Poll: Send Your Troops Home, America

[Anarchy In Detroit]

I like how the choices are all from a foreign perspective and then "I am American" implying we all have our lips planted on the military's ass. Fuck yoooouuuuuuu.

Anyways I say close em all down. We don't have money to play fucking games anymore. Quit leeching my tax money away when there's things at home that need-a-fixin.

"But what about the soldiers?!?"

Well nobody saved the jobs here in Detroit, so you get the same treatment. See, your jobs don't even help the economy. We just throw money at you for no returns. We have less and less and we should give it all to keep people on bases we don't need? Uh, NO. Either you're fighting in Iraq or Afghanistan or we don't need you.

"We protect your freedom!"

No you do not. Who could have invaded us? Even if we didn't have a military nobody would even have the capability. I respect people who fight but don't feed me a line of shit. I owe WW2 veterans everything. I owe modern war veterans sympathy, pay, care, and nothing more. Christ, the government legislates our freedom away the whole time you tell me this! Oh I forgot, they're protecting us too.

 

[Spitfire175]

It's not like it's making anyone hate us less.
So withdraw all of our troops - if things get worse, maybe people will see that they were doing some good.
If things get better, people will continue to hate America, but at least we'll be in marginally less massive debt.

I would agree with this.
If US troops were to suddenly leave all outside US posts and return the world to 1936 status, the Afghani-Pakistani border would explode. Also, the Taleban could re-arm and reinforce, as they could then freely trade opium as much as they want. It's not widely known, that US warships in Oseania are the biggest pirate scare in the world: without them, Indonesian waters would be very dangerous. Also, USA has bases in many hotspots of the world and the only thing keeping the locals from slaugtering each other are the US troops. At least, it was so a decade ago, but since that, the military presence of the US has decreased everywhere outside the middle east.

If all US troops were called home, and a great natural disaster hit, say, India and Bangladesh, no one would be able to help the people in the greatest of distress. It was the US marines who earned the nickname "sea angels" or "sea fairys" from the Bangladeshi people in 1991, when the USMC undertook the largest humanitarian mission ever. Only the marines had the capability to do it.

 

[Projo]

Usually when you use sarcasm, you need to put a slash-sarcasm tag at the end of it. It clears up confusion that way.
/sarcasm

Oh, you think I'm being sarcastic.

Spoiler

I'm not.

 

[Mekado]

On a side note, in 1940 the US acquired a 100 year lease on a number of British island's in the Caribbean, so by 2040 this lease runs out. The question is will the Americans want to renew the contract or will the British government want these island's back?

(Personally i think it should be left for the locals to decide, however in international politics, the wishes of the locals are often over-looked)

I doubt the USA would absolutely want to keep the pieces of land they leased (it's not the whole islands btw) considering they already closed down all of the Air Force bases and most of the Navy bases that were there.

It was mostly a way to circumvent the "no-weapons-export-to-combattant-nations" thing during WW2, they traded the leases for 50 US destroyers (which they technically couldn't have sold to a combattant nation) The UK was desperate to get some ASW capabilities fast due to the u-boats trying to choke England so they hunkered down a deal with the USA.

Completely off-topic my bad

 

[Luke5515]

I am american but we need to pull troops out of certain areas that don't need troops there.

 

[Brett Alex]

Usually when you use sarcasm, you need to put a slash-sarcasm tag at the end of it. It clears up confusion that way.

/sarcasm

Oh, you think I'm being sarcastic.

No, no I didn't. I think you need to read posts more carefully.

Highlighted for your convenience.

 

[paragon1]

For all the spite and vitriol that gets spewed in the direction of my home country, I just got to thinking about all the services we do provide for the world as a whole, from quick-response disaster relief to quelling insurrection by our mere presence. And I think the world would hate us more if we left.

Well, so what?
They already hate "us," and I don't see the point in helping someone who's going to be a dick to you.
That extends all the way from one on one to country-to-country.
"How dare you draw away all that help you were providing us!"
"It was really easy, what with all the shit you keep flinging our way."

I seem to think that if push came to shove, many foreign governments would be willing to pay us to keep troops there. Its good if we are there, and they can sabre-rattle about the evil americans to deflect attention from their own regime, while benefiting economically and politically from our presence.

Nothing quote like politics to make you realize that every single person alive is willing to slit your throat for a penny.
That extends to "our" government as well, of course.

Wait, your telling me I can get a WHOLE PENNY for slitting someone's throat?

Seriously though, I agree about the shit flinging. Although I happen to know there are several countries who like having us their for the most part.

 

[notsosavagemessiah]

Well, as somebody who's been stationed over seas, the truth of the matter is, it saves everybody a hell of a lot of hassle. Especially in places like asia. I don't need to explain to you the importance of the South korean/U.S./Japanese relationship as it pertains to keeping china and North Korea in check, because i think it speaks for itself.

U.S. Bases are not necessary everywhere, but it certainly has it's convenience. Take for example bases in germany and the UK, strategic positions our long time allies have allowed us to keep, not only to defend them, but as a means of expediant travel between places like, say the U.S. and afghanistan. To remove these bases would raise costs all around to levels far above what they already are. Bottom line, these bases are here to stay, because we need them.

