gearhog Posted March 17 Share Posted March 17 (edited) We invested a shitload of money in a shithole, and "Surprise!"... we get kicked out. Again. How badly is this Admin gonna keep screwing up? It appears we operate(d) two bases there. The linchpin of the U.S. military’s archipelago of bases in North and West Africa, Air Base 201 consists of a 6,200-foot runway (composed of 1.1 million square feet of asphalt), aprons, taxiways, massive aircraft hangars, multistory living quarters, roads, utilities, munitions storage, and an aircraft rescue and firefighting station, all within a 25-kilometer “base security zone.” U.S. troops eat in a 13,000-square-foot dining facility, work out in a gym, play on basketball and volleyball courts, and spend leisure time at a recreation center with “bookcases full of movies and games, Wi-Fi, snacks,” according to the Air Force, all of it protected by fences, barriers, and upgraded air-conditioned guard towers with custom-made firing ports. Only the Pentagon could call Air Base 201, the largest “airman-built” project in Air Force history, a “low-cost” facility, since it cost $110 million to build and is maintained to the tune of $20 to $30 million U.S. taxpayer dollars each year. In addition to Air Base 201, the U.S. military operates another CSL — a second drone facility known as Air Base 101 — at the main commercial airport in Niger’s capital, Niamey. A Pentagon spokesperson told The Intercept that they were now “repositioning some U.S. personnel and equipment in Niger from Air Base 101 in Niamey to Air Base 201 in Agadez” but did not respond to questions about how many personnel would be moved. The CIA also operates a drone base in the far north of the country near the town of Dirkou. What's this? Edited March 17 by gearhog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BashiChuni Posted March 17 Share Posted March 17 US foreign policy a disaster post WWII 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Majestik Møøse Posted March 17 Share Posted March 17 9 hours ago, BashiChuni said: US foreign policy a disaster post WWII An interesting statement considering that WW2 happened. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nsplayr Posted March 17 Share Posted March 17 (edited) Yea 80 years of being on top, what a disaster /sarcasm 😂 Edited March 17 by nsplayr 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tac airlifter Posted March 17 Share Posted March 17 NS, yes we were a great force for international good in the 40s & 50s and even beyond (sporadically). But something is obviously deeply wrong in our foreign policy now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biff_T Posted March 17 Share Posted March 17 1 hour ago, tac airlifter said: NS, yes we were a great force for international good in the 40s & 50s and even beyond (sporadically). But something is obviously deeply wrong in our foreign policy now. I think it's because we have idiots in every crevice of our federal government. 6 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BashiChuni Posted March 17 Share Posted March 17 (edited) 1 hour ago, Biff_T said: I think it's because we have idiots in every crevice of our federal government. underrated comment. and they are never held accountable. how someone like victoria nuland stays in powerful state department roles tells you everything. since 1992 the only Administration she didn't serve under? President trump. things that make you wonder... https://www.cnn.com/2017/01/26/politics/top-state-department-officials-asked-to-leave-by-trump-administration/index.html we need more of THAT Edited March 17 by BashiChuni 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeloDude Posted March 17 Share Posted March 17 Yeah! We’re on top! And by top…we’re talking about our debt. I’m sure our eventual economic demise was worth it. https://www.usdebtclock.org 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Standby Posted March 17 Share Posted March 17 Absolutely hilarious that less than a week after a presidentially directed visit takes place we get booted. We are the 4’9” dude with a lifted F-690 truck. Sure…it’ll do work, but nobody respects it. