Ordering the Selected Reserve and Certain Members of the Individual Ready Reserve of the Armed Forces to Active Duty

[PowderRiverCowboy]

Well here we go ladies and Gents Fresh out of worthless NATO meeting and lets recall and send to Europe 

 

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including sections 121 and 12304 of title 10, United States Code, I hereby determine that it is necessary to augment the active Armed Forces of the United States for the effective conduct of Operation Atlantic Resolve in and around the United States European Command’s area of responsibility.  In furtherance of this operation, under the stated authority, I hereby authorize the Secretary of Defense, and the Secretary of Homeland Security with respect to the Coast Guard when it is not operating as a service in the Navy, under their respective jurisdictions, to order to active duty any units, and any individual members not assigned to a unit organized to serve as a unit of the Selected Reserve, or any member in the Individual Ready Reserve mobilization category and designated as essential under regulations prescribed by the Secretary concerned, not to exceed 3,000 total members at any one time, of whom not more than 450 may be members of the Individual Ready Reserve, as they deem necessary, and to terminate the service of those units and members ordered to active duty.

     This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

                             JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.
  

THE WHITE HOUSE,
July 13, 2023.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2023/07/13/ordering-the-selected-reserve-and-certain-members-of-the-individual-ready-reserve-of-the-armed-forces-to-active-duty/

[Yul Lose]

Who didn’t see this coming?

[PowderRiverCowboy]

51 minutes ago, Yul Lose said:

Who didn’t see this coming?

You really don’t want be to answer that on a post now do you  ? 

[Forty Rod SASS 3935]

Well, that's really going to hit the fan. 

[Badlands Bob #61228]

"Operation Atlantic Resolve"

 

 

What is this and what is it's mission or objective?

[John Barleycorn, SASS #76982]

REFORGER. 

[Subdeacon Joe]

35 minutes ago, Badlands Bob #61228 said:

"Operation Atlantic Resolve"

 

 

What is this and what is it's mission or objective?

 

https://www.europeafrica.army.mil/AtlanticResolve/

 

Started in n 2014.

 

Since April 2014, U.S. Army Europe and Africa has led the Department of Defense's Atlantic Resolve land efforts. Atlantic Resolve provides rotational deployments of combat-credible forces to Europe to show our commitment to NATO while building readiness, increasing interoperability and enhancing the bonds between ally and partner militaries.

[Pat Riot]

A little info. 
 

https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/natosource/operation-atlantic-resolve-factsheet/

[Colorado Coffinmaker]

Cowboy,

 

Since the United States has been a NATO member since inception, and by Allied agreements been supporting Western Europe since the end of World War Two, as well as maintaining forces, I really don't see your point.  You spend much time on Active Duty??

 

We also participated in an operation called REFORGER for decades, as a show of strength and solidarity, by rotating large numbers of troops and equipment into the European Theater.  Sticking a finger in Putin's eye is ALWAYS a good thing.

[Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984]

Isn’t that just an annual exercise?

[Pat Riot]

The war in Ukraine has proved one thing. 
Russia isn’t the formidable foe everyone thought it was. It’s really too bad all the money we spent on watching and “keeping a finger on the pulse” of Russia has gone to waste…or is that by design?
You can’t justify taxing a knowledgeable populace if they know the truth. I definitely haven’t seen any headlines or news stories saying:

“The State Department and the CIA have determined that Russia is a Paper Tiger - Government to cut back on all departments analyzing Russian actions. Numerous satellite and aircraft contracts being cancelled to divert funds to more realistic endeavors.”

 

 

[PowderRiverCowboy]

8 hours ago, Colorado Coffinmaker said:

Cowboy,

 

Since the United States has been a NATO member since inception, and by Allied agreements been supporting Western Europe since the end of World War Two, as well as maintaining forces, I really don't see your point.  You spend much time on Active Duty??

