04-19-2003, 03:37 AM
I think I was misunderstood. I was talking of the combat experience as a 'side-effect' benefit and in no way an aim or reason to go to war. But, I'm with Pete. You can bloodlessly train all you want, but real combat with real blood and real bodies and real screams is quite different from your "I'm dead" light flashing. It just allows us to once again to point to the big stick and perhaps not have to actually use it. A little O/T, but has anyone caught that the USS TR's nickname is 'The Stick'??
Again, I'm not glorifying war. Not at all. But if you're going to make war, you'd better be ready for what happens. I'm not even going to get into whether the reasons for going into Iraq were right or wrong. Too late. That's now history, so all the armchair strategists can discuss it ad nauseum, and it won't change a thing. Now, what happens to postwar Iraq is today's news.
And, I'll again state that Syria or any other country in the Middle East being attacked by the US at this time is, in my humble opinion, highly unlikely. Unless, of course, someone does something really stupid. Overt acts of war would be defined as stupid, I think. Words? Nah.
Now, North Korea reprocessing spent fuel rods is interesting, but that's a whole different situation, as that's right on China's borders, and any solution or action involving North Korea, will, by necessity, involve the Chinese in some way. My thought is that Kim Jong Il will get too big for his britches someday and piss off the Chinese. And will regret it. Then again, the Chinese may have him on strings now. I don't know. Last I knew, the Vinson group was cruising the Sea of Japan, so we're showing interest in it, but carrier diplomacy has been used as pressure for years.
Again, I'm not glorifying war. Not at all. But if you're going to make war, you'd better be ready for what happens. I'm not even going to get into whether the reasons for going into Iraq were right or wrong. Too late. That's now history, so all the armchair strategists can discuss it ad nauseum, and it won't change a thing. Now, what happens to postwar Iraq is today's news.
And, I'll again state that Syria or any other country in the Middle East being attacked by the US at this time is, in my humble opinion, highly unlikely. Unless, of course, someone does something really stupid. Overt acts of war would be defined as stupid, I think. Words? Nah.
Now, North Korea reprocessing spent fuel rods is interesting, but that's a whole different situation, as that's right on China's borders, and any solution or action involving North Korea, will, by necessity, involve the Chinese in some way. My thought is that Kim Jong Il will get too big for his britches someday and piss off the Chinese. And will regret it. Then again, the Chinese may have him on strings now. I don't know. Last I knew, the Vinson group was cruising the Sea of Japan, so we're showing interest in it, but carrier diplomacy has been used as pressure for years.
--Mav