RE: http://www.military.com/opinion/0,15202,165838_2,00.html

Now I believe that everyone is entitled to their opinion, and I don't like to argue about "who's opinion is the right one". However, I do take an issue with where Mr. Huber mentions how GEN Petraeus "blames the Iranians for arming Iraqi militant groups even though he himself was directly responsible for distributing weapons to both Sunni and Shiite factions." I've gotten to physically lay my hands on more Iranian ordnance since I've gotten in country than a few people on this board. Whether it's been dug up from someone's cache, or sufficient fragmentation from a rocket attack on my camp, I think that I am well enough qualified to say that "Yes, sir/ma'am, that is indeed Iranian ordnance." Especially with lot numbers and dates of manufacture that are more recent than some people's last deployments.....

My point is that those accusations are based on solid fact. I am not going to argue about who all else the general has armed, since frankly I don't have the time to research what has been distributed to whom, and per whose orders. Nor will I speculate who is bringing Iranian weaponry into this operational environment (although I will bet my retirement it isn't us). I will leave all that to the other people on this board, while I go outside the wire, to a homemade rocket launcher sitting in a field, with an unfired Iranian rocket sitting there waiting to go. Or perhaps to a cache, where there's more Iranian made C-4 than I can shake a stick at. Hope you ladies and gentlemen all have a great day.


Just my two cents,

Helen
"Initial Success or Total Failure!"

Thank you for your service.. good luck and godspeed.....

Mr. Huber starts out by saying that Russia and China will will "take us down" economically. This expression is both vague and juvenile. His essays that are required reading in the Naval War College must be much better. Whatever taking us down economically means, its safe to say that Russia will not do it. China has a per capita GDP of between $2,000.00 and $2,500.00. The U.S. per capita GDP is around $45,000.00. The standard of living in China is far below that of the U.S. As for the E.U., it has a population of nearly 500 million compared to just over 300 million for the United States. Not surprisingly, the E.U., a collection of several nations, has a combined GDP higher than that of the United States.
Mr. Huber goes on to say that the United States is not a military dictatorship exactly. Wow, that is quite generous. We learn that the U.S. is though, both theocratic and fascistic. Why theocratic, we are not told. However, the fascist element is because the President accepted the recommendation of General Petraeus. Somehow, Gen. Petraeus controls the President while the President controls the General. So, Bush controls himself? This all begins to sound like a paranoid conspiracy theory. Returning to the issue of fascism, how is President Bush like Hitler or Mussolini?
Finally, Mr. Huber's nasty personal attacks on General Petraus, a man who has served our country for his entire adult life, is revolting.

Concur with Federalist on "Hummer" retired Huber's ad hominem on a better man, Gen Petraeus.

re- "..America is not a military dictatorship exactly. It’s a more of a militaristic oligarchy with a fascist overtone and a theocratic undercoat.."

Slanderous and simply outrageously buffoonish.. No hyperbole on my part implied or intended. There's "too far" and this is it

bx2

"When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in a flag and carrying a cross" (attributed to Sinclair Lewis)

quote:

Originally posted by federalist:
Mr. Huber starts out by saying that Russia and China will will "take us down" economically. This expression is both vague and juvenile.

China certainly has the power to economically cripple us. They have two economic holds on us.

1. We are in debt to them to the tune of at least half a trillion dollars. Maybe more. They can call that debt in anytime they want.

2. Chinas currency is linked to the dollar. As the dollar falls that means they are taking a hit by trading with us in dollars. If they delink their currency to ours, all of a sudden all those toys we buy will become quite a bit more expensive.

That we are in this position in the first place precedes Mr. Bush, although he has accelerated the trend.

Dave

Mr. Huber's story is IMHO beneath contempt.

Because Mr. Huber has hauled out the same old bag of tricks that ideologues on the left *and* the right deploy ... to the great harm of our nation and our soldiers:

• blame-gaming,
• slogan-shouting,
• cheer-leading,
• cherry-picking,
• quibbling, and
• smearing.

IMHO, America has no enemy greater than those who resort to these tricks..

quote:

Originally posted by Grachus:


China certainly has the power to economically cripple us. They have two economic holds on us.

1. We are in debt to them to the tune of at least half a trillion dollars. Maybe more. They can call that debt in anytime they want.

2. Chinas currency is linked to the dollar. As the dollar falls that means they are taking a hit by trading with us in dollars. If they delink their currency to ours, all of a sudden all those toys we buy will become quite a bit more expensive.

That we are in this position in the first place precedes Mr. Bush, although he has accelerated the trend.

Dave

Chinese and other foreign investors own U.S. Government-backed securities (government bonds), because they are willing to invest in the United States. Inflation and interest rates would be higher if foreigners did not buy government bonds. Because of the extremely low risk to the investor (because the credit of the U.S. government is so good), the U.S. government pays very low interest rates. Thus, the U.S. is getting excellent interest rates on the money that it borrows. How can China call in the debt? Government bonds pay interest over a set amount of time. China cannot simply orchestrate a calling in of government debt obligations. Chinese and other foreigners could conceivably sell large amounts of U.S. bonds on the open market but would drive down the value of the securities that they own.