 

We also participated in an operation called REFORGER for decades, as a show of strength and solidarity, by rotating large numbers of troops and equipment into the European Theater.  Sticking a finger in Zelensky is ALWAYS a good thing.

um yes 8 years in combat 17 years . And then those do you know the number of IRR recalled for a NATO  exercise ? zero it’s an exercise training  there is zero reason to call in people that have ETS’d  .
 Anyone that has one day of active duty knows that they won after getting out 90% of those guys don’t touch any training or do any PT they have served their time why would you recall them ? They have served their time why would you recall them and not use active duty that are sweeping the motor pool ?  
 Trying to give them a front row seat in a nuke detonation ? 
    

[Pat Riot]

5 minutes ago, PowderRiverCowboy said:

um yes 8 years in combat 17 years . And then those do you know the number of IRR recalled for a NATO  exercise ? zero it’s an exercise training  there is zero reason to call in people that have ETS’d  .
    

Could you explain what IRR and ETS mean?

They are obviously acronyms or abbreviations that aren’t common to everyone. GMD?

 

 

 

Get My Drift?

[Tex Jones, SASS 2263]

IRR: Individual Ready Reserve

ETS:  Expiration Term of Service or, as we used to say; End of This S**t.

[Pat Riot]

10 minutes ago, Tex Jones, SASS 2263 said:

IRR: Individual Ready Reserve

ETS:  Expiration Term of Service or, as we used to say; End of This S**t.

Thank you. Must be Army terms. I had never heard of these. 

[PowderRiverCowboy]

2 hours ago, Pat Riot said:

The war in Ukraine has proved one thing. 
Russia isn’t the formidable foe everyone thought it was. It’s really too bad all the money we spent on watching and “keeping a finger on the pulse” of Russia has gone to waste…or is that by design?
You can’t justify taxing a knowledgeable populace if they know the truth. I definitely haven’t seen any headlines or news stories saying:

“The State Department and the CIA have determined that Russia is a Paper Tiger - Government to cut back on all departments analyzing Russian actions. Numerous satellite and aircraft contracts being cancelled to divert funds to more realistic endeavors.”

 

 

 We just spent 20 years fighting Farmers and goat herders in slippers 

 

47 minutes ago, Pat Riot said:

Could you explain what IRR and ETS mean?

They are obviously acronyms or abbreviations that aren’t common to everyone. GMD?

 

 

 

Get My Drift?

 Further in to IRR  when you enter service you sign a contract of 8 years (now was 6) so if you do 4 years active you have 4 years IRR Inactive Ready Reserve .
An individual assigned to the IRR typically receives no pay and is not obligated to drill, conduct annual training, or participate in any military activities (except for periodic Muster activities) unless activated by Presidential Reserve Callup Authority or electing to drill, train, or serve in a "Drill without Pay" or an "Active Duty" role. 

 ETS  your ETS date is the date in which you are released from active duty service.


 Now to purple dinosaur it for some people  why is this a big deal.
 Multiple reasons ;
   1  : you start moving into Title 10 

"Presidential Reserve Callup Authority" (PRCA) is a provision of a public law (US Code, Title 10 (DOD), section 12304) that provides the President a means to activate, without a declaration of national emergency, not more than 200,000 members of the Selected Reserve and the Individual Ready Reserve (of whom not more than 30,000 may be members of the Individual Ready Reserve), for not more than 400 days to meet the support requirements of any operational mission. Members called under this provision may not be used for disaster relief or to suppress insurrection. This authority has particular utility when used in circumstances in which the escalatory national or international signals of partial or full mobilization would be undesirable. Forces available under this authority can provide a tailored, limited-scope, deterrent or operational response, or may be used as a precursor to any subsequent mobilization.

When the nation is under a presidentially declared state of national emergency in accordance with the National Emergencies Act the President has even broader authority, allowing them to activate not more than 1,000,000 members of the Ready Reserve with no further limitation. The United States has been in a state of national emergency since November 14, 1979

Until the War on Terror, members of the Individual Ready Reserve had not been called up since Operation Desert Shield.

 



 

  

[Pat Riot]

10 minutes ago, PowderRiverCowboy said:

We just spent 20 years fighting Farmers and goat herders in slippers 

Didn’t the USSR do the same? 
 

I personally believe our biggest obstacle in war is political and corporate influence and a lack of backbone in our political leaders and heads of military. They’d rather be PC than be PW (pro win).

