving the gulf region and not protecting oil tankers..

 

How about you do some mental exercise and some research before you spout nonsense.

https://www.cnsnews.com/news/articl...fuel-country-decades-petroleum-institute-says

https://www.americangeosciences.org/critical-issues/faq/how-much-oil-does-us-export-and-import

https://www.cnn.com/2019/03/08/business/us-oil-exports-saudi-arabia/index.html

 

Ok so what happens when we lose 25% of or oil supply?? Do you think 25% is insignificant?