Wars 'useful', says US army chief (focusing opportunity)

[papau]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/3419715.stm

Wars 'useful', says US army chief

The head of the United States army has said that the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan have provided a "tremendous focus" for the military.

General Peter Schoomaker said in an interview with AP news agency that the wars had allowed the army to instil its soldiers with a "warrior ethos".
<snip>

He also said he doubted recruiting more troops was a solution to army stress.

Now we have this focusing opportunity, and we have the fact that terrorists have actually attacked our homeland, which gives it some oomph <snip>

[HereSince1628]

1. Funny, him's ears makes him look as stupid as him's comments

Ah, the 'Warrior Ethos' and who was it that said we are not in danger of glorification of the military?

[papau]

2. I see a plastic Warrior Doll in his future to join Ebay's Flight suit Bush

:-)

[electricmonk]

3. Often suspected

that that's the reason we have wars every 8-10 years. Just to keep the soldiers in practice and to test out their new gadgets. 'Hey we got a bunch of new guys that haven't seen somebody blown to hell and a bunch of new toys to try out. Who can we invade? Grenada? Sure why not? Panama? OK. Iraq? Damn straight.' Repeat as necessary.

[HereSince1628]

4. Its a requirement of military hegemony

you not only must have a superior military, you have to make everyone believe you are willing to use it.

If you read the National Security Strategy it almost says that as plainly as I just wrote it.


If you want to be the bully on the playground, you don't take on guys that might bloody your nose, you pick on kids you can overwhelmingly pummel. Then let intimidation run its course.

[Insider]

9. nail on the head

and the bush/rove clan understands this very well.

[underpants]

5. Clausewitzian axiom

War is dipolmacy by other means

[bushisanidiot]

6. That Says it All

"we have the fact that terrorists have actually attacked our homeland, which gives it some oomph"

hmmm.. almost sounds like he's glad 3,000 died on our home soil and that the military benefitted from it.

hmmm.. could anyone else have had this type of thought prior to 9/11?

[frylock]

7. chilling statement, no pun intended..

"He also said he doubted recruiting more troops was a solution to army stress."

Brrrrrrrrrr.. anyone else feel a draft?!

[non sociopath skin]

8. And particularly useful ...

to armchair warriors.

I think it was GK Chesterton who said, "I love hard work. I could sit and watch people do it for hours."

The Skin

[missile_bender]

10. We also have these nukes sitting around. They're no good if

we don't use them.

What a dumbass.

[Voltaire99]

11. Revolting old psychopath

Would that he were down in the frontlines himself, answering for his folly.

[isbister]

12. Wars can be great for other reasons, too!

+ You can reward family, friends, and campaign contributors by giving them government contracts.

+ You can pump billions of dollars into the faltering economy to prop it up in time to get re-elected.

+ You get to play dress-up and can wear fancy airman clothes.

+ and, of course, you get to blow crap up.

He also said he doubted recruiting more troops was a solution to army stress.

I agree. How about next year we institue a draft?