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OneTenthofOnePercent

(6,268 posts)
5. You clearly understand nothing of asymetrical/guerilla warfare.
Thu Jan 3, 2013, 04:01 PM
Jan 2013

Please explain how a bunch of people living in mud/shit huts has been able to thwart two superpowers with no standing army?

I've explained it before, but here (just for your edification):

If you want to control a population with force, at some level you need to "control the streets". The people and neighborhoods and streets need to be controlled. Businesses don't run themselves, money doesn't do anything without people to work with it, and cities aren't valuable without their people in compliance. Governments and nations are built in a pyramid scheme, and without the populace, the rest of the governments sitting atop the people falters.

Your OP ignores the end game of a tyrannical government. The fact that the government has tanks, planes, nukes, and ships is irrelevant. They will not help to control a population at the street level. Those items only serve to make America stronger because we evidently don't give a shit if OTHER countries cities get destroyed... that's not our problem. I fail to see how the US destroying it's own infrastructure is productive to itself. You don't control millions of people in a city by destroying it. We're not talking about little pop-guns defeating a Soviet nuclear strike or anything.

At some point, to maintain or establish government control over The People, government boots will have to hit the ground. And what awaits government forces in the public jungle? Nearly 300,000,000 firearms owned by an estimated 80,000,000 people. If only 10% of gun owners are, as you claim, stupid enough to resist our Armed forces... they would STILL outnumber US ground troops 8 to 3. And the resistance fighters would look American, speak American, be smarter and more educated than other countries/enemies previously faced, and blend in to the rest of society 100%. The collateral damage would be so severe in such a campaign, that more enemy resistance would be created than destroyed with each military action.

If you doubt this is the case, look at Afghanistan. I'm currently stationed in Afghanistan as I type this. These are people who have little infrastructure, they live in mud/shit huts (the ones who aren't lucky enough to find enough trash and nails to construct a hard shelter), an have AKs and other remnants of 1960's technology Cold War souvenirs. Sure, we bombed the shit out of Afg to kick off this campaign. We tossed their fucking salad with billions of dollars of missiles, rockets, bombs, and jets. And what happened when it came time to actually take control? Ten years... over ten years they've resisted the Armed Forces of the most technology advanced and powerful military empire the world has ever known. I have little doubt that our Nation's millions of guns can adequately protect it from it's own government.

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0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

