The 44th President Obama!!!!

[blindpassion]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShugAvery2001 Even Ron Paul has stated this.. that militarily Obama and McCains positions differed only slightly

Gotta love the Ron Paul.

 

[ShugAvery2001]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MxAxC-_ATTACK No One, not even GOD Himself could make this happen. and this isnt about being at war, this is about cutting military funding, even if we were not at war we STILL need our Military!

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Are We Safe Yet? [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif, GillSans]Cost of the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars
[/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif, GillSans](billions of dollars)[/FONT]​

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]source: For 2001 to 2008 from Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation, armscontrolcenter.org; for 2009, the Budget includes $70 billion in “allowances” for GWOT; WRL estimates an additional $130 billion will be authorized for spending in 2009 and subsequent years, making the total authorized $200 billion. This graph shows Budget Authority, while the pie on the front is Outlays. [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]U.S. Military Spending vs. The World[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]U.S. military spending – Dept. of Defense plus nuclear weapons (in $billions) – is equal to the military spending of the next 15 countries combined. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]These numbers show military expenditures for each country. Some say that U.S. military spending will naturally be higher because it has the highest Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of any country. The United States accounts for 47 percent of the world’s total military spending, however the U.S.’s share of the world's GDP is about 21 percent. Also note that of the top 15 countries shown, at least 12 are considered allies of the U.S. The U.S. outspends Iran and North Korea by a ratio of 72 to one.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Source: Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation, http://old.armscontrolcenter.org/archives/002279.php; our graph uses a more comparable figure of $5[/FONT]

 

[M.A.C. head.]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MxAxC-_ATTACK No One, not even GOD Himself could make this happen. and this isnt about being at war, this is about cutting military funding, even if we were not at war we STILL need our Military!

You'd be surprised. There are a lot of underlaying concepts to that comment though.

I'm not saying that we don't need our military or that we don't need funding for many things but what's been going on has been excessive.

 

[ShugAvery2001]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shimmer Iraq has called for troop withdrawal completely by 2011, I think.

I know that Shimmer..

but consider the following

If the U.S. is ultimately leaving Iraq, why is the military building 'permanent' bases?

If the U.S. is ultimately leaving Iraq, why is the military expanding its bases in Iraq?

​

Move your mouse over the 'x' for details of the permanent U.S. bases in Iraq.1
(Text only version)

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The supplemental funding bill for the war in Iraq signed by President Bush in early May 2005 provides money for the construction of bases for U.S. forces that are described as "in some very limited cases, permanent facilities." Several recent press reports have suggested the U.S. is planning up to 14 permanent bases in Iraq— a country that is only twice the size of the state of Idaho. Why is the U.S. building permanent bases in Iraq?
In May 2005, United States military forces in Iraq occupied 106 bases, according to a report in the Washington Post.1 Military commanders told that newspaper they eventually planed to consolidate these bases into four large airbases at Tallil, Al Asad, Balad and either Irbil or Qayyarah.
But other reports suggest the U.S. military has plans for even more bases: In April 2003 report in The New York Times reported that "the U.S. is planning a long-term military relationship with the emerging government of Iraq, one that would grant the Pentagon access to military bases and project American influence into the heart of the unsettled region."2 According to the Chicago Tribune, U.S. engineers are focusing on constructing 14 "enduring bases," to serve as long-term encampments for thousands of American troops.3
As of mid-2005, the U.S. military had 106 forward operating bases in Iraq, including what the Pentagon calls 14 "enduring" bases (twelve of which are located on the map) – all of which are to be consolidated into four mega-bases.
Click here for more details about the bases identified above.

 

[MxAxC-_ATTACK]

The military is far far far more than just "fighting".

When military funding is cut, it effects much more than just the war.

Weapons development isn't just "the bombs we use" , its developing our defense we the united states use to PROTECT OURSELVES from the people who have weapons they want to use against us.


When people think of the Military they only think of the war, and that's it, there is so much more, the fighting is just a small piece of what our service men and women do.

 

[Shimmer]

Probably we still had guys doing rotations in Bosnia in 01 and 02 (I'm not sure about now because I've been distanced from that particular rotation). Just to keep things in check, and to provide us with a strategic position should we need it.

 

[*Stargazer*]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shimmer On funding, that's what blows my mind. There was a huge scandal about our boys not being in proper gear. Where in the world do you think the money for the proper gear comes from? There's a reason my exhusband traded LBVs with me. Mine was newer and he needed it, I could wear the old style and never hurt for it. HMMVs with armor, appropriate equipment, all that stuff comes from military funding. Military funding doesn't JUST cover the cost of war, it covers the families and the insurance and the dependents and housing allowances and sign on bonuses etc.

I got to buy "sappy" plates for the hub because he gave his to one of his PFCs because there weren't enough to go around. Awesome!

Then, when DH was in Fallujah in '04 - you know when it was ever so peaceful - they didn't have armored HMMVs so the brass told them to paint them so that it looked like they were armored. Double awesome!



I have to laugh when people talk about getting back to when the world didn't hate us. Would that have been in the 90s when they were attacking us and our civilians and service members overseas?