Just my 2¢

[Tex Jones, SASS 2263]

2 hours ago, Pat Riot said:

The war in Ukraine has proved one thing. 
Russia isn’t the formidable foe everyone thought it was. It’s really too bad all the money we spent on watching and “keeping a finger on the pulse” of Russia has gone to waste…or is that by design?

To put it in context:  When I as in Berlin in the late '60s, there were, if IIRC, 9 divisions (around 1 million troops) of the USSR encircling the city.  All we had there was one augmented tank battalion and a couple of battalions of troops and a field artillery unit.  The prevailing theory then was that an attack by the USSR on Europe would be stopped somewhere in France with nuclear weapons.  It's only since the late '80s and the subsequent splitting up of the USSR that the threat has been reduced.  But, Russia still has nuclear weapons and despite what the media and Biden would have you believe, they are still fighting and are, apparently, difficult to dislodge from their current positions. 

[Chantry]

I'll offer another theory, the units being called up are units that the regular Army doesn't normally need or only has just enough of under normal circumstances, like military police*, but not enough for a major overseas deployment.  Those people being called up from the IRR are to bring units up to full strength, very possibly the same Army National Guard and/or Army Reserve units be activated.

 

The units being called up will go to a Army base to train up for deployment.  Based on my own experience, National Guard units are rarely at full strength, so I can certainly see IRR members filling out the unit strength.

 

*Back in 1994-1995 when the Cubans were fleeing Cuba in boats the Army put them at Guantanamo Bay and had regular Army military police running the camps.  They had National Guard and Army Reserve military police units from across the country sent to Panama to take up the garrison and guard duties that regular Army normally did, but were now in Panama.  I know because I spent 2 weeks in Panama in January of 1995.

 

On edit:  I'm going to wait and see what type of Reserve/National Guard units get called up before I jump to conclusions.

[Colorado Coffinmaker]

OH gimmie a break.  The idea is not to recall those folks that have been separated from Active Duty.  The Idea is to activate current active reserve units to active duty to fill out requirements for strength deployments.

 

PLUS ONE for Chantry.

 

Beating one's chest in misguided indignation when one has no real knowledge of "the plan" is a fools errand indeed.

[Dirty Dan Dawkins]

12 hours ago, Badlands Bob #61228 said:

"Operation Atlantic Resolve"

 

 

What is this and what is it's mission or objective?

Sustain the status quo- sustain the political and economic world order of the world elite..

[Dirty Dan Dawkins]

4 hours ago, Pat Riot said:

The war in Ukraine has proved one thing. 
Russia isn’t the formidable foe everyone thought it was.

 

 

But it’s a cash cow.

[Dirty Dan Dawkins]

11 hours ago, Colorado Coffinmaker said:

Sticking a finger in Putin's eye is ALWAYS a good thing.

$54+ billion is an expensive way to prove a point, especially since the middle class is paying for it through fiat money that contributes to inflation as more fiat money is printed. But hey, nearly everything our government does is through fiat money so this argument could be made about nearly any government activity.

[Cypress Sun]

1 hour ago, Dirty Dan Dawkins said:

But it’s a cash cow.

 

Only for certain entities.

[PowderRiverCowboy]

3 hours ago, Pat Riot said:

Didn’t the USSR do the same? 
 

I personally believe our biggest obstacle in war is political and corporate influence and a lack of backbone in our political leaders and heads of military. They’d rather be PC than be PW (pro win).

Just my 2¢

 YEP We spents billions training the ones doing it . 
 But I agree America stopped winning wars when Generals stopped dying in them

My opinion is while just that I have done things for" America" that wake you up too all they are doing is a prolonged money wash for other nations while out service members die . 
  We already have teams in Ukraine " training " just t]like the advisors in Vietnam .

 The military recruiting is down 25 % since current  open military . We just kicked out military wide 85 k for not taking a vaccine that has recently been proven that the Commanders pushed for a rating for themselves using trial lots  that were suppose to be destroyed .
 In one week Fort Bragg had 14 vax deaths that went hidden . Then ohh now you can come back because we gave you Other than Honorable Discharges

Then even a couple months ago they put a Marine in the Brig for 113 days with out zero contact with family or legal counsel for a vax refusal After that order was removed 
https://taskandpurpose.com/news/marine-corps-catherine-arnett-charges-dropped/

Maybe if our current military wasnt living with gray/ yellow running water in moldy housing they would stay.

