What's your pet peeve in RL?

[Malacite]

Re: What's your pet peeve in RL?

Enjoy your banana republic.

[Aksannyi]

Re: What's your pet peeve in RL?

I also don't think it matters which party wins the white house next, unless it's someone who's genuinely not afraid to stir the pot. Obama turned out to be a complete pussy for reasons we'll likely never know.

I always knew Obama would be full of shit, also, the fact that he didn't stand up and correct people who really, actually, literally thought that he would erase all their debt, give them a car, and buy them a house. I knew that was a load of shit, but government handouts are just as high as ever. (One of my biggest pet peeves, I think I've posted about welfare and how it's not even close to a solution.)

More than anything, I am concerned for the state of our economy and our national defense. We continue to cut down our defense fund (stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid) and devalue the American dollar and for what? His own pockets? His buddies' pockets? But what the fuck does Obama think will happen when someone decides to come start a fight with us after he's cut the military to a practically pitiful level? And yet, somehow with all those cuts, our debt is larger than ever.

What scares me is that people don't think that other countries out there would attack us. How quickly we forget that it already happened, and it will probably happen again. With our defense budget ever dwindling, though, I'm having a difficult time believing that we could fend that sort of thing off. There are a lot of people who flat-out hate us. There are some serious blinders on a lot of people's eyes, and I would argue that Obama has the biggest ones of them all, because all he gives a fuck about is his stupid health care law that will do nothing but cost the working taxpayer more money while continuing to let the poor reap the benefits from it.

I read a lot of fiction set in dystopian societies. They're generally fascinating because it makes me wonder what we're heading for. This country is going to fall, hard, and everyone is too wrapped up in themselves to see it happening right before their eyes. It's scary. It's very scary.

Dude I could go on about this shit all day. This government is a royal fucking piece of work. I swear to god if some shit goes down, I'm outtie. I have a gun, several bullets, and I will fucking live off the land, something I can do thanks very much to the military training I was lucky enough to get before the Army was cut down to skin and bones.

[Jarre]

Re: What's your pet peeve in RL?

Defense budget dwindling? The US has the biggest defence budget in the world! Try thinking about the Uk whos been cut so far back although 2 aircraft carriers are being built we don't have any so have to use the Frenches and half of the army is now TA i.e. part time soldiers who have a fulltime job elsewhere. In 2011 the US spent $683.7 billion on defense. In the uk the total spend for all departments of the government came to £686b basically the US spends 2/3 of our entire government budget for a year on defense. The problem is people in the USA are so big headed and think they are the power of the world and if anyone thinks otherwise they are so easy to pull a trigger and ask questions later. So when anyone challenges that by asking for a budget cut ion defense or to have gun laws they whine about it as being against their freedom and against their constitution. The world is fucked, greedy people have spent to much money now we all have to suffer cuts and beleive me, you think the axe is sharp in teh US with budget cuts, you should see what the UK's budget cuts are like as they are severe.

Just to give you an idea on budgets heres 2013 spending for leading countries in the world..

SIPRI Yearbook 2013 – World's top 15 military spenders
The world's top 6 military spenders in 2012.
Figures sourced from the SIPRI Yearbook 2013.
Rank Country Spending ($ Bn.)[3]

1 United States 682.0
2 China People's Republic of China 166.0
3 Russia 90.7
4 United Kingdom 60.8
5 Japan 59.3
6 France 58.9
7 Saudi Arabia 56.7
8 India 46.1
9 Germany 45.8
10 Italy 34.0
11 Brazil 33.1
12 South Korea 31.7
13 Australia 26.2
14 Canada 22.5
15 Turkey 18.2

Source:- List of countries by military expenditures - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

From that table the US spends over $500billion more than the nearest rival China I don't get your complaint!

[Aksannyi]

Re: What's your pet peeve in RL?

Comparatively, yes, it is high. But we also are a lot larger than most of those nations, and I think (though not 100% sure) only China rivals our population. On top of overseas operations (many of which the general public are not privy to), we also must maintain a secure interior.

Shrinking the military force below 250k on active duty (I believe is what the last figure is) is absolutely crazy, considering not only do you have some units on a full deployment rotation, you also must conduct constant training and garrison operations. Because we do have so many interests overseas (you can argue this is necessary or not, meanwhile my brother is in Afghanistan and the Taliban still wants death to America), it's hard to imagine that small of a force maintaining the security of our own nation. Granted there are reserve and National Guard units but they are often called upon for other purposes, also, you can't just keep people on constant deployment. You actually have to bring them home after 18 months.

