What is the PRIMARY function of the U.S. military?

Question

1. To invade other nations in an effort to "spread democracy," or
2. To defend the United States against threats?

Note the word "PRIMARY" in the question; that means you're limited to ONE choice. I'm curious what people think the most important thing our military does is. And I'm NOT speaking with regard to the war in Iraq, so save your snarky comments about how our military invaded Iraq to protect us from al Qaeda, okay? It's not only untrue, it's completely irrelevant to the question I'm asking.

Answer 1

to preserve and defend the constitution of the united states from all enemies foreign and domestic, except the ones in the white house giving the unlawful orders to violate the laws .

Answer 2

In my opinion, the answer to your question is #2. The primary function of the US Military is to defend the United States against threats.

I don't think you'll get any argument from anyone on that. The argument comes when you ask whether or not the invasion of Iraq was an act of defense of the United States. Some will say it was, others will say it was not.

But on this question, I think most thinking people will agree.

Answer 3

Both are related to the other.

But I'll bite. #2. However, you have to look at the tactic of defense. Which is going to be a better plan, sit back and wait for our KNOWN AND DECLARED enemies to attack us and kill our civillians (Reactive), or go after them first (Proactive). Now, let's do some simple logically deduction. Clinton chose a method of limited reaction. We'd get attacked (USS Cole, Marine Barracks, WTC 1, Tourists getting kidnapped, etc.) and he'd do nothing or, when he did do something, it was limited and short reaching. Obviously we still got attacked afterward, especially since the 9/11 commision report basically put a lot of blame on the Clinton Administration.

Now, President Bush is in office when 9/11 occurs. He chooses a method of reaction in that case (afghanistan) and a further method of defense that is proactive. Instead of waiting to be attacked by those who have declared war on us, he attacks them first. Have we had another attack since then?

Does a bear $h1t in a phone booth?

So, what I'm getting at is that we can not have a method of defense that is based on reaction because if we do we are always waiting for our enemies to strike first. We must be proactive so that our enemies know, If you threaten us, our freedoms or our way of life, we will come after you before you have chance to kill our citizens.

Answer 4

Do you want the ideal or the praxis?
I will go for praxis since most people went ideal.

The purpose of the US military is:
1. To serve as a threat against countries unwilling to trade with the US. This is the Wilson Doctrine. Any country that is not willing to "open its doors" to US subsidized manufactures or to export cheap raw materials will be attacked. See Perry Expedition.
2. To eliminate alternative forms of government that might prove successful. The US version of democracy is to be instituted globally. The reason is that US corporations need to flood foreign markets in order to survive. They are inefficient and would not survive without subsidies and foreign markets. See United Fruit Company/Dulles Brothers/Nicaragua
3. To threaten the US population with violent repression if they successfully organize to better their lot. The US military has been used against US citizens on a variety of occasions. See Ludlow Massacre.
4. To subsidize the US industrial elite and ensure a channel for the government to redirect taxes unto the rich. Paramilitary corporations are closely linked to other corporations. They often get no bid contracts that redirect your taxes into the hands of the very rich. See Haliburton/Privatization of military services.
5. To serve as the private army of corporations. The US army is often used to murder union workers and people's militias in Latin America, Africa and Asia. See Plan Colombia.
6. To subsidize corporations by working on research and development to be given freely to corporations. See Boeing.
7. To relieve the unemployment problem. The more young people die the less young people at home agitating for better living standards. See demographic composition of military/ non-white to white ratio of infantry personnel.

in other words, the US military is the stalwart of the corporate empire. Dude, where is your country?

Answer 5

Domestic threats are handled by the police force. the primary function of the military is to protect and serve the people.

Answer 6

To defend our country from all enemies, foreign and domestic.

This is actually part of the oath when you enlist. I think they'll eventually substitute the word "defend" with "attack".

Come to think of it.. the oath is not to defend the country, but defend the Constitution. "will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic"

I guess this means a military coup is in order to restore our Republics Constituton and get rid of the Patriot Act..

Answer 7

2 of course

Answer 8

Gee I would have thought it was Protecting Americas Borders but we can't go near the border after dark. It si controlled by foriegners with AK47s. We could send the Border patrol in but they have been sent to Iraq too.

Answer 9

The PRIMARY function of the military is #2. However, that is not the military's only responsibility.
http://www.armyhistory.org/armyhistorical.aspx?pgID=886
http://www.navy.mil/navydata/cno/DON_Core_Values_Charter.pdf
http://www.af.mil/factsheets/
http://www.marines.com/page/usmc.jsp?flashRedirect=true

Answer 10

the U.S. Military is the Commander and Chiefs enforcement agency. They do his bidding where ever he needs their services.

This use to be primarily to protect the USA. Now it's to suppress those that won't do what the US Government wants.