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2006-03-02 Home Front: WoT
It's time for an American foreign legion
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Posted by .com 2006-03-02 04:05|| || Front Page|| [11129 views since 2007-05-07]  Top

#1 Australia is considering a similar initiative, specifically aimed at Pacific islanders; Fijians, etc.
Posted by phil_b">phil_b  2006-03-02 05:11|| http://autonomousoperation.blogspot.com/]">[http://autonomousoperation.blogspot.com/]  2006-03-02 05:11|| Front Page Top

#2 A mercenary captain is either able, or he is not...
Posted by gromgoru 2006-03-02 10:09||   2006-03-02 10:09|| Front Page Top

#3 The problem with the idea is that this could become a good way for bad people to (a) get nice US training and experience (b) citizenship.

The Neonazi's sent members into the US military hoping to get military training. I'm not opposed to the idea but it would have to be carefully done.

I would suggest using such a unit primarily for peacekeeping and rebuilding duties. Probably working for the UN. That way the US military doesn't have the edge of its blade dulled by this nonsense. The US military cleans house and hands over the baton to these guys who are trained for peacekeeping and rebuilding.

We should also charge the UN for sending them anywhere as other nations do. Eventually these units, under UN control would naturally expand to take over most UN peacekeeping duties.
Posted by rjschwarz 2006-03-02 11:24||   2006-03-02 11:24|| Front Page Top

#4 This is precisely why God created contractors.
Posted by Visitor 2006-03-02 15:38||   2006-03-02 15:38|| Front Page Top

#5 Both the active and reserve components of the U.S. Army have nearly reached their recruiting limits in strength, given attitudes in America.

False on all accounts.

1 - Congress sets the limits of the forces. When the Army was downsized in the early 90s it went from 750,000 to 482,000 by LAW. In FY 2005 Congress finally got around to authorizing a modest increase of 20,000 to 502,000. In one year the Army raised 10,000 additional without a major shift of existing personal resources into the training base to accommodate greater numbers in a short period of time. It takes far more time to build up with skills and qualification, than it does to downsize the force. Body bags can be filled in 90 days.

2 - The Army operated for over a decade at the 750,000 mark prior to Desert Storm. In a smaller population base of the 80s, the Army was able to man the force. That's at a level of 50% great than today and without the draft.
Posted by Sleremp Spineger5137 2006-03-02 17:26||   2006-03-02 17:26|| Front Page Top

#6 Many problems would be avoided in such a thing if the recruiting was limited to certain countries, not opened to all comers.

I'm thinking the Philippines. 95% Christian and highly pro-American, English-speaking to a substantial degree, a long-time US ally, and with a tradition of direct recruiting into the US armed forces (the US Navy did this until the 1970's). With a large community (2-3 million) in the US already, with a proven track record of rapid assimilation. The US could recruit a million Filipinos easily, and the subsequent citizenship/assimilation problems should be minimal.
Posted by buwaya 2006-03-02 18:40||   2006-03-02 18:40|| Front Page Top

#7 "...God created contractors"

ROFL!
Posted by .com 2006-03-02 19:39||   2006-03-02 19:39|| Front Page Top

#8 Thought the USMC was America's Foreign Legion - to paraphrase a Marine General from the 1980's?, its the Army's job "to win Wars", the Marines "to win Battles". I have never been attuned to when anytime America develops new warfighting technologies, it has to create a separate Uniformed Service. I remember analysts proposing as many as 9-10 separate Services.
Posted by JosephMendiola 2006-03-02 21:32||   2006-03-02 21:32|| Front Page Top

23:55 Rafael
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