So it's not so much cutting the budget, as there are some places in the military where spending definitely needs to go way down, but cutting down the size of the force that worries me. I'm sure that there are other countries watching our military numbers dwindle. They may very well be biding their time. I support a strong active military force. There is no such thing as world peace, and there never will be. I would not be surprised to see another attack on American soil within the decade.

[Jarre]

Re: What's your pet peeve in RL?

Well they have won if it makes people in the US so paranoid they have to hide behind the biggest defense force in the world.

[Firewind]

Re: What's your pet peeve in RL?

I never got the concept of ensuring national security by having troops posted at the other side of the world, in a country that has no capabilities of an invasion, while the troop presence continues to provide people with reasons to hate you. The UK Government has this exact mentality, we still have troops stationed in GERMANY for fuck's sake. A NATO ally and member of the EU. All for the purposes of "National Defence" And our Government wonders why everyone hates us.

[Aksannyi]

Re: What's your pet peeve in RL?

We've pulled quite a lot of our troops out of Germany, the small base I was stationed at (and my unit) are now defunct, ten years later. I painted a mural on the wall there (well, my ex-husband and I did), and it's probably gone now.

We're still pretty well manned in Korea since the war there never really ended, it's just been on a more than half-century cease fire, so I kind of understand that one. As for other operations, I know we're still very much at war in Afghanistan and Iraq, though I believe we are working on getting out of Iraq. Afghanistan is still going strong though. I would much rather fight them there than here.

As for "winning," sure, maybe we had won, but I think cutting the defense is a mistake. We have fallen into a false sense of security and "It won't happen," which is pretty much exactly what our enemies want. The more we feel comfortable shrinking our military, the more comfortable the others will feel coming at us. I know plenty of Americans who think the military is unnecessary, but let's get rid of it and see how quickly shit starts going to hell. Do I think the military will disappear off the map? Of course not, I really don't think we're quite that stupid (yet), but I wouldn't be surprised if foreign powers are watching and waiting for the right time to come on over here and fuck some shit up.

And then what? It may or may not be a likely scenario, but the lack of foresight and consideration by our current leadership has me worried. I don't think anything to the effect of Obama being in bed with the terrorist organizations we are fighting against - and yes there are people who think that, my coworker is one of them - but I don't think that we're invincible. We are definitely not - yet so many people seem to think that we are.

So yes, cutting the military down is a concern for me. Maybe we cut it down little by little and nothing happens. So far, that's what's happening. Eventually we will have cut so much, taken so much away, that we will be genuinely vulnerable to attack. Will that happen this time? Maybe not. Maybe next time. Maybe the time after that ...

It scares me that so many people lack foresight to see what kind of consequences their actions will have in the long term.

[Firewind]

Re: What's your pet peeve in RL?

You do know what happened the last time someone was stupid enough to physically invade the United States, and how well it ended up for the people that tried that right?.

There's a very good reason why the vast majority of nations now actually use their militaries as they should: as a self defence force until troops are required for a peacekeeping role or or other roles such as fulfilling NATO obligations.

[Aksannyi]

Re: What's your pet peeve in RL?

Hey, I'm not saying it's not incredibly stupid to do it, just that it could happen.

Also, change of topic, can this week just end already?

[Malacite]

Re: What's your pet peeve in RL?

Hagel just announced they're dropping the troop levels to pre-WW2 and I applaud him for that.


You guys are aware that you're spending roughly $711 BILLION every year on the military yeah? More than the next 13 countries combined, including Germany China & Russia. Those who don't learn from history...


I semi-agree on the "handouts" thing. I firmly believe in having a safety net for the less fortunate, and things like social security to ensure people who've worked all their lives and done the right things can retire in dignity. The problem these days is the widening inequality though - too many people aren't making enough money even working full-time. All you ever hear on the news is more and more bullshit about "job creators" when if you look at your own mother fucking history you will see time and again that the answer lies in your past - raising taxes on the rich and corporations, keeping govt. spending within sustainable margins and paying people enough to actually live and not just survive. If you don't pay people enough to actually buy the things they need + a few things they actually want, then you don't spur on demand which means fewer jobs, less taxes, and more dependence on the govt. just to get by. I was appalled to hear last night on The Daily Show that a majority if U.S. armed forces and their families rely on foodstamps. That, on top of all the pointless wars, backlog of benefits and the plethora of other ailments plaguing the servicemen & women is beyond the pale. I'm against the draft, but at the same time, this is the kind of shit you get when you don't have one. It's all too easy for the politicians to simply pay lip service and not actually do anything when they don't have any personal stake in it.

