Has our extended involvement in Iraq lessened our capability to fend off other threats ?

Question

President Bush sounds more and more determined to take military action against Iran. If China were to attack Taiwan we might not have enough in reserve to defend her. Has our involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan actually made us more vulnerable?

Mother: Our military is not vast. This is a all volunteer military. There are limits. We put 12 million men in uniform during WWII. We excluded about half than many because of the health problems caused by the Great Depression. There was a draft then. There is no draft now. Our resources at present are finite.

Answer 1

First of all - this stuff about President Bush wanting to take military action against Iran is nothing but media hype.

There are things that would have to happen before we could even consider attacking Iran:

Deploy a Mechanized Brigade to reinforce our troops in Afghanistan

Deploy at least two Mechanized Brigades to Iraq

Deploy Patriot missile batteries to Afghanistan and Iraq

Deploy F15 interceptor squadrons to both Iraq and Afghanistan.

Deploy Patriot missile batteries to Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and other Persian Gulf states hosting US bases.

Transfer an Atlantic ocean based carrier to the Pacific ocean.

Deploy F22 and F117 squadrons to bases in the Persian Gulf.

Deploy Navy P3 antisubmarine aircraft to the Persian Gulf

Deploy additional destroyers and cruisers to escort commercial shipping in the Persian Gulf.

Deploy B2 and B1 bombers to Diego Garcia.

Deploy additional AWACS planes to the Persian Gulf.

Deploy squadrons of aerial tankers to the Persian Gulf.

Deploy additional minesweepers to the Persian Gulf.

I think we would have noticed this if it were occurring.

.

Answer 2

Nope!

In many ways, it's INCREASING our readiness. We now have the most combat-experienced military on Earth with all of our gear being tested and improved.

We're developing new technologies and tactics to employ those troops and those weapons.

We've only got a fraction of our military in Iraq. We've got several divisions of Army soldiers there, a division or two of Marines, and very few Air Force or Navy assets there.

Any war with China over Taiwan is going to be a Naval war - Their only real hope of victory is a fast strike involving a lot of commandos and an air bridge into the island. The Taiwanese have a pretty good military to defend against that sort of threat - and with US CVBG (Carrier battle groups) supporting them, the Chinese would likely be defeated. The big worry there is their high-speed russian Anti-Ship missiles like the Sunburn and Shipwreck missiles - those are really nasty.

Don't buy into the liberal media propoganda. Look at the numbers, assets, and so on. Then look at the benefits as well as the costs. While every casualty is horrible, the death-rate in Iraq is actually lower than it is in peace-time due to training accidents. In fact, the rate is quite a bit lower than during the last year of the Clinton Administration.

Orion

Answer 3

We don't have adequate forces and resources to prosecute the current war in Iraq and Afghanistan.

You do remember that Clinton and Congress cut the military by nearly 50% to cash in on the “peace dividend”. I’m sure it was spent on something far more important than trained personnel, body armor, hardened equipment, communications gear, aircraft and all those other frivolous things we can do without.

Answer 4

NO. The size of our military is vast, no thanks to the Dems. Liberals have spent a lot of time and effort trying to size down our military. I wonder if it is their hope and wish to make us as weak as possible.

Answer 5

We are currently fighting on two fronts, that is madness to a Pro Soldier, but an amateur wanna be a war prez, can do it easy.

Answer 6

Terrorist Supporters in the US have been saying that for political reasons.
But it's not true.
It's just one of their tricks.

Answer 7

Yes.

Answer 8

Whats this we stuff, I though you were Canadian.

Answer 9

No