Posted on 02/23/2007 5:31:04 PM PST by blam
ping
Not thinking too hard about consequences, are you?
I am French by ethnicity, my family is French, I went to university in France (and America, where I went to military school), and have lived and worked in France for many years, but I was born in America - in Detroit, specifically - and am therefore also an American citizen, and I served for 19 years in the US Navy. My family are dual citizens. I live a trans-Atlantic existence.
And yes, my being French certainly did irritate some of my Navy colleagues, just as it irritates some of my fellow Republicans, to which I say "Go boil your bottoms you empty-headed animal foutre-wipers. I burst my pimples at you and all of your silly running-about advancing behavior! Your mother was a hamster, and your father smelt of elderberries. Now go away, or I shall taunt you a second time. Phhhhhhhhtttttt."
I was a surface warfare officer for several years, and served in the Gulf, and then I went to flight school and went back to the Gulf aboard a carrier for Desert Storm/Southern Watch. From there we went to Somalia and I flew the Marines into Mogadishu for the invasion there.
So, I am French, and American, and US Navy and not shy or apologetic about any of it. I am also a lawyer, for which I am truly sorry.
-Erasmus
"Stupid is as stupid does."
Forrest Gump.
Anyway, thank you for your service in the US Navy and the country.
Thanks for the ping, Dog.
Stennis on station, check.
Enough for me,
I'm on your side.
(But not Navy, not a lawyer; 'only' a second generation American.)
A war with Persia would be no small undertaking, especially now. For the time being, Erasmus is right.
I don't know, honestly. I don't know Admiral Fallon.
In my experience, every single Admiral I ever worked for was a competent naval commander.
Many of them were relatively difficult men. Most were alright. Some were indifferent leaders. But when it came to the technical aspects of the naval profession, I never met an incompetent skipper, and I never met an incapable admiral in the US fleet.
This is not true of foreign fleets, for the most part, which always seemed to be more social platforms than true fighting forces, with four notable exceptions: I was impressed by the Australians. Although their forces were small, they were perfectly integrable as units and even as individuals with the Americans. The Australian Navy for all intents and purposes IS the US Navy. I admit that the British, although characteristically arrogant, are also very proficient navally. The French are as professionally competent at sea as the British or the Australians, although much more effaced and not bold. The Japanese are very effaced but very, very effective, and quite bold.
Probably pound for pound, in terms of training and ruthless efficiency, the Japanese were the best naval forces I saw.
Of course naval warfare is driven by equipment, and the Americans have the best of that. That is the American secret and always has been. Better equipment and a lot more of it.
The Russians, by contrast, were very unimpressive at sea. I was involved in the first series of cross-deck landings on a Russian Navy ship back in 1992. They were personally very tough, but their ship was a rusted mess. Not professional.
The most formidable adversary at sea in the world would be the Japanese. Without American numbers and technology, all things being equal, I think they would win the majority of head-to-head fights. But modern warfare is not a duel of knights, and the Empire is an American ally anyway, and none of this has anything to do with your question, so I'll stop.
"I sometimes think in all this world the saddest thing to be...
Old Admirals who feel the wind, but never put to sea."
- Al Stewart
Thank you for your service to our country.
And you for yours.
To actually desire this war to expand into Iran at this time requires either idiocy or insanity. Quite probably, both.
Since the US military leadership is quite obviously neither, I'm sure they don't intend any such expansion.
OTOH, there is the Iranian airliner incident, lo these decades ago. Armed parties distrusting one another in close proximity is always a dangerous mix.
LOL !
I now have a mental image to go along with your posts !
Going to my Atlas to check air-miles....
When Iran orders a large with all the toppings, the USS Dwight D Eisenhower will deliver in 30 minutes or less or its free!!
remember to tip your driver.....
Yep. But remember, you and I are unpatriotic cowards for suggesting that.
You continue to surprise and amaze me. Thanks for sticking around.
> Yep. But remember, you and I are unpatriotic cowards for suggesting that.
LOL! Is that the new term of art for realism?
One would think that, if there were absolutely no other lesson taken away, the Iraq war would certainly teach that kicking the other guy's butt militarily is the easiest and least important part of winning a war these days...
The Cochon de Lait can't start till all the party-goers
arrive,,,Cocodrie is already there,,,Surge ??
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