The Third Hundred Years War Has 86 To Go

[Thumpalumpacus]

Why would that be odd?  We don't have to shoulder full responsibility, but we do have to shoulder some responsibility.  

It's odd because as you know more than most here, some of us shoulder all the responsibility. I don't mind paying my taxes for their paychecks, but I sure ain't comfortable sending them into a situation where delivering MREs puts them on the wrong end of the rifle.

The fact is that we're seen by many there as being an occupying force, and that is why American GIs end up as targets, no matter our good intentions. It's too late for us to take back our invasion.

People getting routinely shot at are broadly open to suggestions as to how to end that, in my experience.  Sure, they might end up doing shitty things to each other if we refuse to leave.  Imagine what they would do to each other if we did.

And if that's what their feelings and motivations lead them to do, what purpose is served by continual deployments? They will almost certainly continue their internecine warfare once we've left, if we go by history. Why in the world should we volunteer to be targets?

In that case, let the flyboys handle business, and let's keep you grunts safe. We can airdrop lots of shit ... MK84s, Snakeyes, MOABs, food parcels ...

That -absolutely- doesn't work from a peacekeeping standpoint.  It's dehumanizing, and the locals don't build trust and relationships with the pilot/drone.  It's a good way to win a war, if you have the cash.....but it's a terrible way to build a nation.  The latter is more like high risk community policing than warfighting.  Imagine how americans would respond if the police were lobbing missiles through their kitchen windows with drones....all in the name of peace and order.  I doubt they'd get much peace and order out of that, or much public sympathy.

That's why there's all the chatter about building a "new army" to match the changing conditions on the ground.  The way we used to operate, and the euipment we used...meant to fight an all out conventional war with the soviets.......it;s not really useful in the sorts of engagements we've been getting ourselves into.  The all out war mindset breeds terrorists and insurgents.  The equipment isn't really designed to -handle- terrorists and insurgents.

I was being sarcastic, not serious.

But in seriousness: if they don't want peace, all the peace-keeping personnel deployed there are only so many potential targets. Without that desire for peace, all the nation-building is only so much pissing in the wind. I've got no problem with helping them who want help. Let them show it.