Warning Against Wars Like Iraq and Afghanistan

[IDemo]

Source: New York Times

By THOM SHANKER
Published: February 25, 2011

WEST POINT, N.Y. — Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates bluntly told an audience of West Point cadets on Friday that it would be unwise for the United States to ever fight another war like Iraq or Afghanistan, and that the chances of carrying out a change of government in that fashion again were slim.

“In my opinion, any future defense secretary who advises the president to again send a big American land army into Asia or into the Middle East or Africa should ‘have his head examined,’ as General MacArthur so delicately put it,” Mr. Gates told an assembly of Army cadets here.

That reality, he said, meant that the Army would have to reshape its budget, since potential conflicts in places like Asia or the Persian Gulf were more likely to be fought with air and sea power, rather than with conventional ground forces.

“As the prospects for another head-on clash of large mechanized land armies seem less likely, the Army will be increasingly challenged to justify the number, size, and cost of its heavy formations,” Mr. Gates warned.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/26/world/26gates.html?_r=1&ref=global-home

[Blandocyte]

1. Good advice.

Might be fiscally prudent to pull us out of Iraq now that Mosul and Falujah are beginning to rise up against the government we installed.

[ixion]

2. Gee, well, DUH

:eyes:

What was your first clue, Mr. Gates. :dunce:

[ElsewheresDaughter]

3. where were you when it mattered?

[northoftheborder]

4. Can't believe he actually said that in public! Rare honesty in public.

[IDemo]

5. If the familiar pattern holds, expect a retraction

Not calling Gates wishy-washy, but public statements which don't mesh with policy have a long history of being quickly "corrected".

[gratuitous]

6. We said that in the 1970s, too

But given half a chance, the military leapt at the opportunity to head over to Afghanistan and Iraq, because it means a swell career, big promotions and a post-service sinecure, lobbying your buddies and getting paid big money to go drinking with them. Yeah, some kids died, and some othe people had some unpleasant things happen to them, but what's that compared to the big house, the great boat and the new wife?

And right about now, when it might be useful to have a few marines hanging around to patrol off the shores of Tripoli, they're kind of tied up doing something else. Thanks a fucking heap, George, Dick, Donald and the rest of you goddam war criminals.

[earcandle]

7. True dat. sadly. I think Gates said this because he is the only one who is still being defended

in court by the justice department of this administration.

The rest are no longer being defended.  

SO, perhaps this rewards Gates for hanging in to do wrap up
and to save his rep? 
nice move, if that what is up. 

[No Elephants]

8. NS, S.

[Kip Humphrey]

9. The world has moved on, Mr Gates. The military will have a tough time justifying

the number, size, and cost of itself in its entirety let alone its heavy formations.

[NeoConsSuck]

10. I think you're mistaken

The military-industrial complex is as strong as ever. Note that congressman Boner said the Republicans are going to slash the budget of the federal government, EXCEPT for the military.

The USA's biggest export is war. That is not going to change in the near future. Obama picked up the baton from GWB.