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tac airlifter Posted March 17 Share Posted March 17 3 hours ago, Biff_T said: I think it's because we have idiots in every crevice of our federal government. Sounds like you want to drain the swamp and make America great again 🙂 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Day Man Posted March 17 Share Posted March 17 (edited) draining the swamp is pointless if you refill it with toxic waste Edited March 17 by Day Man 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BashiChuni Posted March 17 Share Posted March 17 (edited) 35 minutes ago, Day Man said: draining the swamp is pointless if you refill it with toxic waste we don't agree on much but i agree with you here. unfortunately i think our republic was betrayed beyond repair in the late 1800s, and further betrayed by president wilson. the penultimate action being the CIAs assassination of president kennedy...and the "fuck you" on top was getting allen dulles on the warren commission. they showed they are untouchable and hold unlimited power...much greater than any elected representative. what we see today is a mirage of what the founding fathers created. the more books i read on the entrenched state the more hopeless it feels... "Democrat Sen. Chuck Schumer spoke of in glee, in response to then-president-elect Trump’s criticism of U.S. intelligence agencies. “Let me tell you: You take on the intelligence community — they have six ways from Sunday at getting back at you,” -2019 Edited March 17 by BashiChuni 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dream big Posted March 18 Share Posted March 18 Another waste of precious resources money and most importantly lives. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nsplayr Posted March 18 Share Posted March 18 Y'all are the sorriest bunch of pessimists I’ve ever seen, seriously. “Damn, the federal government and our foreign policy are so bad I just spent 20+ years working in the DoD and personally conducting American foreign policy.” 🤦♂️ Freaking sack up. Don’t be doomer Gen Z kids who think everything is inexorably fucked and they are to blame (bonus, everyone gets to fill in the they with whomever they want!). Be a good person and family member, be a good officer / pilot/ Commander / etc., be a good citizen and vote, run for office, etc. If something is broken try to fix it. You won’t always succeed but you should still try. It’s not all hopeless, everyone in charge isn’t just a moron in dire need of your brilliant counsel, but if you really think you can do it better then do it better. Talk is cheap, action isn’t, but it’s well worth the cost. I was taught all this shit as a child, were you guys not? America is already great, we’re not going anywhere fast, and yes we have our flaws but modern western liberal democratic capitalism is the worst system…except all the other ones. 🇺🇸 8 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gearhog Posted March 18 Author Share Posted March 18 9 hours ago, nsplayr said: Y'all are the sorriest bunch of pessimists I’ve ever seen, seriously. “Damn, the federal government and our foreign policy are so bad I just spent 20+ years working in the DoD and personally conducting American foreign policy.” 🤦♂️ Freaking sack up. Don’t be doomer Gen Z kids who think everything is inexorably fucked and they are to blame (bonus, everyone gets to fill in the they with whomever they want!). Be a good person and family member, be a good officer / pilot/ Commander / etc., be a good citizen and vote, run for office, etc. If something is broken try to fix it. You won’t always succeed but you should still try. It’s not all hopeless, everyone in charge isn’t just a moron in dire need of your brilliant counsel, but if you really think you can do it better then do it better. Talk is cheap, action isn’t, but it’s well worth the cost. I was taught all this shit as a child, were you guys not? America is already great, we’re not going anywhere fast, and yes we have our flaws but modern western liberal democratic capitalism is the worst system…except all the other ones. 🇺🇸 Who here said America isn't great? It's a feeble attempt at a strawman argument. We're criticizing those who are leading the country. Why can't you make that distinction? We were forced out of one of two strategic anti-terrorist bases on the African continent while our former host cozies up to Russia. It was errors from senior leadership that lead to an this undesirable outcome. They actually are to blame. Because non of us spent our careers trying to reach a high level position in the DoS, we're not allowed to criticize them? Weren't you an ROTC instructor or something? How were you personally conducting foreign policy? I don't personally hold office, but my mother is state level house representative and my next door neighbor and former employer is a state senator. I am involved in both of their campaigns continuously. Things go fairly smooth in our state, but I do occasionally interact with my US representatives at certain events. I've pleaded with them on certain issues and if I get an honest answer, it's always the same. If you don't compromise your principals and cut deals, you're sidelined. If you think you can show up to DC, be good person, and make the country a better place, you're the most naive person on the face of the planet. Look what happened to @congressman. By all accounts, a fairly decent dude when he was elected, had an emotional breakdown, remained broken, compromised, was used, and was tossed aside. Given that you have a tendency to adopt the official narrative as your personal heartfelt opinion, and gleefully cheerlead things like mask mandates and forced vaccinations, you would likely do very well in DC. Probably better than @congressman. So why haven't you? Because our leadership is doing so well they don't need your help? I expect lectures to us in the threads about migration, inflation, etc, and that we shouldn't complain because everything is awesome and someone somewhere else has it worse. 