humans, "Flyboys", Iwo Jima, dismemberment of Poland, the White Angel, Auschwitz/Belsen/Buchenwald death camps(Our Motto: Work Will Set You Free), unrestricted submarine warfare, the London Blitz, Warsaw Ghetto ...
Have I got your attention? A lot of healthy discussion is proceeding in the United States about the future appropriate use of our armed forces. After seven years of secretive unilateralism and military adventures, this is a welcome change. It will help the next president to govern, and to preserve protect and defend the Constitution- another idea whose time has come back.
I am an amateur historian. I like to think that I take the long view. When I survey the costs of war between 1933 and 1945, ongoing efforts to encourage the Japanese and Germans to deploy farther from home seem like tempting fate. The Japanese are debating the amendment of their constitution, which forbids -- for good historical reason -- armed foreign adventuring. The Germans, now united, are being encouraged to contribute soldiers to coalitions active in the NATO neighborhood and beyond.
WHY ON EARTH do we want to see more Japanese and Germans with helmets and automatic weapons at port arms, far from home? These are two cultures, and economies, which are very capable of building transportation infrastructure, cars and trucks, electronics, and all the other puzzle pieces that go into a healthy consumer economy, OR a total war effort.
The Japanese themselves, those I have known as friends, have ZERO interest in morphing the Defense Force into something more robust and regional. Using the Chinese threat as justification does not wash. The last time Beijing flexed its muscles was against the Vietnamese. And that did not end well for the butchers of Beijing, who are very good at killing students and population aggression against Tibetans, but not so good at power projection.
Their entire 5000 year history is one of tributary states and zones of influence. The one time it looked like they might have maintained and used a blue water navy, they quickly backed off from that experiment. Their current conception of naval buildup is along the lines of purchasing half-finished and elderly aircraft carriers from others.
Last I was aware, the Germans are transforming and combining their internal security and armed forces into a tool pointed at terrorism. They too are dodging and weaving to avoid involvement in New World Order military alliances. I welcome those who know more than I about current Germany, posting addenda to this note. I hope they support my position but I am always open to a learning experience.
Who is pushing these "reformed warrior" states toward more arms and more deployments? The United States. This is partly a budgetary ploy: get others to take on more of the costs of the Oil Empire. I applaud those who are speaking out against ANYONE throwing good money after bad, on that account.
That's all I have time for today.