Yazid III Quotes

A common modern political issue is the relative efficiency of State verses the Federal government in the spending of tax resources, but in the area of defense, it is today assumed that this is a Federal role. However, in 1814, in the midst of a war, there were those who argued for State operation of the nation's defense. See Artemas Ward for a similar view.

Plan Orange was the code name of the united states plan for possible war with Japan. In this ironic quotation, American military planners realized five years before Pearl Harbor that surprise attack was the major vulnerability. We were surprised and had no help from our intelligence service which despite the recommendations was almost nonexistent.

The French and English, with larger numbers and more experienced troops and officers, wanted the American units to come under the command or their officers and be integrated into the allied army. However Wilson established the tradition that American troops fighting abroad most always fight as an American Army under American Command. Although resented then and into the 21st century by America’s allies who are expected to fight under American command, it is a tradition that no American major politician has seriously challenged since then.

Washington, although the presiding officer of the Constitutional Convention, said almost nothing for such was the respect for him that he cou;d sway almost any issue. But the absurdity of limiting the size of the American Army was too much for him, and his clever way of phrasing his concern ended discussion of that idea without any ill feelings.

He had wanted more troops for the Afghan War than President Obama would approve. The Republican members of the Congress tried to make the difference a major issue of a President not supporting his commanders. The General made this brilliant response.

This quotation illustrates the dire economic straights the new country was in. There was no money to pay the troops, but worse, not enough money to provide food and clothing for even those patriots who would forgo their pay. It illustrates the critical importance of France in the success of the American Revolution.

Japan was a militarist aggressive state when they started WWII in the Pacific. Their military brutalized China and almost every other country in Asia committing atrocities that those nations still are bitter about today. The unconditional surrender required that their new Constitution prohibit a military. However some of the Conservatives like Abe do not believe that Japan should be the only nation denied a military. Most of the rest of Asia even resents and fears the defense forces that they have and would seriously oppose a reestablishment of a military.

See {637854} for a quote on the soundness of our military planning.

Ivan Khrfistoforovich Bagramyan. Most militaries including ours have generally been trained and equipped for the last war and not the next war.

ground troops fighting in Iraq & Syria in addition to air power Quote A was made in June of 2014. Quote B, 3 months later in September. In June there are rumors that the Obama administration might commit more military assets to the situation in Iraq and Syria and Graham was afraid that the President might be considering ground troops. Three months later, President Obama announced a policy of making a serious military commitment to the area, but stated that he would not be using ground troops. Graham then criticized the President for NOT deploying ground troops reversing his previous position. This is a marvelous example of the hyper partisanship and the virulent anti-Obama action by the Republicans. Actually, Graham was better than most of the Republicans. He was always polite. He criticized the President’s policies and actions even if he had to twist around to do it. Many of his colleagues made vicious personal attacks on the President and kept spreading rumors that he was not a Christian but a Muslim who was not born in America and was indoctrinated in Islam as a boy. Graham’s flip flop was explained by him as a change that was made necessary by the rise and military aggression of ISIS which he also blamed on the President for not committing more resources to the Syrian insurgents.