"The Independent Institute is a libertarian think tank based in Oakland, California."
Posted by Lyrhawn (Member # 7039) on :
I didn't read the whole thing, but I'm not super worried. They've cut back on some programs that they don't need, but I'm hoping that when the next president gets in there, a top priority will be a top to bottom review of pentagon procurement, to finally get ridiculous cost overruns under control.
Rebuilding after Iraq and Afghanistan is going to take at least five years. But a lot of this was going to happen now anyway. A lot of the aircraft we fly are nearing or way way past their operational shelf life. And the Navy has been planning a major expansion since the end of Clinton's presidency.
$600 billion is way, way too much. The problem with deciding what the future of our military forces should is one question: Who will we be fighting? The problem is that that ranges from anything from China to insurgents, which really requires vastly different weapons. So we can't dump the Abrams and the F-22, because if we do fight a first world nation, those are the things we'll need. At the same time we're ramping up urban combat vehicle production and UAVs and now unmaned ground vehicles as well to reduce casualties, increase damage and bring down costs.
The problem isn't with the future of the armed forces. In 10 years, heck even in five years, I think we're going to be back in decent shape. Not having to fight a major war and being able to rebuild is really going to help. The problem is the short term. For the presidency of the next guy in office, we're going to have to be careful.
But even then we could probably still whup anyone in a conventional war on the planet, especially in a defensive posture. We just can't invade anyone for awhile.
*snaps fingers*
Damn.
Posted by C3PO the Dragon Slayer (Member # 10416) on :
Keep in mind that the Buggers are coming in about 40 years. So keep your telescopes peeled on Eros and invest in interstellar warfare. It also takes care of our China problem.
Posted by Threads (Member # 10863) on :
It took me a minute to get that Posted by Blayne Bradley (Member # 8565) on :
Last I remembered China was a de facto and de jure superpower in the Shadow Series.
Posted by Lostinspace (Member # 11633) on :
I find it funny that this was published in January of 2007 and the most recent report he could use was one from February 2006. Looks to me like its a matter of picking material that works best for what you want to say.
Posted by Lyrhawn (Member # 7039) on :
Aren't most things? Posted by BlackBlade (Member # 8376) on :
quote:Originally posted by Blayne Bradley: Last I remembered China was a de facto and de jure superpower in the Shadow Series.
Right *Shadow Series Spoiler INC* but the massive attack by the formics in the first invasion smashed a huge hole in their infrastructure. This prevented a standoff between China and the dwindling but living in denial US, as they both turned to face a common enemy.
Posted by Blayne Bradley (Member # 8565) on :
depends on how the 100 million died couldve easily just been 3 destoryed cities and their suburbs.
Posted by BlackBlade (Member # 8376) on :
quote:Originally posted by Blayne Bradley: depends on how the 100 million died could've easily just been 3 destroyed cities and their suburbs.
I'm not sure what you are getting at Blayne. If an alien foe can simply wipe out 10% of your population you don't just shrug if off and continue preparing for war with the US.
Posted by Blayne Bradley (Member # 8565) on :
actually if 2050 is the correct date of the first formic war chinas population is estimated to be 1.7 billion, thats not 10%.
Also they weren't preparing for war with the US either according to OSC words "China had just unified as a democracy" so if China had managed to unify with Taiwan at this time wheres the motivation to fight the US?
Posted by Rakeesh (Member # 2001) on :
Heh
Posted by BlackBlade (Member # 8376) on :
quote:Originally posted by Blayne Bradley: actually if 2050 is the correct date of the first formic war chinas population is estimated to be 1.7 billion, thats not 10%.
Also they weren't preparing for war with the US either according to OSC words "China had just unified as a democracy" so if China had managed to unify with Taiwan at this time wheres the motivation to fight the US?
I could be wrong but I believe just prior to the 1st Formic invasion the nations of the world were gearing up for war and the two sides seem to be the US on one side and China on the other. It was why once the Formics were defeated the world almost immediately dissolved into national conflicts.
Posted by Blayne Bradley (Member # 8565) on :
According to OSC through all the various books the major power blocs were divided into a Multipolar world with the Second Warsaw Pact, the West, China, and certain SA and African nations. The United States had already prior to the First Formic War retreated to isolationalism.
Posted by BlackBlade (Member # 8376) on :
quote:Originally posted by Blayne Bradley: According to OSC through all the various books the major power blocs were divided into a Multipolar world with the Second Warsaw Pact, the West, China, and certain SA and African nations. The United States had already prior to the First Formic War retreated to isolationalism.
Yes but these various blocs were creating alliances with which to stage war against the others. I of course could be wrong, I did just read the books but do not remember exactly how the world was running before the first invasion.
