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NEWS AND VIEWS THAT IMPACT LIMITED CONSTITUTIONAL GOVERNMENT

"There is danger from all men. The only maxim of a free government ought to be to trust no man living with
power to endanger the public liberty." - - - - John Adams

Thursday, February 12, 2015

The Ukraine is Doomed - The U.S. to Train Ukrainian Army




"Gentlemen, congratulations. You're everything we've come to expect from years of government training. Now please step this way, as we provide you with our final test: an eye exam..."
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Zed
Men in Black (1997)


(Editor - Considering our track record (see below) if the Ukrainians were smart they would run from U.S. army training.)


WARSAW, Poland — The U.S. military plans in March to start training Ukrainian soldiers who are battling Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine, a top U.S. military commander in Europe said Wednesday.

U.S. Army Europe Commander Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges said a battalion of U.S. soldiers would train three battalions of Ukrainians from the Interior Ministry at the Yavariv training center in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv.

Hodges' remarks came amid an intensification of fighting in eastern Ukraine, and as French, German, Ukrainian and Russian leaders met Wednesday in Minsk, Belarus, for peace talks whose success is far from certain.

The plans for the training were made many months ago, however.

Hodges said Americans will teach the Ukrainians how to better defend themselves against "Russian and rebel artillery and rockets." Training will also include securing roads, bridges and other infrastructure, treating and evacuating casualties, and operating in an environment where Russians are jamming communications.

Hodges accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of arming and fomenting the pro-Russia separatists.

(Military Times)


Trained by the USA
U.S. Army 1st & 2nd Filipino Infantry Regiments training in California.
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The U.S. trained and armed Filipino Army collapsed almost at once
when Japan invaded the islands in World War II.

Trained by the USA
South Korean soldiers (above) move in single file toward Korea's east-central front
near Lookout Mountain, east of the Pukhan River, 1953.
.
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The U.S. trained and equipped South Korean Army collapsed almost
at once when North Korean forces invaded.

The Fall of Siagon
Trained by the USA
In spite of over ten years of U.S. training and countless billions in spending, the Army of South Vietnam collapsed once American troops were withdrawn.

Trained by the USA

ISIS executes five Iraqi officers in central Mosul, 2014.
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With over ten years of U.S. training and countless billions in military
equipment, the army of Iraq collapsed almost at once when ISIS invaded.
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Call me a "crazy" Blogger, but I think I see a pattern here.

8 comments:

M. Simon said...

How to fight is trainable. Will to fight is not.

Gary said...

Example - Iraq fought a massive eight year long knock down drag out war with Iran in the 1980s. They had the will to fight year after year.

Comes along U.S. Army training in the 2000s and the army crumbles at once.

We need to look in the mirror what we are doing wrong.

M. Simon said...

What we did wrong was take out their dictator. Gave them self rule - to some extent.

What we did not do was stick around long enough to complete the cultural change.

You will note that the Philippines are doing OK against their Islamics. But it took them on the order of 100 years to get committed to their new culture.

Now that 100 years of "occupation" rule is anathema to libertarians.

So second best is what we are doing. Going back when there is no other option.

What we are doing wrong is that we are not committed to Empire. And not the Empire of he Brits. But an Empire of culture.

Libertarians don't like to think of such things. They ought to change their minds.

We have 50 States and a few willing possessions. We have some 190 more States to go. But I'm not looking for rule from Washington. I'm looking for cultural affinity.

The most important thing to do is to give up illusions. And the US giving up its march to socialism is the most important illusion.

And the power that most needs breaking in that regard is the socialists on the right. We need to end Prohibition.

Once that is dealt with the economic left will be a cake walk. They are a tad more pragmatic. Moral socialists eschew pragmatism.

Gary said...

***** What we did not do was stick around long enough to complete the cultural change. *****

1) You don't know Islam. Invading armies of Christians are not going to change their culture. Even our Muslim "allies" hate our guts. Try building a new Jewish synagogue or Christian Church in Kabul and seen what happens.

2) Bush was a fucking moron. He took out the Baath government of Iraq that not only protected local Christians but was the blood enemy of Islamist Iran.

Bush created a power vacuum that ISIS and Iran are moving into.

M. Simon said...

Well yes. Bush did that.

But the Bush plan was to stay for 100 years. Trouble is Americans don't like being involved in 100 year wars for all the 100 years.

I still think our policy towards Islam should be:

1. Flood them with pornography
2. Flood them with cannabis
3. Educate women
4. When violent opposition arises - beat them down.

This might amuse you:

Jewish Porn Sweeps The Arab World

M. Simon said...

And you also have to consider that Saddam was one of the more despicable rulers in the area.

The aftermath of the war so far is that the Kurds (friends of Israel) are doing nicely and the rest are at best doing poorly.

ISIS will get its beat down (that one backfired on the Sauds eh? Made Assad look like the better choice) and we will see what happens after that.

The politics of that region are so screwed (the polite term is Byzantine) that it will take the next Century to sort out.

But it badly needed sorting.

As to Iran? Well for now it is the Israelis' problem. With their very silent partner the Sauds.

The current pResident will be of no help there.

I'd like to see what Rand will do. He seems more pragmatic than his father.

Gary said...

****** Saddam was one of the more despicable rulers in the area. ******

And to that I say a big "So what"

We have no problem being "allies" with Saudi Islamist head choppers who arm Boko Haram or trade with a China that runs labor camps.

M. Simon said...

Well yes. So what.

Now if only you could get the rest of America on your side.

My feeling is - if we are going to play the game - and for the time being there is no doubt about that - we should play it well.

Minimum effort - maximum return.

Something interesting I just ran across:

http://www.ozy.com/fast-forward/forgetting-how-to-speak-russian/4626

English is popular. And that makes a difference. It makes it easier to transmit our values.