IS THIS THE WAY WARS SHOULD BE FOUGHT?

Don't worry about going broke before the first shot is fired in the next war. Obama is making sure will will be broke before the next war.

When I joined the Marines I was not willing to die for my country. I was more than willing to make the enemy die for his. A difference in the thinking of Army and Marine? :)

In Nam we reconnoitered in small groups and carried very little armament. Our job was to 'snoop & poop' then get the Hell away!

Thanks for your comments. It seems that we should be using our rangers or equivlent to finish up the job in Iraq. They could operate under cover and kill the enemy while he is still asleep. I was too young for World War II but remember how afraid the Germans were of the troops that would sneak past the lines and use their knives to kill Germans in their foxholes. The names do not come to mind but they were really good fighters by nature and needed very little training or equipment.

While we do have a lot of high-tech equipment, it's really not how we win wars. It's the combination of high tech equipment, well trained, motivated soldiers, and strategy perfected by years experience. For example, it's not the special forces, smart bombs, or unmanned drones that leads to victory in Iraq/Afghanistan. It's when you can have special forces go into an area, with real time intelligence, and air support that they can accomplish their mission with extraordinary rates of success. Combine that with experienced human intelligence and a good counterinsurgency strategy, wars can be won with minimal casualties (on both sides).

Why can't we get back to the jeep and two soldiers scouting the enemy instead of a group with a heavy tank loaded with high explosives waiting to be used if we see just one enemy.

Gordon, the "heavy tank" is just as much for protection of our military as it is to attack. The Strykers and MRAPs we have out there are designed to operate well in open dessert where there is no "cover" to hide in, and operate in an urban setting where a child's toy or a dead goat may be an IED. The enemy doesn't even have to be nearby to set off an IED, which would obliterate a Jeep, and the warriors in it.

We fight unconventionally because the enemy fights unconventionally. When they fought Germans in WWII, you knew who the Germans were. Because we are not fighting a country but organized terrorist groups, you can't tell the difference between a goat herder and an al Qaeda fighter. Remember Vietnam?

"using propellor planes with rockets"

Then we might as well paint a bulls eye on each plane. They are unable to evade radar detection, are too slow, too low. Maybe throw in some Warthogs in Afghanistan but definitely not Iraq.

Plus they don't send in high tech aircraft to take out one person. But one bomb can take out utilities for an entire city, a smart bomb with the ability to locate the target, and not miss, achieve the target, then explode in mid air shooting out filaments that will land on utility wires. It doesn't destroy the entire plant, it locates the exact target, and shorts out the electricity until it can be repaired.

No communications means no notifying other terrorist groups means fewer civilian deaths and fewer deaths on our side and hopefully more enemy deaths.

Now we are getting the right response. Is it possible that we can use high tech and still use secret troops like the CIA again at the same time? I believe we are going broke by using too much equipment that could be done by trained soldiers. What we are planning on for the future will cost us a fortune. Can we aford this?

Gordon, I'm not sure what you mean by secret troops like the CIA. The CIA doesn't have troops. When they were in Afghanistan and the Mujahideen were fighting Soviets, the CIA acted as advisers and coordinators, did not fight, and weren't supposed to be there in the first place.

If you have trained military on the ground, you are going to want to protect them as much as possible, which requires equipment appropriate for the terrain and the type of warfare.

Additionally, a lot of this high tech equipment isn't just made in the US. I like that we push the envelope in technology, but some of the other countries which may be a threat to us are not that far behind in their own technology.

Have you read about some of the subs out there? Do you wonder about the subs we aren't allowed to read about? Try getting some information available on Chinese subs and technology. You might be surprised what they have.

Can we afford not to have this?

Cathi:
Not exactly. Ever hear of Operation Phoenix in Vietnam? I'm not sure if the CIA had actual soldiers in that, but they did conduct military operations (with special forces) to assassinate VC leaders (and probably a whole lot of other people too).

Isn't it odd how "They" have most people trained to think "they against us"? And that an "American Person" is better than anyone else on the planet.

Think about it, is your earth-suit worth more than "theirs"?

What caused this division, this fear of others?

I'll give you one word "Religion"

"They" The Tester, possibly the ones that call themselves the social memory complex "Lucifer" created this hierarchy, not to set mankind free, but rather to enslave mankind into a endless war based on the various religious myths, folklore and desires of grandeur.

Why? To test your resolve, to see who would see past the illusion and love others despite our perception of a "perceived" evil enemy. And beings that few are able to see past the illusion, I feel sadness to say that most appear to be drastically failing the test, as most need little, if any reason to hate others.

"They" offer the catalyst, it is now up to each "perceived as an individual" to utilize the catalyst given.

One day soon the world will awaken to realize that the only enemy they have, is the "one" one sees in the mirror.

We are close to the end of the cycles, the cosmos has spoken, is anyone listening?

