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The dangerous delusion of modern warfare

economist.com

21–30 of 85 posts

Re: The dangerous delusion of modern warfare

#21

Ever since I consciously read and listened to people talking on tv and radio, so somewhere in the nineties, I heard countless military strategists explain why the war mongers in the USA were stupid to even think about subduing Iran by attacking them. Geography alone makes it impossible. The current situation is not a consequence of modern warfare. It’s a consequence of the many layers of hubris, stupidity and arrogan…

I don't think they're this dumb, just bought by Israel. Same with the Iraq war that was obviously bogus.

Iraq was an attempt to create a democracy on the middle east and it disproved the whole leftist worldview. Not all cultures are compatibel and capable of democracy

Re: The dangerous delusion of modern warfare

#22
post #19

>Their use accounts for a significant fraction of the 1.1m-1.4m Russian soldiers whom The Economist estimates to have been killed or wounded in the war: one in 25 of the country’s men under 50. Ukraine’s losses are lower, in part because it is costlier to attack than to defend, in part because Ukraine has gone further in substituting robots for humans. Ukraine’s losses equate to one in 16 of its pre-war 18- to 49-yea…

They have ~1/5th the population of Russia. They shouldn’t use per capita in this context it’s a bit confusing.

Re: The dangerous delusion of modern warfare

#23
post #19

>Their use accounts for a significant fraction of the 1.1m-1.4m Russian soldiers whom The Economist estimates to have been killed or wounded in the war: one in 25 of the country’s men under 50. Ukraine’s losses are lower, in part because it is costlier to attack than to defend, in part because Ukraine has gone further in substituting robots for humans. Ukraine’s losses equate to one in 16 of its pre-war 18- to 49-yea…

The loss rate is higher but the losses are lower, because Ukraine has about 1/4 of the people Russia has.

Re: The dangerous delusion of modern warfare

#24
post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't think they're this dumb, just bought by Israel. Same with the Iraq war that was obviously bogus.

Sure, Israel played a hand here, but it’s hard to believe they’re getting exactly what they wanted out of all of this either. Regime change does not seem like it’s coming any time soon. Unless that happens, any reductions in Iran’s capacity will be temporary. As for the Iraq war, Israel was supportive, but it would be incorrect to say the war was at their behest.

Relentlessly attacked its better to counter attack the to play the goalkeeper to exhaustion.

Re: The dangerous delusion of modern warfare

#25
post #8

"There are other similarities between Ukraine and Iran. Both are wars instigated by the leaders of great powers in the apparent belief of easy victory. Both have developed in ways those leaders did not anticipate into something like a stalemate—stalemates in which, for Russia and America alike, a lack of victory looks increasingly like defeat. Are technological changes making the role of the defender easier? Or syste…

I have it on good authority that Putin woke up, took a big fart (the housemaid was surprised), thought the smell was an Ukrainian attack and decided to retaliate. That's how the war started.

Your claims about Putin are just as good as mine.

Re: The dangerous delusion of modern warfare

#26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't think they're this dumb, just bought by Israel. Same with the Iraq war that was obviously bogus.

Iraq was an attempt to create a democracy on the middle east and it disproved the whole leftist worldview. Not all cultures are compatibel and capable of democracy

[deleted]

Re: The dangerous delusion of modern warfare

#27
post #13
post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I suspect the plan was (and still is) to weaken authorities in Iran so that the people take over. Or have the Iranian government reach a deal that would be less favorable to them. A plan with quite long odds you could rightly say, but not as stupid as subduing them by invading them I suppose.

Trump explicitly stated that was his aim, for the people to rise up after Trump did a little long distance assassination. The plan is far more stupid than subduing Iran by invasion. "At 2:30 a.m. EST on 28 February, Donald Trump released an eight-minute video statement on Truth Social, saying that the purpose of the US strikes in Iran was effectively[vague] regime change." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Iran_war#…

Not saying this is a smart plan, but how is it far more stupid than invading Iran which is basically impossible unless you are ready for tens or hundred of thousands of casualties among your own citizens?

Re: The dangerous delusion of modern warfare

#28
post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

[flagged]

If you mean Iran, they were actually following agreement in JCPOA and not building nukes, until Trump broke it. And they begotiated while USA bombed them twice during negotiations. This situation was created by USA and comment rightfully focuses on people who created it. > brown people cant be actors only acted upon Did you read some different comment? Cause nothing in that comment implies this. But in fact, this cha…

Are you at all aware of the reguons history and the endless proxxy war between suni and shia?

Re: The dangerous delusion of modern warfare

#29
post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't think they're this dumb, just bought by Israel. Same with the Iraq war that was obviously bogus.

Sure, Israel played a hand here, but it’s hard to believe they’re getting exactly what they wanted out of all of this either. Regime change does not seem like it’s coming any time soon. Unless that happens, any reductions in Iran’s capacity will be temporary. As for the Iraq war, Israel was supportive, but it would be incorrect to say the war was at their behest.

I don't see why Israel would want regime change in Iran. The current one may hate them, but it's keeping the country poor and weak. Previous regime was starting to be a threat.

Re: The dangerous delusion of modern warfare

#30
post #8

"There are other similarities between Ukraine and Iran. Both are wars instigated by the leaders of great powers in the apparent belief of easy victory. Both have developed in ways those leaders did not anticipate into something like a stalemate—stalemates in which, for Russia and America alike, a lack of victory looks increasingly like defeat. Are technological changes making the role of the defender easier? Or syste…

> Both are wars instigated by the leaders of great powers

having nukes and a lot of empty land does not make russia "great power", and their war results match this.

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