What do you think of US soldiers?

[omega 616]

You don't want to know, I would have to be made of asbestos, wearing everything asbestos (down to my boxers) to even stand a chance against the flames, the suns flames would be less hot.

 

[Kukakkau]

Friendly fire and being manipulated into wars they shouldn't be a part of

 

[Axolotl]

Nobody asked you to police the world, Vietnam is a bad example btw you could not have won short of commiting genocide and losing alot more of your own. You were fighting an entrenched enemy on ther turf against guerilla tactics. They would never have given up or surrendered and they had nowhere to go, they would have fought to the last man. America was only their becasue Vietnam didnt want to be a French colony anymore and Communism scared the US. Try solving your own problems befor eyou start telling everybody else how to do their thing. Your culture works for you, forcing it on other countries is what gets you the international animosity.

You do know that the Americans were winning the war in Vietnam by a large margin don't you? And that the US entered into the war because the South Vietnamese government asked for their assistance?

 

[Angerwing]

too far away to care (australia).

I know that what you're saying is all a joke, but I must say this:

I heard those new-fangled flying machines go pretty quick now?

I strongly advise you to read the logistics chapter of "Lions Donkeys and Dinosaurs" by Lewis Page. in fact i advise everyone to read all of "Lions Donkeys and Dinosaurs" by Lewis Page.

whilst the auzzie special ops are free to prance around where and when they like (like most SF forces) only the US actually have enough flying thingies to keep a armoured division supplied for any lenght of time. let alone transport one, and thats with 300+ super heavy lift aircraft and 700 odd hercules. the brits have barely the capability to keep a battalion supplied, (and it needs to be a light battalion and have friendly air space. and be no futher afield than turkey. and preferably it shouldn't be fighting too hard. and forget about reinforcements...) but largely yes i joke ;-)

that said have australia actually committed a sizeable force to any US/UN venture recently? as in since vietnam?

You know, despite us not committing as many troops as America to world policing, I'm not actually that cut up about it. War is bad. I disagree with war. I do not take our lesser military involvement as a bad thing.

That being said, we've committed a token force to Iraq, but that's more of a diplomatic sign than any meaningful contribution. But then again, who else is contributing? And what's the correlation to distance? Hmmmmmmm.

Yes but what about GREAT AMERICAN FREEDOM FUCK YEAH! *crotch thrust*

Good job Custer.

You do know that the Americans were winning the war in Vietnam by a large margin don't you? And that the US entered into the war because the South Vietnamese government asked for their assistance?

The South Vietnamese government was a puppet to western forces, if I remember correctly. And America was winning every battle, yet they lost the war. How much they were winning by was irrelevant; they would not have been able to capture Vietnam any way shy of killing almost every Vietcong or NVA member.

 

[Branches]

I have all the respect in the world for the U.S. Military. They are one of the most prolific, get it done yesterday forces in the world who adapt to situations on the ground faster than most forces could get the clearance to do so. Their dedication to what they are told to do is among the tradition of some of the greatest military forces in history. No one wants to, but the alternative is worse.

The men who've I have had the pleasure of talking with and sharing a pint or two with them and they are some of the most laid-back, casual sons of bitches I've ever met. Never hesitating to share a story or two. And they speak of both better men then themselves and worse men then themselves. They have their quirks, but don't we all?

They sacrifice so much for their fellow soldier and other countries. Families abandoned, conditions harsher than hell, overbearing commissioned officers and what not, And yes, you can make any case you want about unnecessary violence or battlefield dishonor. But in the end, it's all down to where your sitting and where their sitting.

You have the right to say what you want. They have the right to punch you in the fucking face if they disagree.

 

[Angerwing]

You have the right to say what you want. They have the right to punch you in the fucking face if they disagree.

Uh... no. No they don't. They don't even have the privilege to punch you in the face. That's assault, and they aren't exempt from the rules. The worst way to get someone's respect is to threaten violence.

 

[not_the_dm]

I think US soldiers are jealous that the British army are better trained. >:

And we have better rations than the Americans. They trade jeeps with 50 cals for them.

 

[TheGreatCoolEnergy]

They do what their told, even when 90% of public opion isn't behind them. So not bad.

 

[Shadowfaze]

There the same as most soldiers around the world.

