20 years ago, today

centermass556

Did you know that C/ 2-124 INF from the Florida National Guard is credited as being the first convential unit into Iraq.

I never believed in Afghanistan. That was a losing fight from the start. But, I believed in Iraq. Each time I went back, I saw growth and change. Schools were staying open and families were starting to thrive. And… we screwed up the end game, turning the country over to ISIS. 

Wambli Ska

And I just heard that we now we have ISIS-K gearing up for a new fight...

centermass556

Kurilla is not wrong in his estimates. Though ISIS-K will have that ability, just as ISIS did, they won’t. They are still fighting for dominance and establishment in the Khorasan area. 

That, and the Taliban would move them to Main effort one if they even hinted at it. The Taliban have what they want, and do not want to risk a reason for the US to return in force to Afghanistan. 

Kurilla’s statements were a bid for funding and support. CENTCOM is no longer the focus of US focus. And, he knows the mice will play…
Coincidentally he was the USAEUR commander when the focus shifted to Europe.

our biggest threat in south west Asia is China. Of the four instruments of national power, the US relies on the big M for presence and influence in the Middle East. We supply KSA, the Gulf states, etc with arms and defense cooperation agreements by using the Iranian threat. 

China is using DIE to create peace between Iran and the rest of the area. As soon as that happens, they will not longer need our M. 

By the time of the next election, we will be an after thought in SWA. 

After China brokers the peace agreement, they will continue to heavily invest and support KSAs mega city plans. After about a year, they will ask KSA if they can open an AFB to help with the flow of workers and other things. They will most likely ask for it to be near ours, just like they did in Africa. 

I’d bet damn good money that’s the way it goes down. 

Jeeper44mag

Worse yet, the $ is being used less and less for oil purchases, so we're going to see ANOTHER big round of inflation as those $$ find their way back into the market for goods and services instead of being tied up in oil trade.