Is the U.S. capable of defending itself in a war?

Regarding China's nukes: You can find esitmates online. "Annual Report to Congress: Military Power of the Peoples' Republic of China, 2006" So that's a few years old, but it shows a China with a tiny strategic nuclear arsenal, far smaller than any nuclear NATO country. China's first strike capability is a small fraction of the US's. Consider its second strike capability: Pitting the Chinese missile submarine force against the US Navy. That's even more imbalanced, as in, one exists and one does not exist.

It can defend itself against one country, but i dont think it can defend itself if China and Russia decided to unite together.GazaAli

"Defend itself" in what sense? Like, you think China and Russia would be able to successfully invade the country? How?

[QUOTE="GazaAli"]It can defend itself against one country, but i dont think it can defend itself if China and Russia decided to unite together.Palantas

"Defend itself" in what sense? Like, you think China and Russia would be able to successfully invade the country? How?

Not necessarily invading, but they will be strong enough to remove the US from its dominating state. GazaAli

Maybe. Here's the thing a lot of people aren't thinking about: Having a big army doesn't mean anything if you can't project combat power. This involves a navy to a large degree, and air power to a lesser degree. America's blue water navy is larger and more advanced than Russia's, and China's navy is a non-threat (to the US).

Sounds like they would be able to defend them selfs since they are the most powerful country in the world right now.

[QUOTE="ski11buzz"][QUOTE="67gt500"] I'd say that the only military force on earth that could roll clean over America would be the Chinese... apparently, they have more people in reserve alone - in reserve that is - than all four branches of the US military combined... scary stuff indeed...67gt500

[QUOTE="GazaAli"]Not necessarily invading, but they will be strong enough to remove the US from its dominating state. Palantas

Maybe. Here's the thing a lot of people aren't thinking about: Having a big army doesn't mean anything if you can't project combat power. This involves a navy to a large degree, and air power to a lesser degree. America's blue water navy is larger and more advanced than Russia's, and China's navy is a non-threat (to the US).

I keep hearing all the time 1000 troops sent 2000, 3000, 4000, they just keep sending soldiers to Iraq, but what would happen if all of the sudden we had another powerful country invading us?

cruzmontana

Well, didn't the Russians invade Georgia a few years ago?

Woe on the person who takes this post seriously

I think so, unless we let obama run rampant..then our soldiers would be fighting with water guns and water balloons..

Well, didn't the Russians invade Georgia a few years ago?

Woe on the person who takes this post seriously

NightStalkerBX

:lol:

I don't think you quite understand how our military works. This isn't WW2, everyone isn't always deployed. There are cycles (Army-12 month deployments, USMC- 6 months). For every unit over there there are two on bases.

STurn21

Let's see. We have the National Guard, millions of military still on home soil, a large gun-owning populace, and I highly doubt police officers wouldn't get in on it. I'd say yes.

[QUOTE="NightStalkerBX"]

Well, didn't the Russians invade Georgia a few years ago?

Woe on the person who takes this post seriously

SuperBobz

:lol:

The U.S. is incapable of defending itself. When the Russians and the Chinese come, every american would be to busy watching Jon and Kate plus 8, reading about Tiger Woods and eating Cheetos. :P

Not without Belgium you can't.

You're gonna need the 4 of us.

I think the Military is more than capable of defending the United States against any threat.

I think US military expenditure is more than like the next highest 18 countries combined. as in, our military is massive and utterly beyond any kind of competition.quiglythegreat

Where is all that money coming from? considering they're now trillions in debt. They can't keep borrowing forever.

[QUOTE="quiglythegreat"]I think US military expenditure is more than like the next highest 18 countries combined. as in, our military is massive and utterly beyond any kind of competition.one_plum

Where is all that money coming from? considering they're now trillions in debt. They can't keep borrowing forever.

The United States spends way, way more money on social programs than on the military. Military spending makes up around 15% of the national budget.

[QUOTE="one_plum"]

I think US military expenditure is more than like the next highest 18 countries combined. as in, our military is massive and utterly beyond any kind of competition.quiglythegreat

Where is all that money coming from? considering they're now trillions in debt. They can't keep borrowing forever.

The United States spends way, way more money on social programs than on the military. Military spending makes up around 15% of the national budget.

We would glass their homeland with nukes. What would they have to go back to?SteveTabernacle

Nah, the US wouldn't use nukes against another country unless they used nukes first. That has been tactical policy for a long time. We wouldn't need nuke, either. Any invasion would have to be amphibious, and the US Navy would have something to say about that.

How about all the money that goes into their secret black projects? Billions has been spent by the government on projects you and I never see.Anti-Venom

The 2009 budget was around three trillion dollars. Billions going into black projects (citation needed) would only affect this by a few percent.

at first I was like :| because it is kind of a shockingly dumb question

then I was like :roll: because I thought someone was taking another shot at the US

then I was like :lol:

Not without Belgium you can't.

You're gonna need the 4 of us.

