To take the Iraq War and other military topics out of the political thread I created this one.

Here I can defend my stance that the US Marine Corps is the greatest all time fighting force and you can tell me I'm full of shit and inform me on who'd better and why.

Also welcome in this thread is any discussion on current conflicts, past historical ones, and any that may be brewing on the horizon (Iran).

Although the nature of this thread can be interpreted as a War glorifying discussion it is important to me that we also do not lose sight of the grim realities of war as well and never forget the men and women or their families that have made the ultimate sacrifice in the service of their nation. Whether you agree with the war or not heroes have fought and died. 

/gets out dick, measures 

and you can tell me I'm full of shit and inform me on who'd better and why.

Pirates could SO beat up the USMC... 

War what is it good for and who was good at it

absolutely nothing 

and.... 5 1/4? 6? 9 1/2? 

So could Vader. 

^ space aliens in general, especially with their advanced weaponry 

Also, any ragtag band of a half-dozen or so unlikely adventurers would have no problem at all beating up squadrons and squadrons of highly trained soldiers.
The more soldiers they're fighting, the more likely they are to win...it would just take a long time.
And I bet their sword arms would get tired from all the chopping, after a while. 

War is a bad time all around. 

... 

absolutely nothing

Liberated a nation against an imperialistic monarchy once and birthed the most powerful and diverse nation on the planet.

Stopped world domination a number of times. 

From: rabbiwanna has a prosthetic ego
Date: 10/27/05 @ 12:38 PM 10
...

Subtle, aren'tcha... 

I saw that Predator thing beat up a lot of Marines in that one movie. 

hahaha.. those were not marines. 

Here I can defend my stance that the US Marine Corps is the greatest all time fighting force and you can tell me I'm full of shit and inform me on who'd better and why.

Marines are tough bastards. Great training, great weapons and a unflinching willingness to die sets them apart from the other branches of the military. 

Roman Legions were also a rather impressive force. Capable of travelling the frontiers and building the roads to travel them. From the North Atlantic to the Red Sea.

Napoleans army was a hum-dinger as well. The planning and coordination of the military and the ability to carry it out successfully again and again. Allowing people who weren't aristocrats to be promoted to rank was also a very successful.

How does one rate a military on being the greatest? 

I'm full of shit and inform me on who'd better and why.

75th Ranger Regt with SOCOM support.

(pwnt!!) 

socom is gay

BLUE TEAM GO..

yea thats gay..navy gay.. 

Chief Poofter, Pansy Division. 

Yeah but who ended up winning.... bah that was a movie the intent here was to talk about real life.

Pirates could SO beat up the USMC...

Actually in REAL life the Marines beat the crap out of the Barbary Pirates twice in 1804 and 1815. 

the pirates dont have the technology or the weaponry..

and Marines were formed to protect the Navy back in the day... from the pirates.

and look who is still around.. 

I would put my money on the US military beating Hannibal's armies, since they're all dead now. 

My cousin is a captain in the corps. He's inactive but he used to be point for his co. He's a pretty tough guy. I could still take him if I had to tho. 

in a fight or at buhsecks? 

Pirates could SO beat up the USMC...

i second that/ 

Here are two reasons that the USMC is the greatest fighting force;

http://www.kmike.com/inchon.htm

http://www.chosinreservoir.com/ 

a unflinching willingness to die

"No bastard ever won a war by dying for his country.
He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country." 

Here's one reason why the USMC is the greatest fighting force!

http://www.kurebeachaikido.com/graphics/RLEEErmy/R_LEE_ERMY.jpg 

"No bastard ever won a war by dying for his country.
He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country."

Thank you General Bump.

That may be true but I was referring more to the Marines acceptance of imminent death. It goes beyond realizing that you could die in combat to expecting that you

will

die in combat.

It's part of what makes the Marines so effective. 

Ugh, the Marines just killed my tags... 

wait, who in this thread is actually in the marines? 

How does one rate a military on being the greatest?

I would say, purely on effectiveness.

If you count sheer power, a few atomic bombs could destroy the entire Marine Corps,
But that's a horribly ineffective way to fight a war.

