I'm neutral on this, but do you agree or disagree with this post? (read before answering, and cite reasons)

Question

Another poster asked in politics, Why do I suspect that if the Democrats had their way the US wouldn't have a military at all?

Someone's answer
Because you've been listening to Rush Limbaugh too long, that's why.
Look at the facts. Take the Iraq invasion (never mind we should never have invaded). Our military cut through the Iraqi army like it wasn't even there. Their biggest problem is they were so effective the combat units kept outrunning the suply trcks!
It was perhaps the best executed military operation of its scale in history.
bush didn't buiild that military. THAT was done under the Clinton administration.
Want another example? Back in the 1980s the US modernized and expanded to a 600 ship navy, including 15 aircraft carriers. Who started that? Not Reagan. Carter.
Under Bush-our military is verstreached, exhausted, increaslingly poorly equiped. Our Navy isn't expanding--they are retiring ships (did you know that?). The services cant make reduced recruiting goals.

Answer 1

Having served under both parties, and currently still serving as a Marine infantryman, I know this much: When I came in the Marines in 96, we had ancient gear, manned to about 60%, not enough money to go train, not enough ammo to shoot, not enough of anything. When we went to war, we did as Marines always do, go with what you have. This is a problem in the US during any peacetime period. If we are at peace, people mostly forget what was paid to get that peace, and deam that the military is not as relevent as it once was. Over time, cuts continue to happen, and the military is slowly made weaker until one day, someone says, "hey, I can take them, they have gutted their military". So, we get attacked, civilians die, and the military has to be built back to the proper strength. For example, when I joined the Marines, we had just 175,000 people. Because of ongoing operations, the wear and tear on us as people and families, they have to increase the size to what is was before Clinton, to 202,000. So, would the democrats have a military? Yes, but would it be effective in todays world? Probably not. Bush inherited a nightmare as far as the miltary goes, and that is being corrected. Were there mistakes made by the Bush admistration? Of course, but at least he has the backbone to take the fight to those who threaten us. I have deployed twice to Iraq, lost a lot of friends. I know it is necessary for the safety of my family and my country. Was Iraq necessary? How can you say it wasn't. Saddam continually disobeyed the UN resolutions, would not let inspectors in to find out the truth, said he had WMD, murdered hundreds of thousand of his own people, etc..... We as a country could not and should not take the threat to our people lightly. We did what had to be done to not be threatened by a dictator who wished us harm. As far as waiting for "an international force" to protect us, that is the same thinking that gets people killed everyday inside our own country........people unwilling to protect themselves thinking there will always be someone to come save them. I prefer to know how and be willing to save myself. I have fought and sacrificed for that right. What have you done?

Answer 2

I disagree. The Army and Air Force who did the majority of cutting threw the Iraqis in 2003 was largely built under the Reagan and Bush1 presidencies. The equipment; M1 tanks, M2 Brads, AH-64 helicopters; were fielded under Reagan. IIRC, the USAF has added one fighter aircraft and one cargo aircraft since Bush1.



Bush1 actually cut the Army from 16 to 13 divisions and Clinton further cut it from 13 to 10 divisions. And that's where we are today, 10 divisions. The Army being overstretched is a result of cutting the troop strength to 540, 000 during the Clinton presidency. It has actually increased slightly, less than 10 percent, under Bush2.



So I'd say that poster isn't looking at the entire picture.

Answer 3

I disagree.

That military wasn't built during the Clinton administration, it is what survived the Clinton administration. The biggest mistake of the Iraq war was not invading with enough troops. This was because of the drastic troop cuts under the Clinton administration, and the resulting shift in priorities from manpower to use of high tech weaponry. The military did not have the manpower for the war in Afghanistan, the invasion of Iraq, and all the other requirements for our troops. So we used shock & awe. We defeated the Iraqis very quickly. However, without enough boots on the ground, we were not able to secure the country. This is a price we are still paying today.

