Trump may deploy U.S. ground troops in Syria

[Mello_SixtyNine]

<kidding>
News flash - she lost the election snowflake - LOL
</kidding>

I am aware. Did not vote for her. My point is that this is not a surprise.

 

[Rightguide]

But, since the DoD does get plenty of funding, why is it not better prepared? Why are only three Army brigades combat-ready?

The budget is around 530 billion, about 30% of that number is a simple transfer of payments to individuals and the 30% doesn't include payments to the 742,000 civilian employees working for the DOD.

Why? I think you have to ask Obama and Ash Carter it happened on their watch. Probably has a lot to do with sequester cuts that required across the board cuts that hollowed out the good and the bad evenly. We cut soldiers and maintenance budgets whether they are needed or not. Christ you have almost the entire US carrier fleet lined up for maintenance that can't be paid for. It's a friggin mess.

 

[Beco]

Nobody WANTS that, but by allowing the Obama policy of doing little or nothing to continue, we facilitate the continuation of TWO evils -- Assad AND ISIS. The difference between the two is that Assad has not declared jihad against the United States and is no threat to us militarily or via state-sponsored terrorism.

ISIS is the far greater threat throughout the region and in Europe. Syria is ultimately more manageable through international community pressure, most notably through eventual "deals" negotiated between the United States and Russia.

That's NOT an argument for troops on the ground. It's just an argument that says IF you put troops on the ground in Syria it is probably in out best interest to fight ISIS. At least at first.

unfortunately, Trump has to clean up Obama's mess

 

[KingOrfeo]

unfortunately, Trump has to clean up Obama's mess

Syria is not Obama's mess, and ISIS is W's mess, it would not exist but for the Iraq War. I cannot think of a single thing Obama could have done in the MENA that would have made things any better than what he did.

 

[Rightguide]

Syria is not Obama's mess, and ISIS is W's mess, it would not exist but for the Iraq War. I cannot think of a single thing Obama could have done in the MENA that would have made things any better than what he did.

More total bullshit. Obama was handed a stable Iraq. He squandered the victory there and sat in his ass while Isis grew like a Cancer in the Middle east. Then he labored secretly to see to it that Iran had a path to a nuclear weapon and had sufficient funds and repatriated enemy field commanders to flesh out the enemy's command structure.

 

[KingOrfeo]

Then he labored secretly to see to it that Iran had a path to a nuclear weapon . . .

 

[Beco]

Story here.



But -- on whose side will they fight? The notion of the U.S. fighting on Assad's side really sticks in the craw. Trump and Putin are discussing military cooperation in Syria, and Russia backs Assad.

I doubt that....

 

[Rightguide]

I was practicing my KingOrfeo...

 

[Conager]

Given that the budget for the military is already $600B a year, and the Congress gets tanks the generals do not want and buys jets that can't fly into clouds I think the problem lies within military procurement.

Amen.

 

[BotanyBoy]

Obama actually put boots back on the ground and they are still there and KO didn't say as much as fucking peep.

War and blowing up brown people is ok as long as a (D) is doing it.

It's ONLY bad if (R)'s do it.......

Well, in Syria, I doubt more than three brigades would be needed.

What did you base that on your years of experience operating operationally??

In Syria it's hard even to imagine what the objective is.

Billing the taxpayer.....that's really it.

But, since the DoD does get plenty of funding, why is it not better prepared? Why are only three Army brigades combat-ready?

Thanks Obama!!

 

[KingOrfeo]

What did you base that on your years of experience operating operationally??

The fact that ISIS is hardly a conventional government army. And Hussein had one of those, but the Iraq War was an operational walk.

 

[BotanyBoy]

The fact that ISIS is hardly a conventional government army.

Even Delta and the 75th Ranger regiment got tore the fuck up by a bunch of 3rd world assholes with nothing but AK's when THAT outnumbered.

You can't take a country with 5,000 troops unless you totally unleash the dogs of war. And you, along with most (D)'s don't have the minerals nor the stomach for any shit that wins wars. You guys HATE winning.


We would be better off just staying home. We aren't in any position to invade shit....

And Hussein had one of those, but the Iraq War was an operational walk.

The Iraq War had 2 USMC divisions, most of the XVIII ABNCORPS, 3rd Army, like 17 Armor brigades across some half dozen divisions, and 2 USN carrier fleets.

JUST off the top of my head, that's not even including any support units, contractors or the USAF.

 

[KingOrfeo]

You can't take a country with 5,000 troops . . .

The objective would be simply to kill ISIS fighters. No need to occupy and control any territory.

 

[Colonel Hogan]

The Iraq War had 2 USMC divisions, most of the XVIII ABNCORPS, 3rd Army, like 17 Armor brigades across some half dozen divisions, and 2 USN carrier fleets.

JUST off the top of my head, that's not even including any support units, contractors or the USAF.

Maybe they should have saved the phrase "shock and awe" as a descriptor for the order of battle.

 

[BotanyBoy]

The objective would be simply to kill ISIS fighters.

No need for us to deploy ground troops for that.

Obama's drone program is plenty effective. Have ODA/AWG/spooks give the locals radios and we can do more killing than ground troops ever could.

No need to occupy and control any territory.

Then we need to stay the fuck home not only to stay out of the way of those who actually want to accomplish something with their efforts but to also not waste our blood/treasure playing fuck fuck games with ISIS.

Let Russia/EU handle it, it's not really our problem anyhow.

 

[BotanyBoy]

Maybe they should have saved the phrase "shock and awe" as a descriptor for the order of battle.

Right...or a secondary name for the A-10.

 

[4est_4est_Gump]

But, since the DoD does get plenty of funding, why is it not better prepared? Why are only three Army brigades combat-ready?

Because what you define as enough might not be correct considering the missions given and the cost of equipment.

 

[4est_4est_Gump]

Syria is not Obama's mess, and ISIS is W's mess, it would not exist but for the Iraq War. I cannot think of a single thing Obama could have done in the MENA that would have made things any better than what he did.

They would not exist in their current virulent form had Obama been so freaking eager to bug out and squander the sacrifice of so many brave soldiers and national treasure.

And to echo a point made twice, Hillary and a huge segment of the Democrat Party voted for Iraq, twice and the UN provided the warrant, but you wanted her to be President.

 

[4est_4est_Gump]

The fact that ISIS is hardly a conventional government army. And Hussein had one of those, but the Iraq War was an operational walk.

Hussein lacked troops loyal to him.

ISIS is not only loyal to their ideology but the captured all of the accouterments of a modern military when the Iraqi soldiers not loyal to the Iraqi government bugged out in imitation of President Obama.

The traditional joke is that there are two types of Iraqi soldier, those run and those who first put on their boots and then run...