Lto_thaG

we just need your beer!

btw I made a Lambic the other day...im thinking of making it into a kriek with cherry juice and aging it in a chardonnay barrel

I don't really have proof for this but last month in my engineering class we had a visitor come in from a private military corporation, Northrop Grumman. In the presentation he talked about about all the benefits for working in his company but once he talked about the projects he was involved in It really seemed to amaze me on how safe we are. One thing he talked about was that the US has fleets of submarines out in the ocean with approximately 30 nuclear missiles in them in case we get attacked here on home soil, it seemed pretty believable too coming from the guy that had the position of "Director of Projects". I doubt we will actually use them if we get attacked but i guess we can defend ourselves with that. Plus the majority of our troops our here in the US.

No we obviously cant look at history:

War of 1812

Call of duty Modern warfare 2 :cry:

[QUOTE="one_plum"]

[QUOTE="quiglythegreat"]I think US military expenditure is more than like the next highest 18 countries combined. as in, our military is massive and utterly beyond any kind of competition.Palantas

Where is all that money coming from? considering they're now trillions in debt. They can't keep borrowing forever.

The United States spends way, way more money on social programs than on the military. Military spending makes up around 15% of the national budget.

Not that I don't believe you, but I'm quite surprised that social programs take a bigger chunk of the national budget considering the US is one of the less socialized states in the Western world.

[QUOTE="Palantas"]

[QUOTE="one_plum"]

Where is all that money coming from? considering they're now trillions in debt. They can't keep borrowing forever.

one_plum

The United States spends way, way more money on social programs than on the military. Military spending makes up around 15% of the national budget.

Not that I don't believe you, but I'm quite surprised that social programs take a bigger chunk of the national budget considering the US is one of the less socialized states in the Western world.

idk...I think if caught off guard its over..., look at the world trade center incident, we was like WTF? Look at the New Orleans hurricane water flood it was a mess and that was against nature lol. Yeah we got alot of pepole on military soil but that don't mean anything if its unexpected..

idk...I think if caught off guard its over..., look at the world trade center incident, we was like WTF? Look at the New Orleans hurricane water flood it was a mess and that was against nature lol. Yeah we got alot of pepole on military soil but that don't mean anything if its unexpected..

Santesyu

I don't really have proof for this but last month in my engineering class we had a visitor come in from a private military corporation, Northrop Grumman. In the presentation he talked about about all the benefits for working in his company but once he talked about the projects he was involved in It really seemed to amaze me on how safe we are. One thing he talked about was that the US has fleets of submarines out in the ocean with approximately 30 nuclear missiles in them in case we get attacked here on home soil, it seemed pretty believable too coming from the guy that had the position of "Director of Projects". I doubt we will actually use them if we get attacked but i guess we can defend ourselves with that. Plus the majority of our troops our here in the US.

geraldwillkill

I would characterize Northrop Grumman as a defense contractor, not a private military corporation, but that's not the point. Yes, the US has a fleet of ballistic missile submarines, whose sole mission is to be on standby to deploy nuclear weapons (like in the excellent film, Crimson Tide). This is part of the US's "second strike" nuclear strategy. That's part of deterence. A country with second strike capability is able to take a nuclear strike, then still nuke the attacker.

it's kind of wrong, but not really http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:U.S._Federal_Spending_-_FY_2007.pngquiglythegreat

I'm wrong on the "15%" figure, in that there have been huge special appropriations for Iraq and Afghanistan; the Department of Defense proper is allocated around 15% in last year's budget. I'm not wrong in that social programs take up way more than military spending.

[QUOTE="quiglythegreat"]it's kind of wrong, but not really http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:U.S._Federal_Spending_-_FY_2007.pngPalantas

I'm wrong on the "15%" figure, in that there have been huge special appropriations for Iraq and Afghanistan; the Department of Defense proper is allocated around 15% in last year's budget. I'm not wrong in that social programs take up way more than military spending.

Wow, this makes me think. What if China or Russia actually succeeds with an invasion on the US? Though this sounds like a impossible thing to do.

I keep hearing all the time 1000 troops sent 2000, 3000, 4000, they just keep sending soldiers to Iraq, but what would happen if all of the sudden we had another powerful country invading us?

cruzmontana

An alien invasion would be difficult to repel. Especially if they had shape changing abilties like the skrulls. I mean how could you tell friend from foe?

ya there going to storm the beaches of the jersey shore

No, nobody can fight a conventional war against the US, let alone invade the country. Someone invading the US anytime in the near future is completely unthinkable. How would they get here? How would they sustain their army? America's military is unrivaled its capability to defend the country and project power. No one else comes close.

"Oh, but China and North Korea have big armies!"

The nominal strength of Iraq's army in 2003 was over a million men. We invaded Iraq with three divisions.

Palantas

idk...I think if caught off guard its over..., look at the world trade center incident, we was like WTF? Look at the New Orleans hurricane water flood it was a mess and that was against nature lol. Yeah we got alot of pepole on military soil but that don't mean anything if its unexpected..

Santesyu

idk...I think if caught off guard its over..., look at the world trade center incident, we was like WTF? Look at the New Orleans hurricane water flood it was a mess and that was against nature lol. Yeah we got alot of pepole on military soil but that don't mean anything if its unexpected..