An article about RPGs and the M1

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Red6 RE:An old dog can learn new tricks 2/18/2005 7:39:05 AM

I don't think so. Baghdad had minefields, partially surface laid mines along major MSRs, trenches which were filled with oil and lit ablaze, pre dug fighting positions and much more. The Fedayeen which you remark about were trained to fight a guerilla war. The Iraqis had learned from Gulf 1 that massing combat power gives us a target. They fought more decentralized and in smaller elements intentionally. This made for much less dramatic battles since they we MOSTLY smaller in scale. However, the effect our AF had in 1991 was not there in 2003. While Iraq was seldom able to mass combat power since their C2 was destroyed early on this decentralized small scale fight was a constant grind from the boarder all the way to the Kurdish lands. Lets see: ITOW (One BN worth), Milan (old ones), RPG7 (various types including the VR), 9, 13, 18, 22, AT3, 4, 5, 6, various recoilless rifles, HOT are now all ?poor equipped?. The T72, RPK, SVD, AK47, are now all bad too? The BK115, MI24, MI8, modern Italian mines (blast resistant and plastic), Roland, SA2, 3, 6, 7a/b, 14, 16, and other rockets, ZSU23-4, 57-2, ZPUs, big bore AAA- all old junk now? You realize the RG had near ¼ of its troops equipped with cheap yet basic body armor comparable to our old PASGT? No, Iraq was not that poorly equipped nor small (aprox 300,000) when viewed on the world stage and what else is out there. In fact, I?d say they were BETTER equipped than most of the worlds armies. However, it?s painful for some to admit any success or accomplishment for the US military. It hurts the German-French-Russian-Chinese to admit that the US did something awesome in a military sense. What happened was that Iraq ran up against THE premier force on this planet. Tom Clancy couldn?t go far enough. The technological advantage of the US even over its allies is near perverse. In near all aspects the US leads technologically on the battlefield and when we go into the realm of ?national? or ?strategic? assets it gets near silly. Which European nation has a real equivalent of a RJ or JSTARS? Our satellite capabilities? Our strategic lift (C5/17/141)? Think of it like this (Besides in the realm of strategic assets). Best equipped (people debate niches, but from aviation to Artillery to ATGMs we lead) Big -Army alone is 500,000 AC, 350,000 NG, 270,000 RC (Then IRR). Volunteer-The heart alone is 50% of the answer. Selective in who we take-many in the militaries of even our allies we would reject. Experienced and in a global sense in broad ranges of operations. Well trained- a CPT has near 3 years of formal military schools alone. Formal retirement, competitive promotions, hiring and other systems. Sound doctrine which is combined and joint (few are at our level) Training all the way up to CORPS level. We maneuver BRIGADES in training at NTC. Diverse (We have Arabic speakers, people who can blend in anywhere on this planet etc) Highly adaptive quick responding military industrial complex with a large capacity. This is what ran into Iraq?s military. With catastrophic results for them. Of course if the French had tried this and gotten their a$$ handed to them (they usually do) we?d hear about how well trained, disciplined and equipped the Iraqi?s are by those making statements like yours. It?s not that Iraq was so bad, but that the US is really that good. Once we mobilize and all the little pieces come together, God help you. Red6

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AlbanyRifles RE:An old dog can learn new tricks-Red6 2/18/2005 3:12:51 PM

Well said. I almost got fired for laughing so loud about penis envy!!!

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