You could easily slash the military's budget in half and still have the most feared, well-prepared army in the world and put that money to better use like fixing a country that's literally coming apart at the seams. The sad thing is the infrastructure, as awful as it is, is the least of your worries. But it would everyone a huge favor to stop indiscriminately bombing civilians and occupying hostile nations - you're doing more to encourage even more hostility than you're actively preventing. Fuck Afghanistan, it's a lost cause (and you can thank yourselves - specifically Reagan - for that) and try dealing with the rampant gangs and gun violence that happens ON A DAILY BASIS in Chicago.

[Firewind]

Re: What's your pet peeve in RL?

It's a logistical nightmare to start. Where do you even establish a foothold and get supplies out there to a continent that has two entire oceans either side? Plus an invasion of the US would result in an immediate response from NATO as well, so in order to be able to land an invasion force on US soil, you need to deal with the likes of Canada and the UK to start. Any attack would pretty much guaranteed a whole lot of resources and troops coming in from both countries pretty much immediately. But taking out either one is impossible without the US responding because that's the whole point of an alliance like NATO.

Plus if you are invading from the Atlantic you have to deal with all of Europe being in the way who might have some objections to an army travelling through their countries. I think the Japanese also demonstrated how monumentally stupid trying to get a military force over the Pacific is, especially considering the US controls all of the important islands strategically anyway. Plus there's also the likes of South Korea and Japan who are pretty likely to strongly object to an invasion force passing through their territory.

Also this needs to be said: never underestimate the power behind locals with guns. The US has learned this multiple times in the past. Plus it's actually a constitutional right to pull that shit off in the US, which was the original purpose of the Second Amendment given the British could have invaded at any time via Canada when that amendment was made.

On a scale of One to "Invade Russia in the Winter" on the scale of "shit that will get all of your army killed immediately", starting a war with the US in any way is pretty high in that list, nevermind actually putting boots on the ground.

- - - Updated - - -

Also on the subject of Welfare:

[Aksannyi]

Re: What's your pet peeve in RL?

I won't argue that a lot more than a dwindling military force would have to change for it to happen, but I like mah defenses. Which is why I have a huge stockpile of bullets.

The only good thing about a smaller military force is that if the President (not necessarily this one, just any President) wants to exert military law over its citizens, it would be almost impossible. Then again, they'd have to remove all the guns first, and that's not ever going to happen. Politicians are too corrupt, there is no way I would ever trust the politicians enough to just hand over my means to defend myself, and I am not the only one who feels this way.

Fuck it guys, I'm just going to go to the mountains to live. I'll build my own cabin and hunt and fish for survival. lolz that will never work, I can't survive more than like 20 minutes without interwebs.

[Firewind]

Re: What's your pet peeve in RL?

Honestly I don't even think a direct meteor strike on the NRA headquarters will make Rednecks give up their guns.

- - - Updated - - -

Also the UK's defence policy is something like this:

"Hah! We have the new Eurofighters! We're unstoppab- Oh, right, we sold our last Carrier to the Indians...We still have the Challenger 2! It's our M1 Ab-Wait, what do you mean we sold them all to the Saudis? Hmm...The US still loves us right? I mean they love Sherlock right? Hey, US! Help us out or we shoot Cumberbatch! Oh, and we'll finally apologise for dumping Piers Morgan on you."

[Aksannyi]

Re: What's your pet peeve in RL?

It's not just rednecks who won't give up their guns ... I am absolutely not a redneck but I value the ability to defend myself and my family, should I have to. I do know plenty of them but I know plenty who are not.

Though I get your point.

Brits must think we're all toothless hicks. :/

- - - Updated - - -

Lmao! I totally don't get the hype for Sherlock.

Rather have Piers Morgan than Bieber.

[Jarre]

Re: What's your pet peeve in RL?

Its not bad enough Firewind, we'll have to send them Jed Ward