Bounce -- peace keeping ?

[Cleaner]

I've been reading your stuff and wanted to ask a ? if its alright.
Was listening to NPR radio yesterday and they were talking about the peace keeping role in the world. Basically our European counter (France, Britain,etc) parts were stating that they did not feel that the US was carrying there share of the burden in this world role. You being part of the British service, I was wondering what your take was on this.
Also they were saying it wasn't fair because we had more advanced equipment and better trained people. That we basically always pulled easy deployments and avoid most of the latest round of European conflict.
Just looking for a point of view that has been there.
Thanks

 

[bouncer]

I'm not ignoring this post at the moment, but I'm in work right now and I'll reply later this evening. PLease remind me later and I'll give you my honest opinion.
Regards
Bouncer

 

[Cleaner]

When you've got time.
No biggie

 

[bouncer]

Capt.Aw. The money owned by the American Government run's back over ten year's.

To answer very quickly (I'm still in work), strictly speaking I don't believe the America should be involved in a european conflict, and that why in europe we're currently putting together a european rapi reaction force. One reason this has'nt happened sooner is that for over 50 years the American's spent billiion's and billions of dollars on training to beat the Eastern bloc in a third world war which was going to be fought in europe. Then after all this, and peace broke out they sat back and watched for years while over 300,000 civilians we're massacared in the former yugoslavia, now remember this was in a theatre of operations you guys were going to kick ass !.
Now getting back to the superior equipement and training, well I'll just go back to what Gen.McKenzie (Canada) force commander of UNISOM 1 and 2, if the americans would just contribute equipement and promise to keep their troops away from all future peace keeping and enforment missions we could probably look at turning a blind eye to their $500.000 in back dues.
I don't agree that the American army are the best trained soldiers for any sort of keep keeping/enforcement mission. And yes I do agree that they probably do get the toughest jobs around the world, but it's simply because of their super logistical back back they can put on the ground very very fast.
Sorry for the rushed natured of this reply but I'm just checking the web during the day here. Btw I'm not british I'm Irish.
One last thing before we get into a Canadian slagging match after I mentioned Col.McKenzie in Somalia. If you check this year's Guinness book of records the Canadian's and Fijians both have the most UN peace keeping missions with 43 missions each. So I respect Col.McKenies jugdement on these things.
To sum up quickly.
1. I'm not British I'm Irish.
2. No the USA should'nt now be involved in europe.
3. No your not the best trained.
4. No you don't get the easy jobs, they probably get the
toughest.
5. yes the USA are the best equipt force in the world.
6. finally there was a prolonged thread here about US
force's fighting ability when the China crisis blew up
a few months back over the spy plane and most of
stupid arguments and replies that are going to be
made to this post are contained there so I won't be
drawn into another.
Regards.
bouncer

 

[Cleaner]

Sorry about the British / Irish thing.
Was not intentional.

Just picked up on your peace keeping deployments.

The above stuff was not my personal opinion. That was the basis of the radio show and the guests on it. Thanks for sharing your thought.

ps- many American don't want any part of peace keeping forces. Most of us get mad and feel like we are getting pushed into them only to be called names for our efforts later.
That and a lot of us feel the UN is a spine less joke.

 

[Budiak]

The UN is a joke.
They seeks to impose international laws on sovereign nations, and many of those laws would severely restrict Americans' freedoms, without us even having a choice. I am a strong opponent to the UN.

 

[bouncer]

Hey Cleaner no offence on the British/Irish thing, honest. I agree with you on everything else. You should try serving with them (the UN) knowing it's a joke, but there's no one laughing !. Actually the troops on the ground do a great job, and the civilian population don't treat the UN as a joke so it makes it a little easier.
Like I said I dont really agree on the USA getting involved in european affairs either. And yes you do come in for a lot of stick over your efforts which is a great pity.
Mmmmmmmm Budiak thanks for that really intelligent reply. Considering the UN is just another American puppet government I don't know how it severely restricts American freedom !.
Anyway since I was repling to genuine question on the UN and either 'Cleaner' or myself getting into a mug throwing contest I won't be drwn into one now.
Thanks for the question Cleaner and I hope your pleased to know that it's not only Americans who think the UN can be a joke.
Regards.
Bouncer

 

[Wfabrizio]

Bouncer, you just became one of my favorites on here! I'm sick of this "UN will come into America and control us" ultra paranoid conspiracy theory that is floating around here in the US. The UN is the US for all intents and purposes as far as I'm concerned.

I don't know what the media coverage was like in the UK regarding the Serbia/Croatia conflicts in former Yugoslavia but here in the states it was pathetic. I disagree with most people here stateside, that we should have done a hell of a lot more to stop the amount of casualties in that conflict. Sure, it is a European problem but the isolationist attitude of most Americans really pisses me off. This would not have happened if this took place in the Netherlands, France or England. After all look at the blind eye given to Ireland in the past.

Anyways, just curious what your thoughts were since you obviously have had some experience in that enviroment.

 

[Wfabrizio]

John Rambo? (pause......then laughter)

Captainawesome? More like captainloudmouth. Sorry dude, I had to do it.

Hey, we didn't do anything until much later in the conflict. We did NOTHING. Little support if anything at all.

You don't know anything about me so give me a break. Do you honestly think that we didn't have high ranking military personnel upset that we didn't assist until much later in the conflict? Have you educated yourself at all as to the horrors that took place over there?

War is one thing but massacre and war crimes are another. If you read the news at all you would probably notice that all involved parties are now being held for their crimes.

How many lives could've been saved?

 

[Wfabrizio]

I still can't believe that you used John Rambo as a reference.....damn that's some funny shit...what about Chuck Norris in "Good Guys Wear Black"? hahahaha

 

[Wfabrizio]

Dude you're killing me. John Rambo was a fictional character in the Movie Rambo. Also, "Rambo" was in Vietnam not WWII.

The thing I can't stand about American politics anymore is that they don't care about "the good fight". Sometimes political leaders need to behave like leaders and make decisions that will do something more than help them get re-elected or help keep their approval ratings up. In almost every case, politicians check with the pollsters to see what current trends are before they make a decision about anything.

Now I'm not saying that we should've sent troops in there. I'm just saying that we should have done something at the beginning of the conflict.

 

[guards]

Why is it that when peacekeeping is mentioned, the US and Britain get all the credit? The Candadians INVENTED the damn thing, and are proud to serve on almost ALL of the major operations. I have worked with many nationalities, and the Brits are by far the best to work with. THey are extremely proffesional and are a good bunch of lads to boot. I worked with the Americans in Kosovo 2000, and it was a disaster. They were so new to the game, they didn't understand proper ROE's and kept taking power trips on the local populations. The US would be a great asset, but they have to change some of their doctrine first.

I HATED their officers......what a bunch of retards!!!!!!!!!!


Their NCO's were a good bunch, just jacked with really shitty brass.

 

[guards]

and americans are notorious for the ignorance of canada!

 

[Wfabrizio]

Guards, I'm glad to see the opinion of someone who was actually involved in the peacekeeping process.

 

[ROIDJUNKIE]

and americans are notorious for the ignorance of canada!

You at Bondsteel? I was there in 99/2000

 

[DonkeyPunch]

For the record, CaptainAwesome was correct when he used John Rambo as a reference for soldiers returning from Vietnam. Although it was obvious that he did not know it, John Rambo was the highest decorated soldier in Vietnam and Sly's fictitious character's name was chosen based on this fact.

The Real John Rambo--legitimate bad-ass
Sly's John Rambo--in bad need of "Hooked on Phonics"

 

[Wfabrizio]

Yo, Adriaaaan!!