As far as removing the troops from the middle east, well, the answer is pretty simple. We got ourselves into a mess in iraq, but are coming out of it, slowly. Afghanistan is getting worse because the taliban is on the rise again, but provided the president does what his commanders are asking, i've no doubt we'll resolve that situation as well. These things however, will take time, it's just a matter of how much the average american can stomach. Also, why do so many people think that we should just immediately pull out? Don't these people realize that if were to do those things (at least in afghanistan anyways) that people like the taliban and al qaeda will come right back in? The system in that country hasn't balanced itself out yet, and to leave would simply allow their systems right back in, resulting in oppression for the afghan (and to a lesser extent the iraqi) people, and a group of people in power who will have a SERIOUS grudge against the U.S. and it's allies. I don't think i need to elaborate on the dangers of this. It's better to fight them there, then to fight them here they say. Sure it's costly, but how much more so will it be when we simply abandon the fight? Keep in mind that if they declare victory over the U.S. and it's allies, they'll have the mother of all recruiting campaigns. Tell me, where is the logic in simply leaving?

 

[Spygon]

do the americans have enough bases in the usa to hold it entire army as i know the uk dont that iswhy we still have people stationed in germany.

 

[JimmerDunda]

In before every liberal European on escapist... Oh wait... too late!

 

[Jedoro]

It makes strategic sense to have bases all over the world. Only an idiot would keep every single troop in the home country and not be prepared for if something happened, which is coincidentally the point of a military: be ready for if shit goes down.

 

[leviathanmisha]

I agree with you. It's a bit of a bother when I make a statement and someone says "God, American's are ALL blah blah blah"
I tried not to ring you in with America, which is why I said Americans and not "you" or "we".

*sigh*
The world WE live in.

I know, I wasn't using the "we" to make a point.
Well, I was, but it wasn't directed at you.

YOU'RE JUST SAYING THAT BECAUSE YOU'RE AN AMERICAN!
God, you're all like that.

I'm an American, but I don't act like it. I really wish that people would stop throwing up into one pot. Same thing with being a teenager. I'm an individual goddammit! Get it straight, oh and btw, if we were still hunting Nazi's, I would be kicked out of my own country for my bloodlines, how's that for patriotic.

 

[AdmiralMemo]

I'm American, and I want us out of everywhere, except Afghanistan. And I want us out of there once we're done what we set out to do.

 

[CastIronWin]

I like that idea, I would take a bit farther and say that if they ask for help say no for a few years first untill we are sure they really want it, every time we are asked to go in somewere within a year or so they start complaining, so make them really want it first

Not to piss on your chips or anything but you guys not getting involved for a couple of years is sort of what caused a lot of shit during WW2.

Again i do feel that you septics are a little under appriciated around the globe and what you really need is a great big war against a proper country just so you can flex that massive military budget of yours. This would also validate the need for having all those over seas bases.

but as it stands I personnally couldn't care less about the americans foreign policies. I live in england and as far as i know the yanks ain't got any permenant establishments on te UK.

 

[JimmerDunda]

every one else won your civil war (tee hee)

What does that even mean?

yet another child lest behind...

Americans were killing Americans how can the world not win (!)

[sub]Avast, my asshat senses are tingling![/sub]

I'm going to assume that you aren't very fond of America. I'm also going to assume that you aren't very well educated.

I was making a point

Not a very good one. You only proved yourself to be an ass clown.

 

[akmarksman]

There aren't enough options. If there was one saying "9/11 was planned by America, and they should get the fuck out of The Middle East, and I am American. Also, America's populace sucks" I would check that in a second.

EDIT: Forgot to mention, I agree that we should, for the most part, leave any places that we have no business in.

Indeed it was..We didn't support the locals after we helped them push back the Soviets.
Look up Charlie Wilson.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Wilson_(Texas_politician)
Best quote from the movie?
"These things happened. They were glorious and they changed the world... and then we fucked up the endgame."

You know..the United States could just pull back all it's military forces..so when events like the floods that have happened in the Phillipines..well they can wait on the almighty United Nations. Forget that the first to respond was the United States Marines..

and remember..War has never solved anything
*except for creating the United States
and for ending
slavery
Genocide
Fascism
Nazism
and a few other 'unplesant' institutions and regimes*

Really? You want the states to give up US soil. Becuase all bases are techuncally part of the US.

Meaning you've invaded and stolen land from other people.

Columbus started it.

 

[Projo]

No, no I didn't. I think you need to read posts more carefully.

Highlighted for your convenience.

In that case, my bad. The browser I'm using took out the line between "/sarcasm" and the rest of your message, so instead it read out as though you were providing a a silly and unnecessary example.

Meaning you've invaded and stolen land from other people.

You mean like South Africa, Tibet, Lebanon, Ukraine, Hong Kong, Scotland, the Virgin Isles, Falkland, the Isle of Ma-

Wait, it seems like there are quit a lot of people being controlled by nations other than America! It's almost like, gasp, America isn't the only country practicing imperialism today!