 

[EMFCRACKSHOT]

Some guy on page two said that America are the police of the world. Whilst this is a view held by many Aremicans in the higher echelons of government and the us armed forces (and maybe amongst the regular people too) but that just makes them arrogant. Although, we in the UK are no better.
But i have nothing but respect for the men and women of the armed forces. As a whole they are organisations tht should be respected and supported.
On an individual basis i have less good to say on members of the US armed forces. I have met 7 members of the US armed forces adn of those, 4 were the ignorant dickheads that are often portrayed by the media, 2 were very nice intelligent guys i'm proud to call friends and on was an officer not fit to hold the rank.
Now my dad, he was in the RN for 23 years and met some excellent servicemen. Nut my friends father was a Royal Marine Commando officer and he was serving with some US soldiers in iraq or afghanistan or somewhare and the officer was so incmpetant my friends dad had to take over. The man wanted his men to run straight at a fortified machine gun emplacement.
And i read somewhare on this thread about ours being better trained then the op said the us had a bigger budget. I think (i'm not entirely sure but i'm pretty sure) our guys train for less time too. Of course, the us puts more money into equipment than training.
And America didnt beat us twice. You won the revolutionary war but we didnt make a full efort there. We were too busy holding on to more important parts of the empire and fightin about a dozen other countries. And i believe we won the war of 1812. We feated in the white house, burned capitol hill and left, showing you that we were still number one and could fuck you over completely if we wanted.

 

[Epictank of Wintown]

You know, I think what a lot of you people are lacking is a distinct understanding of the military.

I mean, all of you do realize that the majority of people in modern militaries around the world are in logistics and support elements of the armed forces, right? That most of them aren't issued a kevlar, a rifle, some boots and told to go kill people, right?

Think of it this way. For every aircraft, for every vehicle, for every M1 Abrams and HMMWV, you need a team of support specialists. Refuellers, resuppliers, mechanics and the like. A very, very, very small fraction of the people that actually joined the armed services are given combat jobs comparitively speaking.

OT: What do I think about the US military? I think the same thing of them that I think of most western and allied military forces; they're just people doing as they're told, like a good soldier should. I find it hilarious that so many here seem to think that officers are moustache twirling, monocle and top-heat wearing, devious sons of bitches that cackle maniacally while they order these poor helpless grunts to gun down an entire village of poor crippled children and old people.

Really?

Truth be told that modern militaries are very careful to avoid as many civilian casualties as they possibly can. Win hearts and minds. I'll gurantee you that, if you look at the numbers, there have been far more Iraqis killed by their own countrymen than killed by the combined coalition forces in the Middle-East.

 

[CJ1145]

I think the majority of modern day soldiers are fools that are brain washed by propaganda and their own idiocy who sign up to go and kill people.

The government tells us that murder is illegal but then it employs millions of people to go and murder people all over the world, why is the government exempt from its own rules?

I... I...

Wow. That is so hateful, nonsensical, and self-contradictory that I have no response for it. Congratulations man, you're the first person I've met that has been so retarded I can't even make a snarky comment on it.

 

[Cheery Lunatic]

I don't like the whole "If you're a soldier you're a HERROOOOO" bullshit America's been sporting lately, but I do think a good chunk of my generation is being a bit of a douche towards them.

Give them some damn respect, for the love of God. It's not their fault we're at war.

 

[TheLastCylon]

I always wondered what civilians though of us when we go by. Here in Hawaii, military personell are as common as mongooses, but they aren't as common on the mainland. Most people here in Hawaii think of us cordially and think of us very highly. What do you think of US soldiers?

I think you've mentioned mongooses almost every time I see you post.


OT: Anyone who is willing to die for what they believe is right deserves my respect.

 

[BlumiereBleck]

heroes

 

[allnorweiganwood]

I think they throw puppies off of cliffs....and that makes me sad panda.

I once watched a mexican kid and a black kid throw a kitten into a wall until it died. So by that logic all mexicans and blacks torture kittens?

 

[Simalacrum]

I'm going to be perfectly honest with you - my opinion about soldiers of any kind is pretty low. Not as low as the politicians who send them off to pointless wars, mind you.

 

[Cargin]

Right now I'm reading Johnny Got His Gun by Dalton Trumbo.

I believe my post is finished now.

Oh Goddamit, war changed since WW1 !!!!

....so has everything else, doesnt mean the book is no longer relevant. are you going to say 1984 is no longer relevant because its now 2010? Or maybe Das Kapital, because the cold war is over. Or maybe the Prince, because politics has changed since the Renaissance....

 

[TheRundownRabbit]

The US Military? You want to know what i think? They are

Brave Warriors
Defenders of Freedom
Crusaders of Justice
Destroyers of Evil