The gun nuts are DELUSIONAL... [View all] Playinghardball Jan 2013 OP
That's why I need the high capacity magazines NightWatcher Jan 2013 #1
That NRA inspired talking point nadinbrzezinski Jan 2013 #2
Borderline? Cary Jan 2013 #30
It's amazing how many times I encounter this kind of delusion with gun folks... CTyankee Jan 2013 #79
Tanks, bombs, rockets, jets ..etc Undismayed Jan 2013 #3
"a homeland insurrection type movement...." mike_c Jan 2013 #12
Homeland Insurrection Type Movement??? Well - good luck with that. jmg257 Jan 2013 #17
can an ah-64 apache fly to an homeland insurrectionist's house.. frylock Jan 2013 #35
Can a neighbor or relative rat out the delusional insurrectionists first? Ikonoklast Jan 2013 #52
We already do that in Afghanistan, and kill children in the process NickB79 Jan 2013 #54
no, i'm not OK with that ever or "all of a sudden" frylock Jan 2013 #57
How would the children of that "dumbass" be any different NickB79 Jan 2013 #60
listen, i am not advocating for this.. frylock Jan 2013 #85
You mean all 1 million billh58 Jan 2013 #59
Contrary to your fantasies, the rank and file military would not blindly follow orders to shoot Undismayed Jan 2013 #92
Remember a little skirmish billh58 Jan 2013 #94
I wish you luck in your authoritarian fantasies. Undismayed Jan 2013 #95
No need for luck, your billh58 Jan 2013 #97
A drone flying at 1000ft can target you & kill you, and you wouldn't even know it's there. baldguy Jan 2013 #91
And when that drone strike kills an innocent child, Undismayed Jan 2013 #93
Actually, any "organized" insurrectionist billh58 Jan 2013 #100
Sure it can...tanks have been used in cities all over the world. Sekhmets Daughter Jan 2013 #101
Many people here have a very worrisome authoriarian streak. Undismayed Jan 2013 #103
It's not my solution... Sekhmets Daughter Jan 2013 #105
No, in their Turner Diary, die-hard-like imaginations, they just hold off the blue helmets... Bucky Jan 2013 #4
You clearly understand nothing of asymetrical/guerilla warfare. OneTenthofOnePercent Jan 2013 #5
Does your reading of the 2nd amendment include the right to bear car bombs and other IEDs? Electric Monk Jan 2013 #8
You know of a way to stop people from making those? (nt) Recursion Jan 2013 #11
Yeah, if you find someone building one, arrest em, fair trial, and jail time. Electric Monk Jan 2013 #62
Irrelevent. Car bombs & IEDs are illegal here and illegal in the US. OneTenthofOnePercent Jan 2013 #14
Take a good look at Atlanta nadinbrzezinski Jan 2013 #25
"Do you really think that the US would start dropping bombs on buildings ..." FiveGoodMen Jan 2013 #40
Yeah, no one would ever make car bombs in the US NickB79 Jan 2013 #49
Illegally, and not covered by the 2nd am. Find someone doing it? Lock em up. nt Electric Monk Jan 2013 #61
No, that wasn't my point NickB79 Jan 2013 #65
Do you think rebels would be concerned about the law? N/T GreenStormCloud Jan 2013 #70
The old "why have any laws at all, then, because some people will still break them" canard. Electric Monk Jan 2013 #81
Which side are you on? tama Jan 2013 #107
Reality based, not faith based. nt Electric Monk Jan 2013 #108
The problem with your analysis is the military hasn't lost those conflicts jeff47 Jan 2013 #9
Err... the Taliban is winning, you know? (nt) Recursion Jan 2013 #13
Again, there's two parts to winning a war, military and political jeff47 Jan 2013 #16
And I'm sure every US soldier would be fine NickB79 Jan 2013 #51
The majority would be jeff47 Jan 2013 #63
The military tends to be strongly RW, as is the TP. GreenStormCloud Jan 2013 #69
There's a long ways between RW and open rebellion. jeff47 Jan 2013 #71
Right. How well did that work out for Randy Weaver or David Koresh, for example? Electric Monk Jan 2013 #72
During WWII tama Jan 2013 #110
You clearly dont understand the idea of a tyrannical government with the USA's weaponry stevenleser Jan 2013 #19
The people of Afghanistan have a feudal structure, we don't. A Simple Game Jan 2013 #41
Living "in mud/shit huts" actually has a lot to do with it jberryhill Jan 2013 #76
Also tama Jan 2013 #106
Fair point tama Jan 2013 #104
Little Known Fun Fact Jeff In Milwaukee Jan 2013 #6
And the USA with 5% of the population has 50% of all guns. RedCloud Jan 2013 #39
Iraqis did pretty well with rifles and small explosives Recursion Jan 2013 #7
IRA in Ireland JohnnyBoots Jan 2013 #10
They kicked us out like Japan kicked us out. Like Germany kicked out USSR, US, UK and France stevenleser Jan 2013 #18
We're still in Germany. And Japan (nt) Recursion Jan 2013 #20
By that definition, we're still in Iraq. We have a large embassy there. nt stevenleser Jan 2013 #21
You do know we have military bases in Japan and Germany, don't you? A Simple Game Jan 2013 #45
Over? Did you say over? Electric Monk Jan 2013 #78
Not only do I know that, I can name them without looking that up. It doesnt change the point. nt stevenleser Jan 2013 #88
I reread your post and the previous ones, I get your point now. n/t A Simple Game Jan 2013 #89
Don't call them gun-nuts bongbong Jan 2013 #15
Brady Campaign playbook, page 16 derby378 Jan 2013 #22
LOL bongbong Jan 2013 #24
do you have anything that can deflect bullets? samsingh Jan 2013 #27
I'm not insecure. I'm just tired of folks on your side of the argument shooting kids. Robb Jan 2013 #50
the occasional massacre is just collateral damage Skittles Jan 2013 #23
there is never an emotional caring response to gun massacres samsingh Jan 2013 #28
Post removed Post removed Jan 2013 #37
"but they sure get their panties in a wad being called what they are" rightsideout Jan 2013 #67
it truly is a delusion samsingh Jan 2013 #26
+1 and then some reteachinwi Jan 2013 #77
I think they see the military as joining them, after a few days. Shrike47 Jan 2013 #29
Yes they do nadinbrzezinski Jan 2013 #31
some might, but not all. it would be a free for all with deadly consequences samsingh Jan 2013 #44
Oh I did not say most nadinbrzezinski Jan 2013 #47
It's an exceedingly scenario-dependent thing. Lizzie Poppet Jan 2013 #75
the troops would initially follow the Commander-in-Chief samsingh Jan 2013 #43
I wouldn't go that far NickB79 Jan 2013 #53
If not joining, at least being hesitant to resist. Xithras Jan 2013 #55
Hmmm, that assumes a level of disconnect from humanity NickB79 Jan 2013 #64
Something is delusional... L0oniX Jan 2013 #32
it's very frustrating samsingh Jan 2013 #46
Can't topple the government, but they can topple 6 and 7 year olds. SunSeeker Jan 2013 #33
"Experts" debating wha?, above...freaking hilarious BlueNoteSpecial Jan 2013 #34
if having healthcare counts as a reason to onethatcares Jan 2013 #36
i think its about bigotry samsingh Jan 2013 #48
Wouldn't the Air Force side with the gun nuts? FreeBC Jan 2013 #38
Post removed Post removed Jan 2013 #42
- Sigh - shadowrider Jan 2013 #56
THIS is delusional, and scary aristocles Jan 2013 #58
It's delusional but will backfire on them rightsideout Jan 2013 #68
Isn't this considered treasonous to advocate to overthrow the govt because you don't like kimbutgar Jan 2013 #66
No. Glaug-Eldare Jan 2013 #111
The point you are attempting to make Jenoch Jan 2013 #73
Yeah.. no. X_Digger Jan 2013 #74
wow, when does the movie version come out? CTyankee Jan 2013 #80
Never, I hope... friendly_iconoclast Jan 2013 #82
Diagnosis: Red Dawn Complex. nt onehandle Jan 2013 #86
+1000 LAGC Jan 2013 #83
Exactly! I quote a fellow DUer Sylvi who has said it better than I could: Elmergantry Jan 2013 #84
Those basement dwellers get winded lifting their bag of cheetoes. nt onehandle Jan 2013 #87
I'm perplexed by DUers telling other DUers that the US Government is going to send all four branches cherokeeprogressive Jan 2013 #90
I'm perplexed that you missed the "overthrow the government" statement tabasco Jan 2013 #96
just curious Takket Jan 2013 #98
And how useful were fighters and bombers and artillery during the occupation of Iraq? krispos42 Jan 2013 #99
I'll bookmark this so I can check if North Vietnam's surrendered a year from now. n/t Glaug-Eldare Jan 2013 #102
yes samsingh Jan 2013 #109
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