Answer 4

OMG, that makes me angry. The facts are that Kosovo happened under Clinton, that Khobar towers happened under Clinton, that the people who did 9/11 were allowed in under Clinton. That N.Korea sent a missile over Japan in 98 and Clinton did nothing, that in 98 I and many other in the AOR had to get an anthrax vaccine or be kicked out, then in 00 it was found out that it was not safe for humans and the company was shut down. It was a direct order from Clinton to get the freakin shots (yes shotS, as in 7 of them, that were so painful they could not give it in the same spot, had to alternate arms. They were given as a series over a 2 year span, then were suppose to be given yearly, but like I said the company was shut down.)



Clinton lied and lied a lot. Got the world thinking the only thing to worry about was who was s ucking him. When really the military was deploying more and more towards the end of his term. But civilains didn't care then, 'cause if CNN doesn't report it, it must not have happened (in civilains eyes anyway.)

Answer 5

The concept of downsizing and modernizing the military was done under the Carter administration. Prior to that, they ran on the assumption that their Soviet counterparts were rough equals and the best way to counter a division... was with another division.



Was it downsized under Clinton? Yes, probably. You don't need massive armies to rain guided missiles down on tanks, and such a military would be unsustainable today. Different doctrine, different technology. People need to get a sense of scale.

Answer 6

Lmao @ the UN doing some thing. replace: complicated on what Osama Bin encumbered has to do with crumple of u.s...... How did he even touch the Soviet Union? The UN is administered by skill of the rustic & Europe. China and Russia get no say in concerns, so why the hell would they help the U. S.? Europe is gonna have its arms tangled in the event that they're gonna attempt to hold decrease back a superpower like u.s.'s economic equipment decrease back to existence.

Answer 7

I agree with "Someone's answer", not with the original questioner who questioned whether Democratic party members would have a military.



I am old enough to know that everything in "Someone's Answer" is true. The Democratic Party understands that a well-equipped military helps keep our country safe. We also know that defense means having your army where they can defend you.



If a Democratic president had been in office in 2001 if 9/11 had even happened, there would have been a much different outcome. We would have gone into Afghanistan with a multi-national UN force, captured Bin Laden, tried him and he would be in prison or dead now. After rebuilding anything we had to blow up, we would have left.



The military would have been home during Hurricane Katrina, so Louisiana's National Guard would have been there to save

the US citizens that were in trouble right away instead of those people having to wait for the US government 5 days after the hurricane/flood.

Answer 8

I believe Clinton reduced all branches of the military and forced early retirement ..He reduced the Army way to much which is why we are short today and is a reason for the long deployments..I believe it was three brigades he did away with..



Clinton also closed many military installations.



Here are the past months recruiting numbers..The military exceeded all it quotas and always does..

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/news/2008/03/mil-080310-dod01.htm

Answer 9

WOW that person doens't know what they are talking about.

Answer 10

I'll answer this way:



DEMOCRATS:

-Richard Gephardt: Air National Guard, 1965-71.

-David Bonior: Staff Sgt., Air Force 1968-72.

-Tom Daschle: 1st Lt., Air Force SAC 1969-72.

-Al Gore: enlisted Aug. 1969; sent to Vietnam Jan. 1971 as an army journalist in 20th Engineer Brigade.

-Bob Kerrey: Lt. jg. Navy 1966-69; Medal of Honor, Vietnam.

-Daniel Inouye: Army 1943-47; Medal of Honor, WWII.

-John Kerry: Lt., Navy 1966-70; Silver Star, Bronze Star with Combat V, Purple Hearts.

-Charles Rangel: Staff Sgt., Army 1948-52; Bronze Star, Korea.

-Max Cleland: Captain, Army 1965-68; Silver Star & Bronze Star, Vietnam, Paraplegic from war injuries. Served in Congress.

-Ted Kennedy: Army, 1951-53.

-Tom Harkin: Lt., Navy, 1962-67; Naval Reserve, 1968-74.

-Jack Reed: Army Ranger, 1971-1979; Captain, Army Reserve 1979-91.

-Fritz Hollings: Army officer in WWII; Bronze Star and seven campaign ribbons.

