Quote:
Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch
The problem now is one of shifting priorities.
The American's since 9/11 have shifted their armed forces away from conventional cold war style battles to fighting insurgencies and fighters carrying AK-47's while riding mules through mountain passes.
Everything is about that, including the change in priorities from a blue water navy to a brown water navy.
Now the world is threatening to change again and we've moved from the guild lines of war in the 21st century as we thought it would be.
Meanwhile the Russians have continued to develop their conventional war fighting capabilities in terms of their new subs, and fighter planes and a heavier emphasis on piece meal battles. The Chinese have done very much the same as they've changed the direction of their navy from a coastal navy to a blue water navy with new deep water subs, first wave air craft carrier and deep water escort groups.
Even American training has changed.
This was a danger that I put out there a few years back when somebody bought up the idea of a specialized armed forces built around anti terror. Warfare changes rapidly and you have to be ready to defend yourself in all kinds of different environments.
If the American's wanted to be somewhat proactive, they would move equipment into Poland or Romania and commence with field exercises. They could probably start moving a MAU unit and a armored cav division over and have them there in two weeks. They could move a Airborne Division, a Light Infantry Division over there in a couple of days, and move a few squadrons of fighters and fighter bombers to Poland by the end of the week to show a commitment to their Nato Allies.
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I am wildly militarily uneducated, but to me it boils down to the fact that the US have gotten used to fighting from a position of obscene strength. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were more like 'Seek & Destroy' than combat.
What happens when they go up against an enemy they'd have to fight toe-to-toe?
Basically, if you go up against inferior opposition constantly then you'll be unprepared and unready against equal or superior opposition.