 

[*Stargazer*]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShugAvery2001 I know that Shimmer.. but consider the following If the U.S. is ultimately leaving Iraq, why is the military building 'permanent' bases? If the U.S. is ultimately leaving Iraq, why is the military expanding its bases in Iraq? ​ ​

​

​

This information is 3 1/2 years old. 3 1/2 years ago, the forecast for a large number of troops was much different than it is today.

And we're still in Korea 50+ years later. There will probably be permanent bases in Iraq for the same reasons. They'll become routine deployments like those to Japan, Korea and Bosnia.​

 

[ShugAvery2001]

Quote:

Originally Posted by *Stargazer* This information is 3 1/2 years old. 3 1/2 years ago, the forecast for a large number of troops was much different than it is today. And we're still in Korea 50+ years later. There will probably be permanent bases in Iraq for the same reasons. They'll become routine deployments like those to Japan, Korea and Bosnia.

I understand that... but that's not 100% troop withdrawl is it? And the situation on the ground isn't much different our troop levels are still relatively the same as when the war started

nooooooooooo

well... obama hasn't been swarn in yet.. i have my suspicions about what he'll do.. just like you guys. As a peace activist I hope he proves me wrong. I know bush did exactly what I thought he'd do. the proof will be in the pudding.

 

[benzito_714]

Quote:

Originally Posted by *Stargazer* I have to laugh when people talk about getting back to when the world didn't hate us. Would that have been in the 90s when they were attacking us and our civilians and service members overseas?

no it's referring to our allies questioning our intentions.
War isn't fun for anyone take it from a person whose father was in South America (Navy man) for the first couple years of her life and really has little recollection of memories but pretends like he does.
While I do believe that it is time to scale down in Iraq I do believe that Obama will develop a comprehensive timeline that does its best to keep our safety first.
On military spending if he does cut it I do not think it will be to the point where we are sending our troops out ill-equipped-hell, that was done once and as a nation we have to petition our representatives to make sure it does not happen again.
Paint a truck to make it look like its armored? How 'bout I paint your face-CLOWN. That is ri-damn-diculous to put our troops in danger like that.
Now on the other hand if he does scale down military spending it may not be such a troubling thing as I had a co-worker who described Iraq as a cake-walk job. Stating (in a serious tone) that she will not be the one sleeping on the battlefield. She will have a cush job working in IT or something computer related while getting all these stipends on top of her regular pay. She said as if we weren't even at war.

 

[*Stargazer*]

Quote:

Originally Posted by benzito_714 While I do believe that it is time to scale down in Iraq I do believe that Obama will develop a comprehensive timeline that does its best to keep our safety first..

Only time will tell. His track record so far, his total opposition to the surge, doesn't give me much confidence. Hopefully, he's smarter than the average politician and learns from his mistakes. The best thing he could do is to appoint military advisors (and a SecDef) with actual, recent military experience unlike the boneheads that ran the wars in the early years.

 

[redambition]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MxAxC-_ATTACK Weapons development isn't just "the bombs we use" , its developing our defense we the united states use to PROTECT OURSELVES from the people who have weapons they want to use against us.

I'm quoting this because it's a statement very indicative of the fear that has been instilled in many, many people in the USA, and to a smaller extent around the world.

there's a new attitude that we all have to "protect ourselves" because there are people out there who will get us if we drop our guard for a moment.

is it true? i don't think so. countries still need a defence force, but not to the extent that a lot of people believe they need one.

 

[frocher]

,,,,,,,,

 

[TISH1124]

Quote:

Originally Posted by frocher To get back to the point of the original thread: Obama on Day One - President Obama Cartoon barack_obama_cartoon on Flickr - Photo Sharing! Sorry when I tried to paste it, it became huge.

Cute toons!!

 

[ShugAvery2001]

President obama's attempt at transparency... I like this site. anyways you can browse the site to read his positions on 'the issues'

Good job mr. president elect!

Change.gov

 

[kimmy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by M.A.C. head. Yes, because he's focused on getting people to stop wanting to destroy our asses.

people will always want to destroy us, that's why we need a military that's properly funded.

 

[hotmodelchiq]

OBAMA

Today was the first day in my ENTIRE life that I felt like an American... not a black or negro, nigger, african american... but an American... I've NEVER said the pledge of allegiance NEVER even in grade school teachers would try to make me but I would just stand out of respect but never said a word. I never understood even as a child why I was pledging to something that didnt represent me... Today I stood with my students with a renewed sense of pride and said the pledge!!!!

 

[benzito_714]

hotmodelchiq-i feel you. On Wednesday I felt good, today I feel good. Damn it feels good to be alive. Still getting choked up!

 

[TISH1124]

Quote:

Originally Posted by hotmodelchiq OBAMA Today was the first day in my ENTIRE life that I felt like an American... not a black or negro, nigger, african american... but an American... I've NEVER said the pledge of allegiance NEVER even in grade school teachers would try to make me but I would just stand out of respect but never said a word. I never understood even as a child why I was pledging to something that didnt represent me... Today I stood with my students with a renewed sense of pride and said the pledge!!!!​

I wish I had gone into teaching...What grade do you teach?

 

[M.A.C. head.]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kimmy people will always want to destroy us, that's why we need a military that's properly funded.

Yes, properly funded, not excessively funded.