Anyway back on target  
 the only main reason to reactivate IRR is war or  National Homeland reasons  

February 2003:

Marine Corps Arabic linguists and other support personnel were recalled to active duty to serve in Iraq. This activation was the first time that the IRR had been called upon since the 1991 Gulf War, when approximately 20,000 IRR troops were called up in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

29 July 2004:

5,600 members of the IRR, mainly with specialties as military police or Civil Affairs, were called to active duty to support U.S. forces in Iraq.

April 2005:

Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld authorized the Army to mobilize up to 6,500 Individual Ready Reservists at any one time]

3,900 IRR members with critical specialities called to active duty.

About 550 of those called failed to report for duty, some claimed exemptions, others ignored their orders.

August 2006:

President Bush authorized the U.S. Marine Corps to recall 2,500 troops to active duty.

March 2007:

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates approved the recall of 1800 Marines not in their first or last year of their IRR contract, 1200 of which were Sergeants and Captains joining the I MEF in Iraq. 

Yes Trump did so also for Border security during Covid 

 

So why spend money to gear and train up IRR when you have Military during "peacetime "  ?? 

[Dirty Dan Dawkins]

51 minutes ago, Cypress Sun said:

 

Only for certain entities.

Only for the ones that matter. That's made certain enough.

[Colorado Coffinmaker]

Lest I forget.  The Guard and Reserves are not just a "Side Hustle" for beer money.  The purpose is to bolster the Active Forces in time of need.  Joining the Guard and Reserve is a commitment.  Jumping up on a miss-guided soap box is not the way to support those whom are called.  Get over yourself.

[Dirty Dan Dawkins]

2 hours ago, PowderRiverCowboy said:

 YEP We spents billions training the ones doing it . 
 But I agree America stopped winning wars when Generals stopped dying in them

My opinion is while just that I have done things for" America" that wake you up too all they are doing is a prolonged money wash for other nations while out service members die . 
  We already have teams in Ukraine " training " just t]like the advisors in Vietnam .

 The military recruiting is down 25 % since current  open military . We just kicked out military wide 85 k for not taking a vaccine that has recently been proven that the Commanders pushed for a rating for themselves using trial lots  that were suppose to be destroyed .
 In one week Fort Bragg had 14 vax deaths that went hidden . Then ohh now you can come back because we gave you Other than Honorable Discharges

Then even a couple months ago they put a Marine in the Brig for 113 days with out zero contact with family or legal counsel for a vax refusal After that order was removed 
https://taskandpurpose.com/news/marine-corps-catherine-arnett-charges-dropped/

Maybe if our current military wasnt living with gray/ yellow running water in moldy housing they would stay.

Anyway back on target  
 the only main reason to reactivate IRR is war or  National Homeland reasons  

February 2003:

Marine Corps Arabic linguists and other support personnel were recalled to active duty to serve in Iraq. This activation was the first time that the IRR had been called upon since the 1991 Gulf War, when approximately 20,000 IRR troops were called up in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

29 July 2004:

5,600 members of the IRR, mainly with specialties as military police or Civil Affairs, were called to active duty to support U.S. forces in Iraq.

April 2005:

Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld authorized the Army to mobilize up to 6,500 Individual Ready Reservists at any one time]

3,900 IRR members with critical specialities called to active duty.

About 550 of those called failed to report for duty, some claimed exemptions, others ignored their orders.

August 2006:

President Bush authorized the U.S. Marine Corps to recall 2,500 troops to active duty.

March 2007:

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates approved the recall of 1800 Marines not in their first or last year of their IRR contract, 1200 of which were Sergeants and Captains joining the I MEF in Iraq. 

Yes Trump did so also for Border security during Covid 

 

So why spend money to gear and train up IRR when you have Military during "peacetime "  ?? 

The cold war is over, and even then, it was largely over blown. But many remain staunchly convinced we evaded nuclear holocaust.