The most effective fighting force that I can think of was the army of Alexander the Great...
They were never defeated,
And the only reason his conquest ended was because his troops got tired of fighting and wanted to go home. 

Not in anymore but "Once a Marine, Always a Marine. Semper Fidelis"

Jiffy is as well. 

http://www.chosinreservoir.com/

Carl Sitter was from my hometown and a couple of years ago I worked on a documentary about him.

Reading the citation and all of the stuff from Chosin makes you appreciate what those guys went through. 

That may be true but I was referring more to the Marines acceptance of imminent death. It goes beyond realizing that you could die in combat to expecting that you will
die in combat.

It's part of what makes the Marines so effective.

"One shot, One kill.
Ready to die,
But never will."

Don't know how many times I said that in boot camp. 

"Once a Marine, Always a Marine. Semper Fidelis"

Although loyalty is certainly a good thing,
I don't think there's anything that I would pledge to be SEMPER fidelis to...
Just my own personal philosophy,
And one of the reasons that I decided to drop my AFROTC scholarship. 

The Air Force doesn't have that motto you would have been ok. I think their is something like
Semper Funding Maximus 

The Air Force doesn't have that motto you would have been ok.

I know they don't.
But the whole concept just isn't my style. 

Here I can defend my stance that the US Marine Corps is the greatest all time fighting force and you can tell me I'm full of shit and inform me on who'd better and why.

Canadian Mounties all the way! 

I realize of course that for a fighting corps to have any effectiveness at all,
Its members must be unswervingly loyal to their superiors and their cadre,
But I'm not the sort of person who can relly give that sort of unquestioning loyalty.

Not to insult unquestioning loyalty...in a battle, if you are told you shoot, or dodge, or throw a grenade, or whatever it is that you do,
You don't have time to stop and think about whether or not it's the right thing to do. 

It's not for everyone... I think we are more effective today with smaller numbers of volunteers than larger numbers of draftees simply for that reason. 

Canadian Mounties all the way!

bahahahaha 

But I'm not the sort of person who can relly give that sort of unquestioning loyalty.

Same thing with me.

I have a healthy respect for the military and have several close friends and family members who served or are serving but it's definitely not for me.

I'd love to get the weapons and tactics training though, without the obligation to Uncle Sam. 

I'd love to get the weapons and tactics training though, without the obligation to Uncle Sam.

word...I would love to go through SEAL training. 

the good ol Chair Force..

I do one job... and one job only... Thats the chair force Motto..

Me.. I had like 13 different jobs in the marine corps.. 

I would love to go through SEAL training.

Heh...I've never been through boot camp, so please correct me if I'm wrong...but it's not just weapons training,
Or even mostly weapons training,
It's having to get used to barracks life,
And being awakened at odd hours to do strange things,
And running around carrying heavy things.

If you just want weapons training, there's better ways to do it... 

/gets out dick

...uses it to stir the fire...

/old marine joke punch line. 

I don't like war. I don't think any compassionate person can, but I do accept it as unavoidable. What chafes my nipples so much is that our government treats us as if we were three year-olds when explaining why it is neeccessary. I'll admit that a good percentage of Americans won't take the time to understand the economic/idealogical underpinnings of the current conflict and therefore need it dumbed down for them, but come on.

"Let's go spread democracy, George... Good and evil... blah, blah, blah"

And let's not forget that someone, somewhere is trying to kill you RIGHT NOW! So surrender your taxes, surrender your patriotism and dammit, do as we say! 

Heh...I've never been through boot camp, so please correct me if I'm wrong...but it's not just weapons training,
Or even mostly weapons training,
It's having to get used to barracks life,
And being awakened at odd hours to do strange things,
And running around carrying heavy things.

If you just want weapons training, there's better ways to do it...

More then just weapons training, mostly just to see if I can make it. 

And being awakened at odd hours to do strange things,
And running around carrying heavy things.

like having someone spray a firehose at you for 8 hours straight, or drag you around behind a raft by the crook of your elbow. Not to mention the places they make you bring your pet telephone pole....