The Iraq War - Chapter 5

[Miulang]

Re: The Iraq War - Chapter 5

When they talk about "fueling the military-industrial complex". they mean that in a figurative AND a literal sense now. A new report just released by the Defense Dept. says that the dwindling supplies of oil and the increasing cost of procuring it will make it increasingly difficult for us to respond militarily to the world's hot spots in the future.

The study, produced by a defense consulting firm, concludes that all four branches of the military must "fundamentally transform" their assumptions about energy, including taking immediate steps toward fielding weapons systems and aircraft that run on alternative and renewable fuels. It is "imperative" that the Department of Defense "apply new energy technologies that address alternative supply sources and efficient consumption across all aspects of military operations," according to the report, which was provided to the Globe.

Weaning the military from fossil fuels quickly, however, would be a herculean task -- especially because the bulk of the US arsenal, the world's most advanced, is dependent on fossil fuels and many of those military systems have been designed to remain in service for at least several decades.

Moving to alternative energy sources on a large scale would "challenge some of the department's most deeply held assumptions, interests, and processes," the report acknowledges.

But Pentagon advisers believe the military's growing consumption of fossil fuels -- an increasingly expensive and scarce commodity -- leaves Pentagon leaders with little choice but to break with the past as soon as possible. Compared with World War II, according to the report, the military in Iraq and Afghanistan is using 16 times more fuel per soldier.

I can see some interesting scenarios arising from this realization: 1) the Pentagon will comandeer more of the US public's share of gasoline and other petroleum products under the guise of national defense which in turn makes the per gallon price of gasoline soar exponentially or 2) the Pentagon converts all the Stykers, tanks, and planes that it uses to use alternative fuels, 3) the White House starts "picking and choosing" which battles to fight around the globe.

I can imagine what Baghdad would smell like if the Strykers and humvees converted to biofuel...like the local neighborhood Baghdad McDonald's!

Miulang

[joshuatree]

Re: The Iraq War - Chapter 5

When they talk about "fueling the military-industrial complex". they mean that in a figurative AND a literal sense now. A new report just released by the Defense Dept. says that the dwindling supplies of oil and the increasing cost of procuring it will make it increasingly difficult for us to respond militarily to the world's hot spots in the future.



I can see some interesting scenarios arising from this realization: 1) the Pentagon will comandeer more of the US public's share of gasoline and other petroleum products under the guise of national defense which in turn makes the per gallon price of gasoline soar exponentially or 2) the Pentagon converts all the Stykers, tanks, and planes that it uses to use alternative fuels, 3) the White House starts "picking and choosing" which battles to fight around the globe.

I can imagine what Baghdad would smell like if the Strykers and humvees converted to biofuel...like the local neighborhood Baghdad McDonald's!

Miulang

Here's another thought. Why not have prisoners work in fields to grow alternative fuel for the military? This would not violate the spirit of free enterprise as it does not compete in the public market. It also means shifting away the military's needs from the public supply, therefore not bumping up prices even more. Last, this makes use of prison labor instead of giving them a free room and board. They want to get cut and buff? Go work the fields.

[Miulang]

Re: The Iraq War - Chapter 5

Here's another thought. Why not have prisoners work in fields to grow alternative fuel for the military? This would not violate the spirit of free enterprise as it does not compete in the public market. It also means shifting away the military's needs from the public supply, therefore not bumping up prices even more. Last, this makes use of prison labor instead of giving them a free room and board. They want to get cut and buff? Go work the fields.

And then, when they're buff, let 'em put on a military uniform and go out there and KILL our enemies!

Miulang

[joshuatree]

Re: The Iraq War - Chapter 5

And then, when they're buff, let 'em put on a military uniform and go out there and KILL our enemies!

Miulang

Well, I thought about that one a long time ago but that will never work. Some prisoners do rehabilitate, others never. To train them in the art of warfare and weapons systems is like creating the super criminal. There is no guarantee they will fight for you, nor will they spare innocent civilians (that's gonna look really bad in the UN), nor will they not join the ranks of the enemy.

[Miulang]

Re: The Iraq War - Chapter 5

Well, I thought about that one a long time ago but that will never work. Some prisoners do rehabilitate, others never. To train them in the art of warfare and weapons systems is like creating the super criminal. There is no guarantee they will fight for you, nor will they spare innocent civilians (that's gonna look really bad in the UN), nor will they not join the ranks of the enemy.

