US Soldier "expresses opinion"

by **Bagginses** » Tue May 04, 2004 3:15 pm

Originally posted by Murgatroyd
Yes, it is correct. Saw it on an episode of Mail Call. If I remember correctly, they explained that it was so no matter which direction the soldier was facing, the flag would always be going in the same direction, so that it "wouldn't look like we were running away".

I was going to say the same, it's in the "normal" orientation on the left shoulder.

-Bagginses

by **NGame** » Tue May 04, 2004 3:16 pm

They didn't start moonwalking da flag until Vietnam I believe.

by **cashcow** » Tue May 04, 2004 3:18 pm

Uh...

France and Germany (especially France though) have incredibly effective and powerful militaries. I have no idea where you came up with that.

Is every country that isn't Britain, the U.S. or Israel worthless?

And were they wrong to not support us in Vietnam?

by **NGame** » Tue May 04, 2004 3:31 pm

Ugh... I didn't mean moonwalking in that sense. I meant that uniform producers didn't start making the flag backwards until Vietnam. (or sometime alittle after the Indochina conflict)

As for French and German militaries, they could easily be crushed by the US. Germany is still recovering from the collapse of the Soviet Union and France wouldn't put their military to use if they had to. If my memory serves me right, a year or so back, the German chancellor was joking around about starting a war with France. The Frenchies took this seriously and fired some cheap missiles into Germany territory. Well, the missiles didn't do crap really aside taking the lives of a few cows. That farmer was never the same.

by **deathBOB** » Tue May 04, 2004 4:10 pm

France builds the Exocet missile... its the most powerful and effective anti-naval missile on the planet... Britain lost several surface ships and a carrier to exocet missiles in the Falkland War (did I get the name right?). They also build a lot of aircraft and fighters that the rest of the world military forces use... Germany and France are at least as technologically advanced as we are militarily...

by **SavageParrot** » Tue May 04, 2004 4:18 pm

Vietnam was a silly idea, so of course Britain didn't send troops. Anyway you had fucked us over in the suez crisis so we owed you a fucking over, then we were square again. As for the French having them on your side would be more dangerous than being on your own, the cheese munching surrender monkeys.

by **deathBOB** » Tue May 04, 2004 5:55 pm

Hehehe, dont insult the cheese man! The cheese had nothing to do with this!

Vietnam was the dumbest thing ever... We lost and it didnt matter at all...

by **PudriK** » Tue May 04, 2004 8:10 pm

Just checked the CIA World Factbook.

USA
Population: 290M
Military manpower availble (males 18-49): 73.6M
Note current military manpower is ~450K
Military expenditures: $276.7B (3.2% of GDP)

France
Population: 60M
Military manpower available: 14.5M
Military expenditures: $46.5B (2.57% of GDP)

Germany
Population: 82M
Military manpower available: 20.5M
Military expenditures: $38.8B (1.38% of GDP)

Russia
Population: 144M
Military manpower avail: 36M
Military expenditures: Not available

China
Population: 1,287M
Military manpower available: 376M
Military expenditures: $55B (4.3% of GDP)

Quite simply, regardless of relative skill or professionalism, we spend more and have more men to throw at any European power. Only China could put up a fight, and then only by throwing bodies at us.

Just because we have a bigger force doesn't mean ours is better... in a war, we'd win, but unit-to-unit, one can't be certain.

The big things we have going for us are technology and numbers.

by **Fat Bastard** » Tue May 04, 2004 8:43 pm

Death where the hell did you get that info on the Exocet, its so far off its not even funny. Exocets are one of the easiest missile to pick up & defeat. The carrier wasnt lost in the Falkland War either

it was mored beside my ship in singapore at the end of the gulf war. I could tell ya what some of the most deadly missile are on the face of the planet but I'd have to kill ya. Iran uses some of the french made mirages but those arent the greatest either because they have no nightflight capabilites. Unless they go some serious overhaul done or newer verisons out they are still seriously lacking by design.

Originally posted by deathBOB
France builds the Exocet missile... its the most powerful and effective anti-naval missile on the planet... Britain lost several surface ships and a carrier to exocet missiles in the Falkland War (did I get the name right?). They also build a lot of aircraft and fighters that the rest of the world military forces use... Germany and France are at least as technologically advanced as we are militarily...

by **deathBOB** » Tue May 04, 2004 8:51 pm

Ok maybe im wrong about the Exocet... (It was badly damaged wasnt it? At least out of operation right?) But still, France and Germany are not 3rd rate powers... The thing about America is not whether we can win the, but the cost... Like in Iraq, we won the war. But people still see it as a failure because of the cost... In America you cant just win the war, you have to win the American people and justify the cost...

Its moot anyways, why would we got to war with Germany and France?

by **Murgatroyd** » Tue May 04, 2004 9:01 pm

Well, the only thing that matters is that the USA's dad can beat up any European country's dad.

by **Tommy Boy** » Tue May 04, 2004 9:02 pm

did you guys see the footage today of the US soldiers executing Iraqui soldiers? It is not pretty to watch and has been all over the news...

They bring them out of a bunker one at a time and then shoot them.

This is not good...

by **Tommy Boy** » Tue May 04, 2004 9:09 pm

http://www.cbc.ca/stories/2004/05/04/world/prisonerabuse040504

Here is the link. Check out the video at the bottom of the story.

Damn, that is some video footage...

by **Murgatroyd** » Tue May 04, 2004 9:14 pm

Originally posted by Tommy Boy
did you guys see the footage today of the US soldiers executing Iraqui soldiers? It is not pretty to watch and has been all over the news...

They bring them out of a bunker one at a time and then shoot them.

This is not good...

not seeing what you're referring to

by **Tommy Boy** » Tue May 04, 2004 9:24 pm

http://www.cbc.ca/MRL/clips/ram-lo/macdonald_abuse0405041.ram

Does this work?

US Soldier "expresses opinion"

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