Any perceived crisis was evaded by theatre.

 

It's funny, ask any American why Russia invaded the Ukraine and why we should defend the Ukraine, and few can give a simple answer. 

 

My answer:

First, some Russian reasons for invasion:

1) Putin wanted to.  That is a simple enough reason, with no more explanation really needed. There are some attractive resources there and the Zelensky is not any more of mature and legit leader, than the Putin. They are both held in power by executive fiat.

2) He could. I mean, who was going to stop him? An uncoordinated, absent minded blow hard octogenarian? Blinken? A pentagon who's public perception is tarnished? Nope. The worst they would do would amount to no more than a well thought out, well crafted letter to the editor of the Washington Post. I am sure Putin went in knowing he might lose a lot of good men, but he is confident, absolutely certain, in knowing that NATO as a unit will not show up and forcefully eject Russia from the Ukraine.

3) Don't cry to me about freedom. 

4) Russia was already financially isolated, and controls the narrative domestically. What is the worse that could happen? Oh yeah, energy prices to Germany could go up.

5) People still call Ukraine "The Ukraine". 

 

So why defend the Ukraine? That is a tough one, but the democracy talk is all nonsense, and "cause Russia invaded" just does not see to be enough. Basically boils down to energy and agricultural and European interests. The pain we see here is fabricated social unrest and inflation created by trillions of dollars of fiat money being printed since 2019, but the authorities will have you think otherwise. Breton Woods , the IMF, NATO and all were set up to establish global financial and military security , and "free  trade" at US tax payer expense knowing that something like the Marshall Plan would come along to rebuild Europe after the war. Out of WWII, the US could have set up what resembled empire, and but Woodrow Wilson and Paris 1919 set a precedent against that. To some degree, the US did set up an economic empire with stipulations of "open markets" and foreign bases of military operation to those that wanted to play ball.  Foreign world leaders and financiers influenced international agreements to institute globalization to manipulate it. US idealist promoted it.

 

Globalization: the equalization of currency, along with funding for security and economic development among member states, and to regulate the development of third world member states to not overly threaten or impose upon the wealth of the controlling member states. This all largely at the expense of the dominate member the US of A. The USSR thumbed their nose at Breton Woods, the IMF, the World Bank and capitalism. Their course of international diplomacy was followed through with an arms race, or through manipulation and concessions from "peace talks", and fraud via foreign aid and agricultural commodities schemes run through the USSR itself, or through Soviet block nations and allies. China largely followed suit but changed course only to what is now their own modern form of mercantilism, domestically, and to colonialism in Asia, Africa and South America, internationally. 

 

This is all nothing more than the game of "Risk" using real borders, real people and real commodities; using debt, embargos, sanctions,  and long drawn out skirmishes that resemble little of the previous wars of colliding armies and naval vessels yet still calling it "war". The more measurable casualties are short-term, regionally isolated poverty and exponentially growing public and private debt.  One side tries to bleed the other financially dry while the other tries to bleed the other dry of resources, knowing the victor (generally always viewed as the US) will rebuild the defeated in the name of some perversion of an ideology of the past.

 

The victor pays the most and bleeds the most, and a traditional sense of victory is an antiquated relic of the past. The US soldier's death is a necessary by-product to prop up global order. Why don't other countries commit as many men or resources to these proxy wars as the US? For one, their socialist governments and budgets won't allow it. The people simply cannot be taxed anymore. Secondly, if they suffered the casualty rates we have, their people would not stand for it. Which in itself says a lot about the average Americans acceptance of senseless American casualties.

 

The only thing fake in all of this is that all of the money in the world is a fiat money, with no real backing. Basing an economy on currency that is essentially fake is at the heart of most of the developed world's woes. Diminishing returns on expanding efforts, with currency that may grow in volume, but continually diminishing buying power. Paired with continually diminishing, or growing competition for, agricultural, natural and energy resources, whether real or contrived, and we face constant destabilization.