If the value of the dollar falls, then imports from China and from everywhere else will become more expensive. At the same time, U.S. exports will become cheaper and the trade deficit will shrink. Though, the trade deficit is itself a false problem.

quote:

Originally posted by federalist:

Chinese and other foreign investors own U.S. Government-backed securities (government bonds), because they are willing to invest in the United States. Inflation and interest rates would be higher if foreigners did not buy government bonds. Because of the extremely low risk to the investor (because the credit of the U.S. government is so good), the U.S. government pays very low interest rates.

How can China call in the debt?

... With respect, your arguments are nonsense. The plain facts are:

• it is very easy for China to call in that debt,
• in ways that harm American strategic interests ...
• and China is doing so.

Example: Iran sells oil for euros. China exchanges American debt dollars for euros (so that Iran now holds our debt). China uses euros to buy American manufacturing industries cheap. The resulting strong Chinese manufacturing sector sells ... oil pipelines to Iran.

America is left with:

• massive debt,
• crippled manufacturing sector,
• outsourced technology,
• huge and growing trade imbalance,
• a shortage of family-supporting jobs,
• a greatly strengthened China and Iran.

Federalist, do you want to tell us again why all these are good?

The plain fact is, they are all bad. Very bad.

IMHO, your arguments foolishly try to create "warm and fuzzy feelings", about a disastrous strategic train-wreck, that no American should feel good about.

Huber really knows how to stir the pot. "America is not a military dictatorship exactly. It’s a more of a militaristic oligarchy with a fascist overtone and a theocratic undercoat." Powerful words. bx2... Huber's words are neither "slanderous" nor "outrageously buffoonish" given what has occurred before our eyes these past 7½ years. Rather, his words strike at the very heart of what we Americans have allowed to evolve in Washington. Our children and grandchildren will not just be saddled with the financial debts of this Administration and the enabling 107th , 108th and 109th Congresses, but the backlash of an openly imperial foreign policy attitude that may have served the Roman caesars and British royals but was reportedly thrown into the Boston Harbor by our Founders along with all that tea.

quote:

Originally posted by usmc_family:

quote:

Originally posted by federalist:

Chinese and other foreign investors own U.S. Government-backed securities (government bonds), because they are willing to invest in the United States. Inflation and interest rates would be higher if foreigners did not buy government bonds. Because of the extremely low risk to the investor (because the credit of the U.S. government is so good), the U.S. government pays very low interest rates.

How can China call in the debt?

... With respect, your arguments are nonsense. The plain facts are:

• it is very easy for China to call in that debt,
• in ways that harm American strategic interests ...
• and China is doing so.

Example: Iran sells oil for euros. China exchanges American debt dollars for euros (so that Iran now holds our debt). China uses euros to buy American manufacturing industries cheap. The resulting strong Chinese manufacturing sector sells ... oil pipelines to Iran.

America is left with:

• massive debt,
• crippled manufacturing sector,
• outsourced technology,
• huge and growing trade imbalance,
• a shortage of family-supporting jobs,
• a greatly strengthened China and Iran.

Federalist, do you want to tell us again why all these are good?

The plain fact is, they are all bad. Very bad.

IMHO, your arguments foolishly try to create "warm and fuzzy feelings", about a disastrous strategic train-wreck, that no American should feel good about.

Heh, he - In addition Federalist is under the impression that these are long term bonds. They are not. They're just months or even weekly bonds. China is "kind" enough to keep rolling it over...

Dave

quote:

Originally posted by Grachus:

quote:

Originally posted by usmc_family:

quote:

Originally posted by federalist:

Chinese and other foreign investors own U.S. Government-backed securities (government bonds), because they are willing to invest in the United States. Inflation and interest rates would be higher if foreigners did not buy government bonds. Because of the extremely low risk to the investor (because the credit of the U.S. government is so good), the U.S. government pays very low interest rates.

How can China call in the debt?

... With respect, your arguments are nonsense. The plain facts are:

• it is very easy for China to call in that debt,
• in ways that harm American strategic interests ...
• and China is doing so.

Example: Iran sells oil for euros. China exchanges American debt dollars for euros (so that Iran now holds our debt). China uses euros to buy American manufacturing industries cheap. The resulting strong Chinese manufacturing sector sells ... oil pipelines to Iran.

America is left with:

• massive debt,
• crippled manufacturing sector,
• outsourced technology,
• huge and growing trade imbalance,
• a shortage of family-supporting jobs,
• a greatly strengthened China and Iran.

Federalist, do you want to tell us again why all these are good?

The plain fact is, they are all bad. Very bad.

