US Army to be cut to pre-WWII levels??!!

[Staggerwing]

This may be what you're thinking of:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Posse_Comitatus_Act

Posse Comitatus originally referred to the power of a law enforcement officer to 'deputize' someone to help him (or her) uphold the law.

[Mr. Bigglesworth]

Yes, that looks like it.

[Mr. Bigglesworth]

The military is not investment that generates more wealth, it is a cost center.

I'll disagree with your last sentence.  If you allow your trading partners to be slowly taken out by those who hate you, then it will do great harm to our economy.  A strong military that is capable of defending ourselves but helping to defend our friends is an investment.  If you think we have the ability to grow the military as quickly as we did during WWII, then I think you're sadly mistaken. 

Our current military spending isn't going to bankrupt us.  It's the unfunded mandates that are, which are at $128T and climbing.  Military spending is dropping, both in dollars and as a percent of GDP. 

I may be wrong, but I don't think these cuts are either wise or needed.

All countries have access to modern engineering tech. Maybe they lack raw materials to ramp production quickly. The US lacks nothing it needs for a massive WWII type move to war production.

[Greybriar]

Where's General Pershing when you need him?  ;)

I bet the general is turning over in his grave.

[GDS_Starfury]

All countries have access to modern engineering tech. Maybe they lack raw materials to ramp production quickly. The US lacks nothing it needs for a massive WWII type move to war production.

No.  building an F-16 is waaaay more time intensive then building a P-51 and a M-1 aint no Sherman.  the simplicity just isnt there anymore.

[Mr. Bigglesworth]

You would be mass producing missiles.

All countries have access to modern engineering tech. Maybe they lack raw materials to ramp production quickly. The US lacks nothing it needs for a massive WWII type move to war production.

No.  building an F-16 is waaaay more time intensive then building a P-51 and a M-1 aint no Sherman.  the simplicity just isnt there anymore.

Those are systems for small engagements not country survival. I think you would be building missiles. Then boats and trucks to get them in range. That is all that would be left after the ICBM exchanges.

[HistoricalGamer]

All countries have access to modern engineering tech. Maybe they lack raw materials to ramp production quickly. The US lacks nothing it needs for a massive WWII type move to war production.

No.  building an F-16 is waaaay more time intensive then building a P-51 and a M-1 aint no Sherman.  the simplicity just isnt there anymore.

The US Still has the largest and most advanced aerospace industry in the world between Space X, Boeing, and all the contractors building the F-35 (for better or worse) it has more capacity than anyone else. Large export orders means assembly lines are still open that should have been closed years ago on projects like the F-18 and F-16 those assembly lines have been dramatically down scaled from their full production runs but could be brought back into line if needed. Furthermore tools and equipment for the F-35 line was maintained to bring the capabilities back into line. I'm not saying we're making 50k aircraft in 5 years but no one is doing that, US industry still has the ability to reshape much in the way it did during World War 2, just not perhaps as dramatically.

Furthermore despite all the crys of outsourcing US industrial output continues to increase year over year, its just becoming more and more automated thus eliminating many jobs while maintain capacity. US Steal production for example is still on par with 1980s Steal Production and the US is still the 2nd largest manufacturing nation in the world with the largest (by far) military industrial complex. Things are slower yes but part of that speed is intentional, lines are kept open at low production rates that could increase substantially but they are kept open at low production levels to maintain cost savings and infrastructure that otherwise would be lost if lines were totally shut down.

[endfire79]

You would be mass producing missiles.

All countries have access to modern engineering tech. Maybe they lack raw materials to ramp production quickly. The US lacks nothing it needs for a massive WWII type move to war production.

No.  building an F-16 is waaaay more time intensive then building a P-51 and a M-1 aint no Sherman.  the simplicity just isnt there anymore.

Those are systems for small engagements not country survival. I think you would be building missiles. Then boats and trucks to get them in range. That is all that would be left after the ICBM exchanges.

What would really be left after ICBM exchanges?  Seriously though, what would be left?  I keep thinking of "The Day After" & "When the Wind Blows"  (shudder).

[GDS_Starfury]

the reason Ive never liked nuclear arms control talks is that at some point you cross a threshold where they become viable weapons again. with 40,000 and up no one uses them.  below 5,000 and shit starts changing.

[Mr. Bigglesworth]

the reason Ive never liked nuclear arms control talks is that at some point you cross a threshold where they become viable weapons again. with 40,000 and up no one uses them.  below 5,000 and shit starts changing.

I appreciate the logic. It's not the same anymore though. It used to be 40,000 within a few miles of what matters. Now it is 5000 bullseyes guaranteed to eliminate whatever was supposed to be hit.

The new logic is dont get into an exchange, both sides (whatever rabble is left) will become the bitches of other countries X,Y,Z who were smart enough to stay out of it.

[MetalDog]

the reason Ive never liked nuclear arms control talks is that at some point you cross a threshold where they become viable weapons again. with 40,000 and up no one uses them.  below 5,000 and shit starts changing.

I appreciate the logic. It's not the same anymore though. It used to be 40,000 within a few miles of what matters. Now it is 5000 bullseyes guaranteed to eliminate whatever was supposed to be hit.

The new logic is dont get into an exchange, both sides (whatever rabble is left) will become the bitches of other countries X,Y,Z who were smart enough to stay out of it.

What I still don't get about that is, once the nukes start flying, whatever is left won't be worth owning in a few years anyways.  So it doesn't matter who is in or out, the whole place will be radioactive sooner than later.

[Boggit]

US Army to be cut to pre-WWII levels??!!

That will be one hell of a cut!

Pre-WW2 could include the Civil War! Maybe it's double speak for INCREASING the size of the army. ::) With the situation in the Ukraine turning nasty, it places a better spin on the double speak... ;) :o

[OJsDad]

I wonder how this news will play into the downsizing plans;

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/obama-arrives-europe-urges-congress-back-european-reassurance-initiative-n121006

President Barack Obama is urging Congress to support a $1 billion initiative to boost U.S. military activity in Europe, the White House said Tuesday, as the president kicked off a four-day trip to the continent.