Posted on 01/07/2013 1:09:04 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
Is it actually possible that, as you read this, the United States Navy has only one supercarrier battle group at sea? Read on - and be amazed.
Look no farther than these two news items, both from today's Sunday Times of London, to see the effect of two decades of shrinkage in the size of the United States Navy and the retreat of the Royal Navy from the high seas:
For the first time in two centuries, British businessmen and others have formed a private navy to protect shipping off the pirate-ridden coast of Somali on the Horn of Africa. A millionaire businessman has formed a company called Typhoon to furnish escort and protection, including troops, along the shipping lanes which world navies have proved inadequate to police. The first convoy of ships is projected for March or April.
The re-emergence of what used to called "privateers" (Sir Francis Drake is the most famous example from history) is the latest sign of outsourcing or abandonment of traditional military functions by Western nations whose militaries have contracted to pinpoint-size in the wake of the growth of the modern welfare state. Private security and private armies -- again, once known to history as "mercenaries," are another aspect of this trend.
Meanwhile, news came that the Russian Navy has deployed ships, marines, combat vehicles and equipment just off the coast of Syria. Five landing ships are accompanied by military vessels...
(Excerpt) Read more at americanthinker.com ...
We don’t need no steenking navy. We have all them thar drones you see. We can drink coffee and launch strikes from zillions of miles away and be home to take the kiddies to soccer practice.
/johnny
Another sign of the coming hoofbeats of war. Weakness brings conflict. What has our welfare state bought us? No new monuments —no new roads—no new mines or canals, not even a decent railroad service. All it has purchased in a lazy underclass milking the system for all its worth, and a group of corrupt politicians with never ending power to rape the middle class.
This will not end well. I foresee another Pearl Harbor.
Buy a rowboat. Put all the foodstamp people in it. Give them a slingshot.
...and tell them their ebt cards and obama phones are being held by the enemy.
This shouldn’t be a surprise. Remember in the 2nd debate when Obama got big laughs from the lefties and the press (redundant, I know) when he said we don’t need more ships just like we don’t need bayonets anymore. And the truth is, the Navy is probably the force Obama most supports so hollowing it out like this makes you wonder how bad it’s going to get for the Army, Air Force, and Marines after four more years of this guy.
We don’t have 2-3 carrier groups in the ME?
Seems like history is repeating itself. The Brits acquired an Asian empire because the British East India Company was having trouble protecting its trade out there.
South China Sea to be patrolled by Federal Express, maybe..?
I would not want 2b Taiwanese, right now...
If it took Jimmy Carter to get us a Ronald Reagan, we should be getting another George Washington after this guy!!
Or a cargo ship entering port with pirates swinging from the yardarm/mast - preferably tied up in a pigskin or smeared with SPAM fat.
The pirates were brought topside on their vessel w/hands tied behind their backs. The standoff destroyer took target practice.
Nice. No DOJ lawyers.
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