 

At the end of the day, it's just a bunch incompetent clowns juggling grenades, knives and flaming torches. But the spectators are the only ones at risk of getting burned. What's the point? There is none. Not for you nor me. We die in vain for others perverted causes. None of us should really care. Sad to say, it may as well happen there than over here. Media plays into the puppeteers by tugging at our emotions. 50 years from now, I bet this place will not look much different, other than the standard of living and purchasing power of your kids, grandkids and great-grandkids will be down, along with a significant erosion of their freedoms.

 

 

[Pat Riot]

Patton was right!

[Dirty Dan Dawkins]

1 hour ago, Pat Riot said:

Patton was right!

Otherwise, what is the point?

[Colorado Coffinmaker]

 

PLUS ONE for PAT RIOT.  PATTON absolutely had it Right.  The only draw back was it would have been worse than actually invading Japan.  Should it have been done??  Yep.  Also unfortunately, the Western World was sick of war and didn't, at that time have the stomach for it.  We're Paying the price of 20/20 Hind Sight.

 

And before we malign the conflict with Farmers and Goat Herders in Slippers, let's remember, in history, those self same Farmers and Goat Herders in Slippers have handed every invading force their collective Butts.  Especially since it was a conflict we never should have gotten into in the first place.

[Chantry]

3 hours ago, Dirty Dan Dawkins said:

The cold war is over, and even then, it was largely over blown. But many remain staunchly convinced we evaded nuclear holocaust.

Any perceived crisis was evaded by theatre.

 

It's funny, ask any American why Russia invaded the Ukraine and why we should defend the Ukraine, and few can give a simple answer. 

 

My answer:

First, some Russian reasons for invasion:

1) Putin wanted to.  That is a simple enough reason, with no more explanation really needed. There are some attractive resources there and the Zelensky is not any more of mature and legit leader, than the Putin. They are both held in power by executive fiat.

2) He could. I mean, who was going to stop him? An uncoordinated, absent minded blow hard octogenarian? Blinken? A pentagon who's public perception is tarnished? Nope. The worst they would do would amount to no more than a well thought out, well crafted letter to the editor of the Washington Post. I am sure Putin went in knowing he might lose a lot of good men, but he is confident, absolutely certain, in knowing that NATO as a unit will not show up and forcefully eject Russia from the Ukraine.

3) Don't cry to me about freedom. 

4) Russia was already financially isolated, and controls the narrative domestically. What is the worse that could happen? Oh yeah, energy prices to Germany could go up.

5) People still call Ukraine "The Ukraine". 

 

So why defend the Ukraine? That is a tough one, but the democracy talk is all nonsense, and "cause Russia invaded" just does not see to be enough. Basically boils down to energy and agricultural and European interests. The pain we see here is fabricated social unrest and inflation created by trillions of dollars of fiat money being printed since 2019, but the authorities will have you think otherwise. Breton Woods , the IMF, NATO and all were set up to establish global financial and military security , and "free  trade" at US tax payer expense knowing that something like the Marshall Plan would come along to rebuild Europe after the war. Out of WWII, the US could have set up what resembled empire, and but Woodrow Wilson and Paris 1919 set a precedent against that. To some degree, the US did set up an economic empire with stipulations of "open markets" and foreign bases of military operation to those that wanted to play ball.  Foreign world leaders and financiers influenced international agreements to institute globalization to manipulate it. US idealist promoted it.

 

Globalization: the equalization of currency, along with funding for security and economic development among member states, and to regulate the development of third world member states to not overly threaten or impose upon the wealth of the controlling member states. This all largely at the expense of the dominate member the US of A. The USSR thumbed their nose at Breton Woods, the IMF, the World Bank and capitalism. Their course of international diplomacy was followed through with an arms race, or through manipulation and concessions from "peace talks", and fraud via foreign aid and agricultural commodities schemes run through the USSR itself, or through Soviet block nations and allies. China largely followed suit but changed course only to what is now their own modern form of mercantilism, domestically, and to colonialism in Asia, Africa and South America, internationally. 

 

This is all nothing more than the game of "Risk" using real borders, real people and real commodities; using debt, embargos, sanctions,  and long drawn out skirmishes that resemble little of the previous wars of colliding armies and naval vessels yet still calling it "war". The more measurable casualties are short-term, regionally isolated poverty and exponentially growing public and private debt.  One side tries to bleed the other financially dry while the other tries to bleed the other dry of resources, knowing the victor (generally always viewed as the US) will rebuild the defeated in the name of some perversion of an ideology of the past.