Posted by Blayne Bradley (Member # 8565) on :
It was never stated beyond a very ambigious sentence by Peter "remember how it was before the first Formic war? Do we really want to return to that?" This to me sounds like there already WAS a ongoing war with Americans going pfft leave us out.
What we know is this:
Rwanda is the major African power, SA seemed to be doing its own thing, the USA was back to pre 1914 mentality only occasionally and half heartedly complaining, the Second Warsaw Pact spanned from the Atlantic to the Pacific unchallenged, Israel at some point repaired relations with the Muslim world and China at this point had "unified as a democracy" probably at the height of its military and economic power.
This is all we "know". There is no indication of an arms race between the USA and China.
Posted by BlackBlade (Member # 8376) on :
Doesn't really matter anyway, since Earth is eventually all but vacated by everybody after the colonization program gets underway. You can have your OCD geniuses on Path.
Posted by Blayne Bradley (Member # 8565) on :
What makes you say that? Earth as far as we know is the bustling center of political and military power of all of the Terran Empire ruled by Starways Congress, just because England colonized the East coast didn't mean ALL of the English left (unfortunately for the Welsh (Russian meta joke)).
Afterall One of the genius children on Lusitania himself said "Imagine the implications! I could attend study on any University on Earth and come back home for supper on the week ends!"
This implies that Earth is far from a forgotten backwater as it is in Asimov's Foundationverse. If anything its Universities are still regarded as the finest in all of Starways Congress.
Posted by Blayne Bradley (Member # 8565) on :
This is another thing i notice I have a very canny memory when it comes to trivia in science fiction, I remember arguing with people that Atlantis from (Stargate SG1) was originally from Earth several million years ago and then moved to the Pegasus Galaxy, they insisted that it originated in pegasus and didn't believe me when I showed them the wikipedia article to prove it. (Season 7 episode/Pilot to the SG:Atlantis clearly shows this)
Posted by Lyrhawn (Member # 7039) on :
Actually, if you REALLY want to get into the details on that one, there's no proof that the actual city of Atlantis was built on Earth, at least not on Stargate canon. Both the Ori and the Ancients came from the same far away galaxy millions of years ago, but the divergence in viewpoints on religion and ascension led the Ancients to be cast out/chose to leave the galaxy, so they built a ship and left, eventually settling in the Milky Way. After thousands or millions of years in the Milky Way, they went to the Pegasus and colonized that galaxy as well, until forced out by the Wraith and then returned to Earth in the Milky Way. And we also know that they have stargate systems in other galaxies as well, such as Ida, where the Asgard lived.
So it's entirely possible that Atlantis was actually from this faroff galaxy.
Posted by Blayne Bradley (Member # 8565) on :
Your own words prove my point they came to the Milkyway from that other Galaxy NOT in Atlantis which to me logically dictates they constructed Atlantis while in the Milkyway, we'll never know for sure if it was built on "Earth" but we know it Originated in the Milkyway.
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
Um, not really. Why would it make sense to say they built it and then moved it (just 'cause they could have) when we know they had colony ships and would build when they got where they were going as well? I think it could be either way and there's no hard proof and he most definitely did not "prove your point."
Posted by Blayne Bradley (Member # 8565) on :
Because think logically about this it is highly unlikely and improbably that they would have built Atlantis while they were on the run/hiding from the Ori. Look at the movie "Ark of truth" very much implies that the Ancient Ancients were hiding and thus having a large and easily found city like Atlantis would have been the first to be destroyed and easily at that.
Much more likely the Ancients had a large colony ship or many said colony ships which they used to leave their galaxy of origin and arrive in Milkyway then once settled they eventually came to construct Atlantis.
I'm also fairly certain the writers themselves said it originated in the Milkyway.
Posted by BlackBlade (Member # 8376) on :
quote:Originally posted by Blayne Bradley: What makes you say that? Earth as far as we know is the bustling center of political and military power of all of the Terran Empire ruled by Starways Congress, just because England colonized the East coast didn't mean ALL of the English left (unfortunately for the Welsh (Russian meta joke)).
Afterall One of the genius children on Lusitania himself said "Imagine the implications! I could attend study on any University on Earth and come back home for supper on the week ends!"
This implies that Earth is far from a forgotten backwater as it is in Asimov's Foundationverse. If anything its Universities are still regarded as the finest in all of Starways Congress.
I'll grant you that's it's not desolate. I was thinking of how we can't have enough resources on our planet to sustain growth for thousands more years, but who knows what technology has developed both from reverse engineering and our own developments? I wouldn't say that your quote implies that earth has the BEST universities, just that your student could feasibly go to school there. But I could definitely see earth becoming some sort of educational hub as all our historical primary documents would still likely be there. Also Starways Congress is the political body that controls everything it isn't the human race itself. So you couldn't really describe all the worlds controlled by humans as Starways Congress.
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