The big strategic mistake that Bush and Rumsfeld did was not to massively increase our Army and military personnel when we decided that we had to go to war. Rumsfeld was still trying to fulfill the mission he was assigned to downsize the military and the bases that was organized under Clinton. After 2001 there were many that were willing to volunteer for military but with having to keep basically three armies in rotation we do not have enough forces. The reserves have been used excessively since they were not supposed to be active that much In order to preserve the peace dividend a good proportion of our military was in the reserves rather than active.

Under Clinton we reduced by six divisions and that has strained the Army a lot. The Navy has not been strained except for longer deployments. Our transport aircraft has been under the worst strain and we had to loan so much of our helicopters and cargo planes to the British and other Allies since they had not the support structure. That is why the US is so upset with NATO. NATO has failed to provide the support and the troops needed. Besides there fighting will was almost non-existent.

That is why Rumsfeld was so disdainful for Old Europe and appreciative to new Europe because New Europe was will to risk a greater percentage of their military and was willing to fight. NATO allied forces were more just a symbolic force and the US had to do almost all the fighting. Afghanistan campaign has been going poorly since that was left mainly to the Europeans and they screwed up. The British made agreement with Taliban they could control towns that we had to take back.

They did the same in Basra. So while the common soldier was willing and able their leadership sucked and just wanted to negotiate rather than fight. Just take the example of the British Navy that allowed their personnel to be taken and the pathetic cries of the seaman that made them look wimpish. NO wonder Russia thinks NATO is useless bunch of old women. Heck even our Grannies at 85 are will to use a gun to save their homes.

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