Are We In The Beginning Stages Of World War 3

[sgeeeee]

One of my best friends is just about to come home from his 3rd tour in Iraq.  He volunteered for all of his tours and was enthusiastic about the war until this last tour training ISF for 7 months.  I've never seen anyone go from optimistic to jaded so darn fast.  He's not home yet so don't have the full story but lots of "blah, blah, blah" about the brass caring more about how stuff briefs than what actually gets accomplished and trying not to "choke the Iraqis".  Of course nothing new in the military, but his assessment is that the ISF unit they worked with are no better off now than when he started in January.  Short time frame and anecdotal for sure, but his frustration over this last tour was enough for him to leave the military... he's getting out the minute he gets back.

Yeah. I'm skeptical of reports from this administration that the "Iraquis are learning". First, I'm not sure what metric is being used to quantify this improvement. Sometimes I suspect it is a metric of blind hope.

Even if the Iraquis are learning, so are the terrorists and the various factions of chaos. The Iraquis may be learning, but not fast enough to make progress. When progress is measured in incidence of violence and murder, in the lack of adequate infrastucture, in US casualties, . . . it doesn't seem like the Iraquis are learning fast enough.

Since retiring, I haven't participated in DoD strategic planning exercises so I haven't seen briefings about the invasion of Iraq. I still have colleagues who participate, though, and they are not very optimistic these days.

 

[Mwsinron]

I worry when China and the US ever go at it. I wouldnt doubt it going nuclear.