2 1 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nsplayr Posted March 18 Share Posted March 18 No more lectures. I’m retired from that shitty hobby. I’m an MQ-9 pilot, never been an ROTC instructor, so I consider myself well qualified to say I’m “conducting foreign policy.” Many AFSCs can say the same whether you believe it or not. Again, I’ll say this and leave it to this. Many of y’all are sadly negative on the United States, a country I and I assume most of you have dedicated my life to serving in uniform. I tell the same thing to my zoomer daughter who’s a bit of a doomer leftist: temper your criticism with a dose of reality. America has its flaws but overall I still find us to be the good guys the vast majority of the time. If you believe otherwise, honestly it’s better if you are retired or choose to move on from uniformed service ASAP. TYFYS in both meanings of the phrase. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tac airlifter Posted March 18 Share Posted March 18 1 hour ago, nsplayr said: temper your criticism with a dose of reality. America has its flaws but overall I still find us to be the good guys the vast majority of the time. That checks 🥃 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeloDude Posted March 19 Share Posted March 19 1 hour ago, nsplayr said: Many of y’all are sadly negative on the United States.. Nah, just negative on the government (in both parties) and my fellow citizens who no longer believe in wholesome values and personal responsibility. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danger41 Posted March 19 Share Posted March 19 Watch this and remediate all this gay shit I keep reading. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biff_T Posted March 19 Share Posted March 19 9 hours ago, Danger41 said: Watch this and remediate all this gay shit I keep reading. Lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ViperMan Posted March 19 Share Posted March 19 On 3/17/2024 at 8:25 AM, tac airlifter said: NS, yes we were a great force for international good in the 40s & 50s and even beyond (sporadically). But something is obviously deeply wrong in our foreign policy now. It's run and designed by lawyers. That's why. Currently skimming a book titled "Bodyguard of lies" about the deception program during WWII to conceal the allies true plans for invading Europe. Book touches on how many people within the German war machine were intent on a coup and looked to gain allied assurances that they'd be treated favorably after the war. In the end, the US merely used them to validate and provide cover for the intelligence provided by ULTRA. The US resolved that the "outcome of the war would be determined by force of arms," not negotiation. Last time we "won" a war is when we decided that we weren't going to negotiate the outcome with the people who started it. Seems to have worked well for us. Doesn't seem like a strategy developed by someone who's primary field was studying laws. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tac airlifter Posted March 19 Share Posted March 19 1 hour ago, ViperMan said: It's run and designed by lawyers. That's why. Last time we "won" a war is when we decided that we weren't going to negotiate the outcome with the people who started it. William Shakespeare in Henry VI: “The first thing we do is, let’s kill all the lawyers.” 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clark Griswold Posted April 18 Share Posted April 18 Nightmare in Niger — Exclusive: Biden Administration Leaves Hundreds of U.S. Troops ‘Hostage’ in Niger https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2024/04/18/nightmare-niger-exclusive-biden-administration-leaves-hundreds-us-troops-hostage-niger/Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SurelySerious Posted April 19 Share Posted April 19 Biden Administration Leaves …U.S. Troops…Par for the course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dream big Posted April 19 Share Posted April 19 4 hours ago, Clark Griswold said: Nightmare in Niger — Exclusive: Biden Administration Leaves Hundreds of U.S. Troops ‘Hostage’ in Niger https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2024/04/18/nightmare-niger-exclusive-biden-administration-leaves-hundreds-us-troops-hostage-niger/ Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Spoiler alert - Biden: “It’s Trump’s fault” 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now