Posted on 01/04/2019 3:34:50 PM PST by McGruff
Declare it safe and ship’em out!
America doesn’t need to go that route.
Our Congress could reign in it’s spending, and with the increased tax receipts, we could begin to pay down the debt.
Ryan and Pelosi are dead set against letting Trump realize and savings for the nation.
I’m just saying, we’re going to be worse than the U.K., because when push came to shove it had us to back it up. There will be no one to back us up, and when the West goes, this world will fold in on itself.
We were the only nation keeping it from happening until now.
You can bet your a that China is looking in this direction, and Russia too as far as that goes.
Terminator/Skynet, here we come.
We’re not anywhere near total collapse. At least other than California.
The percentage of federal tax receipts that goes to pay interest on the debt is 8%.
11% of the national debt is held by the Fed and the interest on that goes directly back to the Treasury so it zeros out.
27% of the national debt is held by federal agencies for funding Social Security and federal pensions.
33% is owned by US investors.
29% is owned foreign investors. We can always screw those suckers. Of course you can only pull that off once.
As per your earlier post #12 ‘forward basing’ is very smart policy, it’s quicker and cheaper than the alternative, and serves to make bad actors think twice about trying something ugly because we can beat them to a pulp in a big hurry. ISIS learned the hard way once Trump replaced Obama and the gloves came off.
Thanks. I just have to go with my gut on these things.
I remember when Russia had a firm grip on nations around the Mediterranean. We played hell ridding the region of that.
Now we’re just going to walk out and allow Russia and China to take over.
This WILL cost us. > IMO
Thanks for the comments and clarity on the national debt.
Our tax receipts are increasing. We should be able to run a surplus if Congress plays along.
Trump needs to start vetoing based on this premise too.
What I want is for us to not be gallivanting around the world, throwing our weight around where people don’t want us. Why should we be in a backwards s-hole like Somalia? Why should we be in Africa at all?
Who cares? What do we get out of it?
I haven't read the book. I'm guessing the answer is "because we should spend billions of dollars and American lives to go into a backwards s-hole country for no good reason?"
Well your gut is leading you in the right direction.
If we don’t forward base then we can’t react quickly.
If you want to give the Norks or China or Iran or Russia ideas about doing something aggressive then set up a situation where they know that no one can do anything to stop them. This is still a dangerous world, contra the libertarian illusions of the Ayn Rand fanclub.
Armor is very heavy to move. So is ammunition and the supplies to support a field army. If you have to waste time and energy simply moving stuff you aren’t much of a deterrent to bad actors.
So you weigh what is cheaper. Paying the costs of forward basing for a deterrent, or paying what a regional war would cost in bodies as well as money.
Why are overseas deployments of US troops always open ended, no withdrawal date and with constantly escalating mission requirement but US troops deployed ( not very often) to our own southern border are always small in number, defined limited mission, and have fixed withdrawal dates?
WHY?
I remember when the Democrats hated the Military, the CIA, the FBI and loved the Russians.
Um, I have problems with it.
Let the Navy/Marines handle world affairs. No need to get into bed with bad actors anymore. The Navy will transport the Army when needed, if ever.
The Navy doesn't need to negotiate(compromise) for bases. The Navy brings their own air port and troops with them where ever they go. Army Generals don't get that plus it's not really their mission....
Sort of, LOL but close. The summary based on my interpretation is that the writer who was there, who wrote every detail of the book, didnt put the blame on one party but everything just went wrong and just to deal with it. But he did blame the “heads” who put politics ahead and was very aware of the neocons. And that scene about the UN? That was BS and there was more to it in the book..
I didn’t realize that California was the worst. Doesn’t make sense. They tax everything. What a mess.
It’s the worst because we do tax everything, and any business that can leaves. We replace smart and productive Americans with semi-literate 3rd worlders who increase the demand on taxpayer services.
Why were we there in the first place?
Good. Get our troops back to OUR country to secure OUR borders, not someone elses.
Well Said.
The thing so many people (apparently) don’t understand is the world is a small place...and getting smaller everyday.
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