IMHO, your arguments foolishly try to create "warm and fuzzy feelings", about a disastrous strategic train-wreck, that no American should feel good about.

Heh, he - In addition Federalist is under the impression that these are long term bonds. They are not. They're just months or even weekly bonds. China is "kind" enough to keep rolling it over...

Dave

Jade_Gate is one of the right-leaning folks on this board whose posts IMHO are *outstanding* ... perhaps she will try her hand a "whack-a-mole"?

Because I think everyone understands, that it is mighty hard to make any one of these problems better, without making at least two others worse.

Bottom line, salaries need to start to increase or America is going into the dumpster....everything is going up EXCEPT salaries, everything has gone up EXCEPT salaries....

Do they not realize we are gona reach the wall here soon?

quote:

Mr. Huber starts out by saying that Russia and China will will "take us down" economically. This expression is both vague and juvenile.

as others have already completely destroyed and debunked your theories I must add that China actually has closer to 3 trillion of US debt and countries like UAE and Saudi Arabia are catching up fast lately by using the money we send them in oil revenue to buy up American assets, banks and treasuries.
Russia will not bring the US down economically but they will directly benefit from the economic situation as they export oil and agricultural products of which the Bush global economic policies have forced to 300% higher than when he took office.
As a matter of fact, Bush's policies have benefited Russia more than they have America.

America has become a corporate facist government. Average Americans losing their homes while Wall Street gets nearly a trillion dollars in aid in the past 8 months. Its not hard to figure out who is influencing policy and its NOT Joe and Jane American

quote:

Originally posted by FlankerFlyer:

As others have already completely destroyed and debunked [Federalist's] theories ...

What is really disturbing is that the conservatives have no excuse---because this train-wreck is inexcusable---and the liberals have no "Plan B."

That is why both parties are trotting out the same tired "Plan B" -- b*llsh*t & blame-gaming.

quote:

Originally posted by FlankerFlyer:

quote:

Mr. Huber starts out by saying that Russia and China will will "take us down" economically. This expression is both vague and juvenile.

as others have already completely destroyed and debunked your theories I must add that China actually has closer to 3 trillion of US debt and countries like UAE and Saudi Arabia are catching up fast lately by using the money we send them in oil revenue to buy up American assets, banks and treasuries.
Russia will not bring the US down economically but they will directly benefit from the economic situation as they export oil and agricultural products of which the Bush global economic policies have forced to 300% higher than when he took office.
As a matter of fact, Bush's policies have benefited Russia more than they have America.

America has become a corporate facist government. Average Americans losing their homes while Wall Street gets nearly a trillion dollars in aid in the past 8 months. Its not hard to figure out who is influencing policy and its NOT Joe and Jane American

Be careful there Flyer, someone might think that you were spouting the ole "commie" hard line about the American "capitalist" system. Too bad, that it looks like you just maybe right this time. Oh, I am not calling you a "commie", just comparing the lines that the former soviet government used to spout about us...
Respectfully, SUNLINER81

Bwf,

Sure I'm sure you've had it hard BWF under the "Junta". In fact, I'll bet over the last 7 1/2 years you might have missed lunch once or twice. Thank you for your sacrifice.

bx2

quote:

Originally posted by bx2:
Bwf,

Sure I'm sure you've had it hard BWF under the "Junta". In fact, I'll bet over the last 7 1/2 years you might have missed lunch once or twice. Thank you for your sacrifice.

bx2

Thank-you for your example of a "buffoonish" comment.

quote:

Originally posted by SUNLINER81:

quote:

Originally posted by FlankerFlyer:

quote:

Mr. Huber starts out by saying that Russia and China will will "take us down" economically. This expression is both vague and juvenile.

as others have already completely destroyed and debunked your theories I must add that China actually has closer to 3 trillion of US debt and countries like UAE and Saudi Arabia are catching up fast lately by using the money we send them in oil revenue to buy up American assets, banks and treasuries.
Russia will not bring the US down economically but they will directly benefit from the economic situation as they export oil and agricultural products of which the Bush global economic policies have forced to 300% higher than when he took office.
As a matter of fact, Bush's policies have benefited Russia more than they have America.

America has become a corporate facist government. Average Americans losing their homes while Wall Street gets nearly a trillion dollars in aid in the past 8 months. Its not hard to figure out who is influencing policy and its NOT Joe and Jane American

Be careful there Flyer, someone might think that you were spouting the ole "commie" hard line about the American "capitalist" system. Too bad, that it looks like you just maybe right this time. Oh, I am not calling you a "commie", just comparing the lines that the former soviet government used to spout about us...
Respectfully, SUNLINER81

Huber writes a breath of fresh air. The 'business school' model of military leadership and war should have been discredited after Vietnam. That it wasn't, is only a testament to how fundamental it has become.

Logistics is 'business' and even that has been botched.

As far as 'business school' thinking - the US might be a little better off without the influence of some who learned the 'moves' without the morals, economically and militarily.