After Vietnam, the US military regime got real scared of the media. They now see the media as a tool for them to use. Now, if the media started reporting on how many casualties the US has received in any sort of action, they think it will make them look bad and start more anti-military protests and such. Now, here is how it affects me: I deploy in less than a week to go to Kosovo. I have to carry with me all sorts of rules cards, books, manuals and such in my damn cargo pockets. So much crap that I will probably be walking around in circles most of the due to the weight drag. The US military is a zero-tolerance (sp?) zero-risk military organization now. And it makes me pretty mad. As it stands now, if someone (or someones) throw anything at us, we are to do basically nothing. When I went into Bosnia for IFOR, we scared the locals to death! They NEVER threw anything at us. THey figured it all out pretty quickly: War is not profitable for us. Now they are rebuilding their factories, producing goods (good wicker furniture!), and making money. THey are happier. Problem with Kosovo is either they haven't figured that one out, or they are too lazy and want the rest of the world to pay their way. Either way, first rock to hit me, that man, woman, chaild, dog, whatever needs to feel pain and send a message to their little buddies. Screw with the US military and feel the wrath of the entire NATO. RIght now, that isn't happening, but a new rotation of soldiers just might change that.
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After Vietnam, the US military regime got real scared of the media. They now see the media as a tool for them to use. Now, if the media started reporting on how many casualties the US has received in any sort of action, they think it will make them look bad and start more anti-military protests and such.
Now, here is how it affects me:
I deploy in less than a week to go to Kosovo.
I have to carry with me all sorts of rules cards, books, manuals and such in my damn cargo pockets. So much crap that I will probably be walking around in circles most of the due to the weight drag. The US military is a zero-tolerance (sp?) zero-risk military organization now. And it makes me pretty mad.
As it stands now, if someone (or someones) throw anything at us, we are to do basically nothing.
When I went into Bosnia for IFOR, we scared the locals to death! They NEVER threw anything at us. THey figured it all out pretty quickly:
War is not profitable for us.
Now they are rebuilding their factories, producing goods (good wicker furniture!), and making money. THey are happier. Problem with Kosovo is either they haven't figured that one out, or they are too lazy and want the rest of the world to pay their way.
Either way, first rock to hit me, that man, woman, chaild, dog, whatever needs to feel pain and send a message to their little buddies. Screw with the US military and feel the wrath of the entire NATO. RIght now, that isn't happening, but a new rotation of soldiers just might change that.
I-Ball