-Leonard Boswell: Lt. Col., Army 1956-76; Vietnam, DFCs, Bronze Stars, and Soldier's Medal.

-Pete Peterson: Air Force Captain, POW. Purple Heart, Silver Star and Legion of Merit.

-Mike Thompson: Staff sergeant, 173rd Airborne, Purple Heart.

-Bill McBride: Candidate for Fla. Governor. Marine in Vietnam; Bronze Star with Combat V.

-Gray Davis: Army Captain in Vietnam, Bronze Star.

-Pete Stark: Air Force 1955-57

-Chuck Robb: Vietnam

-Howell Heflin: Silver Star

-George McGovern: Silver Star & DFC during WWII.

-Bill Clinton: Did not serve. Student deferments. Entered draft but received #311.

-Jimmy Carter: Seven years in the Navy. Member of Admiral Hyman Rickover's elite nuclear submarine program.

-Walter Mondale: Army 1951-1953

-John Glenn: Marine, WWII and Korea; six DFCs and Air Medal with 18 Clusters, astronaut.

-Tom Lantos: Served in Hungarian underground in WWII. Saved by Raoul Wallenberg.



REPUBLICANS:

-Dick Cheney: did not serve. Several deferments, the last by marriage.

-Dennis Hastert: did not serve.

-Tom Delay: did not serve.

-Roy Blunt: did not serve.

-Bill Frist: did not serve.

-Mitch McConnell: did not serve.

-Rick Santorum: did not serve.

-Trent Lott: did not serve.

-John Ashcroft: did not serve. Seven deferments to teach business.

-Jeb Bush: did not serve.

-Karl Rove: did not serve.

-Saxby Chambliss: did not serve. "Bad knee." The man who attacked Max Cleland's patriotism.

-Paul Wolfowitz: did not serve.

-Vin Weber: did not serve.

-Richard Perle: did not serve.

-Douglas Feith: did not serve.

-Eliot Abrams: did not serve.

-Richard Shelby: did not serve.

-Jon Kyl: did not serve.

-Tim Hutchison: did not serve.

-Christopher Cox: did not serve.

-Newt Gingrich: did not serve.

-Don Rumsfeld: served in Navy (1954-57) as flight instructor.

-Ronald Reagan: due to poor eyesight, served in a non- combat role making movies.

-B-1 Bob Dornan: Consciously enlisted after fighting was over in Korea

-Phil Gramm: did not serve.

-John McCain: Vietnam POW, Silver Star, Bronze Star, Legion of Merit, Purple Heart and Distinguished Flying Cross. Remember how the Republicans trashed him in the primaries in 2000?

-Dana Rohrabacher: did not serve.

-John M. McHugh: did not serve.

-JC Watts: did not serve.

-Jack Kemp: did not serve; "Knee problem," although continued in NFL for 8 years as quarterback. (Win one for the Gipper!!)

-Dan Quayle: Journalism unit of the Indiana National Guard.

-Rudy Giuliani: did not serve.

-George Pataki: did not serve.

-Spencer Abraham: did not serve.

-John Engler: did not serve.

-Lindsey Graham: National Guard lawyer.

-Arnold Schwarzenegger: AWOL from Austrian army base.



Pundits & Preachers

-Sean Hannity: did not serve.

-Rush Limbaugh: did not serve (4-F with a 'pilonidal cyst.')

-Bill O'Reilly: did not serve.

-Michael Savage: did not serve.

-George Will: did not serve.

-Chris Matthews: did not serve.

-Paul Gigot: did not serve.

-Bill Bennett: did not serve.

-Pat Buchanan: did not serve.

-John Wayne: did not serve.

-Bill Kristol: did not serve.

-Kenneth Starr: did not serve.

-Antonin Scalia: did not serve.

-Clarence Thomas: did not serve.

-Ralph Reed: did not serve.

-Michael Medved: did not serve.

-Charlie Daniels: did not serve.

-Ted Nugent: did not serve. (He only shoots at things that don't shoot back.)