Victor Davis Hanson and cohost Jack Fowler talk about the US Marine Corps, the war in Ukraine, and the asymmetry of radicalizing and tribalizing our culture. This last will not end well.
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5 thoughts on “Our Military and Our Meritocracy”
Chickensoup
Yes leftists can have this asymmetric cultural experience. Because whites don’t fight back. Until they do genocide is a enlarging risk.
The portrayal of the war in Ukraine is so one-sided and facts light on this podcast that it sinks to the level of intellectual laundering for inchoate nativist anxieties. No mention that the US is 8th in the ammount of GDP it gives in aid to Ukraine? No mention of the Brits? No mention that much of that aid goes to American companies to back fill supplies sent to Ukraine? No mention that the bills sending that aid have the most checks and accountability mechanisms of any foreign aid we’ve ever sent? No mention that the war is still very popular in the US and that China keeps backpedaling with Russia while neutral India is pressuring Putin to come to terms? You make it sound like Zelenskyy alone is driving this war when he has the mass support of his countrymen and others here and in Europe don’t find him to be an ingrate. You insult those Ukrainians every time you insinuate that this is Zelensky’s war. You insult the people of the Donbass every time you confuse the language they speak with the country you support. You also insult those other 7 countries that are digging deeper into their pockets than we are when you blow their sacrifices off. Give this schpiel to the Prime Minister of Estonia next time she talks to H.R., Navalny’s right hand, and I guarantee you you will emerge without your head. Even Kotkin, who has his reservations about the war, would give you the backhand of correction (as he did to a recrusant Ferguson) if you served up this thin analysis to him. You don
Oops. Looks like the word count has given me the backhand of correction for my loquacious verbosity!
To finish:
… You don’t have to support US involvement in Ukraine or you can think that there are more pressing topics deserving of your attention, but I can find enough information coming out weekly from your Hoover collogues to make it look like you’ve been phoning it in on Ukraine since May. It seems to be the norm at Hoover that all members hold each other and each other’s disciplines in cordial contempt, but honor yourself and the issue if you incorporated their arguments and counterarguments into future discussions of the war. I serve this up hot because I know you like it that way. 😉
Anyone who wants to understand the reality of infantry war, even in the 21st Century, should read Bing West’s “1,000,000 Steps”. It follows, through diaries kept by the Marines, the entire deployment of a platoon in Kandahar, Afghanistan. Also goes into portraits of the imperfect men, before and after the deployment, who comprised the platoon.
The Marine Corps has always been technologically innovative. First air medivacs and resupplies took place in Nicaragua in the ’20s. Provided close air support there. Established HMX-1 (experimental helicopter squadron) in 1947 when helicopters could only carry 3 people (including the pilot). Amphibious Warfare started with the Advanced Base School in 1910. Developed the Harrier jump jet and V-22 Osprey in the face of opposition by non-Marines. Developed the Maritime Prepositioning System which led to quick deployment in the Gulf War and its cousin the Land Prepositioning System in the caves of Norway.
Marine Corps logistics always played a vital part. In the Gulf War the Army literally had to bring in civilian ladies from Texas to provide supply support because they had removed those capabilities from their active forces.
Marines also had more junior grades in positions of authority. Army platoon – Platoon Sergeant is Sergeant First Class (E-7) with staff sergeants (E-6) for each squad leader. Marine platoon – Platoon Sergeant is Staff Sergeant (E-6) with Sergeants (E-5) as squad leaders.
Marines do do good tough work. Westmoreland’s !01st lived in jungles 24/7, no tents, no sleeping gear. One Poncho with nylon liner even during monsoons. Usually company strength (a joke in Vietnam) splitting up into platoons (another joke) for days at a time. Normally out for 4 weeks (1 resupply only), in for 2 or 3 days then back out. Out once for 65 consecutive days. (Sgt, 101st, Vietnam 66-67-68. Purple Heart)
Yes leftists can have this asymmetric cultural experience. Because whites don’t fight back. Until they do genocide is a enlarging risk.
The portrayal of the war in Ukraine is so one-sided and facts light on this podcast that it sinks to the level of intellectual laundering for inchoate nativist anxieties. No mention that the US is 8th in the ammount of GDP it gives in aid to Ukraine? No mention of the Brits? No mention that much of that aid goes to American companies to back fill supplies sent to Ukraine? No mention that the bills sending that aid have the most checks and accountability mechanisms of any foreign aid we’ve ever sent? No mention that the war is still very popular in the US and that China keeps backpedaling with Russia while neutral India is pressuring Putin to come to terms? You make it sound like Zelenskyy alone is driving this war when he has the mass support of his countrymen and others here and in Europe don’t find him to be an ingrate. You insult those Ukrainians every time you insinuate that this is Zelensky’s war. You insult the people of the Donbass every time you confuse the language they speak with the country you support. You also insult those other 7 countries that are digging deeper into their pockets than we are when you blow their sacrifices off. Give this schpiel to the Prime Minister of Estonia next time she talks to H.R., Navalny’s right hand, and I guarantee you you will emerge without your head. Even Kotkin, who has his reservations about the war, would give you the backhand of correction (as he did to a recrusant Ferguson) if you served up this thin analysis to him. You don
Oops. Looks like the word count has given me the backhand of correction for my loquacious verbosity!
To finish:
… You don’t have to support US involvement in Ukraine or you can think that there are more pressing topics deserving of your attention, but I can find enough information coming out weekly from your Hoover collogues to make it look like you’ve been phoning it in on Ukraine since May. It seems to be the norm at Hoover that all members hold each other and each other’s disciplines in cordial contempt, but honor yourself and the issue if you incorporated their arguments and counterarguments into future discussions of the war. I serve this up hot because I know you like it that way. 😉
Anyone who wants to understand the reality of infantry war, even in the 21st Century, should read Bing West’s “1,000,000 Steps”. It follows, through diaries kept by the Marines, the entire deployment of a platoon in Kandahar, Afghanistan. Also goes into portraits of the imperfect men, before and after the deployment, who comprised the platoon.
The Marine Corps has always been technologically innovative. First air medivacs and resupplies took place in Nicaragua in the ’20s. Provided close air support there. Established HMX-1 (experimental helicopter squadron) in 1947 when helicopters could only carry 3 people (including the pilot). Amphibious Warfare started with the Advanced Base School in 1910. Developed the Harrier jump jet and V-22 Osprey in the face of opposition by non-Marines. Developed the Maritime Prepositioning System which led to quick deployment in the Gulf War and its cousin the Land Prepositioning System in the caves of Norway.
Marine Corps logistics always played a vital part. In the Gulf War the Army literally had to bring in civilian ladies from Texas to provide supply support because they had removed those capabilities from their active forces.
Marines also had more junior grades in positions of authority. Army platoon – Platoon Sergeant is Sergeant First Class (E-7) with staff sergeants (E-6) for each squad leader. Marine platoon – Platoon Sergeant is Staff Sergeant (E-6) with Sergeants (E-5) as squad leaders.
Marines do do good tough work. Westmoreland’s !01st lived in jungles 24/7, no tents, no sleeping gear. One Poncho with nylon liner even during monsoons. Usually company strength (a joke in Vietnam) splitting up into platoons (another joke) for days at a time. Normally out for 4 weeks (1 resupply only), in for 2 or 3 days then back out. Out once for 65 consecutive days. (Sgt, 101st, Vietnam 66-67-68. Purple Heart)