Heh. And some of the volunteers they sign up for today's Army are just one step away from being convicts (they're so desperate for bodies that they are already taking mentally unstable recruits and White Supremacists as long as they don't expose their tatts). Heaven help us when these guys get out of the service because we've trained them to be killers!

Miulang

[greentara]

Re: The Iraq War - Chapter 5

Heh. And some of the volunteers they sign up for today's Army are just one step away from being convicts (they're so desperate for bodies that they are already taking mentally unstable recruits and White Supremacists as long as they don't expose their tatts). Heaven help us when these guys get out of the service because we've trained them to be killers!

Miulang

Heaven help us because we have trained all of these men/women to become killers. The new recruits i.e., convicts, white supremacists haven't learned any new tricks they just have the ok to practice the old familiar tricks...

[Miulang]

Re: The Iraq War - Chapter 5

Heaven help us because we have trained all of these men/women to become killers. The new recruits i.e., convicts, white supremacists haven't learned any new tricks they just have the ok to practice the old familiar tricks...

We're training them to be stealthier, more accurate killers by allowing them to join the Army. As they start coming home, we'll have a whole new generation of domestic terrorists. Who needs al Qaeda?

Miulang

[greentara]

Re: The Iraq War - Chapter 5

We're training them to be stealthier, more accurate killers by allowing them to join the Army. As they start coming home, we'll have a whole new generation of domestic terrorists. Who needs al Qaeda?

Miulang

This is true their skills will be finally honed when they get home.
I just ordered this book, this is a fascinating subject, just how do we teach people to kill? What ever happened to conflict resolution and "use your words"...


From Library Journal
Grossman (psychology, West Point) presents three important hypotheses: 1) That humans possess the reluctance to kill their own kind; 2) that this reluctance can be systematically broken down by use of standard conditioning techniques; and 3) that the reaction of "normal" (e.g., non-psychopathic) soliders to having killed in close combat can be best understood as a series of "stages" similar to the ubiquitous Kubler-Ross stages of reaction to life-threatening disease. While some of the evidence to support his theories have been previously presented by military historians (most notably, John Keegan), this systematic examination of the individual soldier's behavior, like all good scientific theory making, leads to a series of useful explanations for a variety of phenomena, such as the high rate of post traumatic stress disorders among Vietnam veterans, why the rate of aggravated assault continues to climb, and why civilian populations that have endured heavy bombing in warfare do not have high incidents of mental illness. This important book deserves a wide readership. Essential for all libraries serving military personnel or veterans, including most public libraries.
Mary Ann Hughes, Neill P.L., Pullman, Wash.




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[Miulang]

"The President Has Failed Our Troops"

A whole bunch of retired generals (including two who led our troops in Iraq) publicly expressed outrage today at Pres. Bush's veto of the Supplemental Budget bill yesterday.

The President vetoed our troops and the American people. His stubborn commitment to a failed strategy in Iraq is incomprehensible. He committed our great military to a failed strategy in violation of basic principles of war. His failure to mobilize the nation to defeat world wide Islamic extremism is tragic. We deserve more from our commander-in-chief and his administration.
--Maj. Gen. John Batiste, USA, Ret.

This administration and the previously Republican controlled legislature have been the most caustic agents against America's Armed Forces in memory. Less than a year ago, the Republicans imposed great hardship on the Army and Marine Corps by their failure to pass a necessary funding language. This time, the President of the United States is holding our Soldiers hostage to his ego. More than ever apparent, only the Army and the Marine Corps are at war - alone, without their President's support.
--Maj. Gen. Paul Eaton, USA, Ret.

Miulang

[joshuatree]

Re: "The President Has Failed Our Troops"

A whole bunch of retired generals (including two who led our troops in Iraq) publicly expressed outrage today at Pres. Bush's veto of the Supplemental Budget bill yesterday.



Miulang

Why the outrage? If no budget bill passes, that means no money for war. Which indirectly, should mean troops pullout. So isn't that accomplishing what most want who are against the war?

[Miulang]

War is hell

Although some of the results of this survey are to be expected, it's scary to think that the only thing preventing more of our troops from acting out their beliefs is their commanding officers.