 

The victor pays the most and bleeds the most, and a traditional sense of victory is an antiquated relic of the past. The US soldier's death is a necessary by-product to prop up global order. Why don't other countries commit as many men or resources to these proxy wars as the US? For one, their socialist governments and budgets won't allow it. The people simply cannot be taxed anymore. Secondly, if they suffered the casualty rates we have, their people would not stand for it. Which in itself says a lot about the average Americans acceptance of senseless American casualties.

 

The only thing fake in all of this is that all of the money in the world is a fiat money, with no real backing. Basing an economy on currency that is essentially fake is at the heart of most of the developed world's woes. Diminishing returns on expanding efforts, with currency that may grow in volume, but continually diminishing buying power. Paired with continually diminishing, or growing competition for, agricultural, natural and energy resources, whether real or contrived, and we face constant destabilization.

 

At the end of the day, it's just a bunch incompetent clowns juggling grenades, knives and flaming torches. But the spectators are the only ones at risk of getting burned. What's the point? There is none. Not for you nor me. We die in vain for others perverted causes. None of us should really care. Sad to say, it may as well happen there than over here. Media plays into the puppeteers by tugging at our emotions. 50 years from now, I bet this place will not look much different, other than the standard of living and purchasing power of your kids, grandkids and great-grandkids will be down, along with a significant erosion of their freedoms.

 

 

 

Add in Russia, in all of it's various forms, being paranoid about being invaded, probably to the point of it being a phobia.   And losing anywhere from 12.5% to 25% of it's ENTIRE population during WWII certainly reinforced that paranoia.  It didn't help that while the US & Great Britain weren't really ready to invade France until 1944, we perfectly willing to let the Russians and Germans bleed each other dry rather than suffer the heavy casualties of trying to invade France in 1943. (Per Churchill's The Second World War)

 

Here is just a partial list of countries that have invaded Russia/Soviet Union:  Germany at least twice, the French, British & Americans during the Russian Civil War, the French & British during the Crimean War, border skirmishes with China and Japan during WWII.

 

It was 1812 the last time the continental US was invaded.  Here this country sits with oceans on both sides of the country with it's citizens confident, correctly, that no country in the world presents a real threat of invasion.  How many European countries can say that? Until the Ukraine-Russia war, how many major conflicts have taken place in Europe since we became the world police whether we liked it or not?

 

Russia, in all of its forms is no saint and I'm not condoning what they did, but taking just a glimpse of their point of view makes things a little less and a little more complicated.

[Chantry]

FYI,  here's a link:  https://taskandpurpose.com/news/military-individual-ready-reserve-biden-executive-order/

 

 

[J.D. Daily]

21 hours ago, Colorado Coffinmaker said:

Cowboy,

 

Since the United States has been a NATO member since inception, and by Allied agreements been supporting Western Europe since the end of World War Two, as well as maintaining forces, I really don't see your point.  You spend much time on Active Duty??

 

We also participated in an operation called REFORGER for decades, as a show of strength and solidarity, by rotating large numbers of troops and equipment into the European Theater.  Sticking a finger in Putin's eye is ALWAYS a good thing.

Not sure when the annual REFORGER exercise ended.  Probably when the USSR dissolved.  REFORGER was initiated when US drew down Army forces permenently stationed in Europe.  My last year in the Army I was in the 1st Division at Ft. Riley Kansas.  The 1st Div. was designated the rapid deployment force should the SHTF in West Germany.  As part of the duties of the designation the Div. trained in the fields of Ft. Riley one week a month.  Annually performed operational readiness test.  Then in the months of Sept. & Oct. deploy to Germany.  Pick-up jeeps, trucks, tanks, APC's, M109's, M88's, etc. parked near Frankfurt.   One week of the exercise was playing war games across the Bavarian countryside damaging narrow roads, sugar beet fields & tree farms.with the tracked vehicles.  The exercise ended at Grafenwohr.

[PowderRiverCowboy]

Coincidence??