Ancient Wisdom is a link Explore the endless possibilities

Not exactly. Ever hear of Operation Phoenix in Vietnam? I'm not sure if the CIA had actual soldiers in that, but they did conduct military operations (with special forces) to assassinate VC leaders (and probably a whole lot of other people too).

Daniel, sorry son. The CIA does not have troops within the organization. Did you miss the part about the CIA was not supposed to be in Afghanistan? They could only advise or wind up exposing their presence. Anything else would have to be a joint operation.

Cathi:
What I meant by that is that they may not be putting the flex cuffs on the guys, other special forces groups may be taking care of that, but they are responsible for direct military action, even if the action is conducted by other groups. Air America is also another interesting little piece of history.

Phoenix op in Vietnam was a joint operation between CIA and US military intel, Seals, Green Berets, and MACV-SOG, and (SAD/SOG paramilitary operations officers, which is what was used in Afghanistan), lead by the CIA. A program of ci ops with mass imprisonment, torture and assassination resulting on the killing of 20,000++. Some view it as successful, some view it as disastrous.

So we agree that the CIA does not have "troops"? Is that what you are saying? Yes, they have operatives and yes that have joint programs, but they don't have military troops.

Cathi, did you study the book written by a CIA top commander about his first entry and almost takeover of Afghanistan? I found it most interesting that the group had things going perty good until the headquarters boys decided to do things the harder way so they could use different Afghans in the pay cycle. What I am trying to bring out is the way to fight small units is with small and invisable troops with kill permission. Assuma Ben Laden would not be here now if the special troops with the cameras could have taken the kill shots they asked for. We need James Bond squads with kill permission to win the war against people that can shoot and fad into the wall paper. Our heavy technical troops have to locate, get decision if it is a target, decide who gets the shot, and their commander give permission to locate target, set up hit squad, and if the top command is still interested in the target, send heavy force to distroy the target. By the way, the time this can take can be days, not just hours, or minutes. Too Late, the target is gone!

Oh, I'm well aware of the difficulties some rules of engagement can be. I've heard first hand reports of this many times. I have a lot of friends and family in the military. But even James Bond had loads of first rate technology to help him.

Now, we already have specialized sniper units. I guess I'm not understanding your goal here. We have already decreased the size of units compared to WWII, Korea and Vietnam. The military today is vastly different from any of those. But I honestly don't see the current administration willing to send out CIA type assassination squads. What is it you are seeking?

Cathi:
In many news reports about missile strikes in Pakistan they talk about CIA piloted drones. Not sure if those are actual CIA "pilots" flying those drones, but the reports often make it sound that way.

My concept of future fighting in Afgan and Iraq, etc. is to request the people them selves to clean up their countries. The people I would pay to volunteer are the people living here in United States that know the methods of the native people. This is not meant to be a fighting team but a bunch of our imagrants that would like a paid vacation and a chance to rebuild their country.

These people would intergrate fully with their relatives and provide money and direction to set them up with a better life. This could include any peoples that would lay down their arms and agree to join their countries rebuilding. (This may make no sense to many people as by all rights we should try and hang these killers, but: Would not I be one of them if someone tried to take over my country by force? Soon they would call all of us killers that fought for our flag. The only difference is the one that wins gets to judge the other one that loses. Can we not wait until God decides to judge?

Now I have a start with my people that understand American mixed up with the natives that are confused. What better intelligents can I obtain than having mountain people living in the same areas as the terriests? By the way, guns would be permitted so all people could fight for their future if they wish.

Next episode would be Special Forces time should you want to hear more.

In many news reports about missile strikes in Pakistan they talk about CIA piloted drones. Not sure if those are actual CIA "pilots" flying those drones, but the reports often make it sound that way.

Those are Predators and no, I have no idea whether it is Air Force or CIA back in the shed. I don't doubt they have CIA trained to use drones. But like you, I don't have any idea if CIA directs or actually pilots these from the shed.

Sure, Gordon, what would you have our Special Forces do?

Cathi, The Special Forces are already in place inbedded with all the people.

Cathi, Just to add a little to my short comment, what I believe we could do is have our Special Forces living with the civilians under cover when they can make sure the people are not abused by the terriests. They would all have weapons so with some urging by our forces join together to protect themselves.

Light equipment only would be used on the bases that standby strike teams would be available for the heavy work of repelling terriests attacks when they occur. These would have air call in protection and distruction ability. These units would be by them selfs and not with the civilians such as the Special Forces.

Our heavy hit and attack forces are kept out of harms way, and only called in when needed.

This is just a simply idea that requires detain conversion.

Sandi, I bet you are real proud of your son. My son choose another direction by going to college and studing for the degree needed to be a full time scout excetative. He now is starting a new job in Eureka, CA as the Field Direction for the Scouts. Your son helps keep us safe and my son tried to change our children into caring men and women. In today's world, we both can feel good.

We already have special forces living with civilians.