A survey of US combat troops deployed in Iraq has found that one in 10 said they mistreated civilians and more than a third condoned torture to save the life of a comrade, a report said Friday.

The study by an army mental health advisory team found continuing problems with morale and that acute mental health issues were more prevalent among troops with lengthening tours or on their second and third deployment to Iraq.

...For the first time ever, a sampling of soldiers and marines in combat units were questioned on issues of character, and their answers suggested hardened attitudes toward civilians among front line troops:

-- About 10 percent of soldiers surveyed reported mistreating non-combatants or damaging their property when it was not necessary;

-- Less than half of the soldiers and marines would report a team member for unethical behavior;

-- More than a third of all soldiers and marines reported that torture should be allowed to save the life of a fellow soldier or marine.

Miulang

[glossyp]

Re: War is hell

Although some of the results of this survey are to be expected, it's scary to think that the only thing preventing more of our troops from acting out their beliefs is their commanding officers. Miulang

It's scary that a third think torture is acceptable to save the lives of fellow soliders or marines? I don't find that scary, I find that loyal. If you're in a combat zone, your primary thought must be to the survival of you and your fellow soliders. Otherwise, you might just as well roll over and die.

[Miulang]

Re: War is hell

It's scary that a third think torture is acceptable to save the lives of fellow soliders or marines? I don't find that scary, I find that loyal. If you're in a combat zone, your primary thought must be to the survival of you and your fellow soliders. Otherwise, you might just as well roll over and die.

No, the part about "no snitching" is the scary part, because that's how Haditha happened; that's how Abu Ghraib happened; that's how Pat Tillman's murder almost went undetected as murder. And the more times the troops get recycled to go back there, or as long as their tours are extended, the more resentful they become of both their commanders and the civilians. That is the scariest part of all.

Miulang

[Miulang]

Re: The Iraq War - Chapter 5

What a concept: de-authorize the war that they voted to authorize...Bill Richardson now becomes at least the 3rd Democratic Presidential candidate to publicly state this: first was Gravel, then Hillary, and now Bill Richardson.

Miulang

[Miulang]

Re: The Iraq War - Chapter 5

The latest report from Riverbend's blog about the walls being built in Baghdad and her family's painful decision that it's time for them, too, to leave their country. It really saddens me to think of the thousands of other Iraqi civilians who have already suffered the same fate.

The Wall is the latest effort to further break Iraqi society apart. Promoting and supporting civil war isn't enough, apparently- Iraqis have generally proven to be more tenacious and tolerant than their mullahs, ayatollahs, and Vichy leaders. It's time for America to physically divide and conquer- like Berlin before the wall came down or Palestine today. This way, they can continue chasing Sunnis out of "Shia areas" and Shia out of "Sunni areas".
...I remember Baghdad before the war- one could live anywhere. We didn't know what our neighbors were- we didn't care. No one asked about religion or sect. No one bothered with what was considered a trivial topic: are you Sunni or Shia? You only asked something like that if you were uncouth and backward. Our lives revolve around it now. Our existence depends on hiding it or highlighting it- depending on the group of masked men who stop you or raid your home in the middle of the night.

On a personal note, we've finally decided to leave. I guess I've known we would be leaving for a while now. We discussed it as a family dozens of times. At first, someone would suggest it tentatively because, it was just a preposterous idea- leaving ones home and extended family- leaving ones country- and to what? To where?

...After Jordan or Syria- where then? Obviously, either of those countries is going to be a transit to something else. They are both overflowing with Iraqi refugees, and every single Iraqi living in either country is complaining of the fact that work is difficult to come by, and getting a residency is even more difficult. There is also the little problem of being turned back at the border. Thousands of Iraqis aren't being let into Syria or Jordan- and there are no definite criteria for entry, the decision is based on the whim of the border patrol guard checking your passport.

...The problem is that we don't even know if we'll ever see this stuff again. We don't know if whatever we leave, including the house, will be available when and if we come back. There are moments when the injustice of having to leave your country, simply because an imbecile got it into his head to invade it, is overwhelming. It is unfair that in order to survive and live normally, we have to leave our home and what remains of family and friends… And to what?

It's difficult to decide which is more frightening- car bombs and militias, or having to leave everything you know and love, to some unspecified place for a future where nothing is certain.

Miulang