Are the Marines Really Needed?
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Are the Marines really needed and are just a waste of taxpayer money?
The United States Navy has long been an over-indulged and spoiled branch of the American military. And that branch has been very vocal lobbying in the U.S. Congress that it was able to get its very own air force (carrier-based planes and recon/patrol aircraft) and its own army-the U.S. Marine Corps. And what's more, the Navy's own army-the Marine Corps-has its own air force, too with helicopters, Harriers, Ospreys, and F-35's.
The highly regarded Marines
The Marine Corps was originally created as the U.S. Navy's ground combat force, initially with duties that combined, as in the British Royal Navy, the protection of ships from enemy boarding during the Age of Sailing Ships, and for forming landing parties by being organized with the ship's company of armed sailors.
The marine corps claimed they are needed for amphibious operations. But the Allied invasion of Normandy (D-Day) in World War II, the largest amphibious operation in history, were all done by the Army and not the Marines. The Marines famously did pretty good in executing amphibious operations in the Pacific during World War II. The Battle of Tarawa screwed them up pretty good and when they thought they have mastered the amphibious landing, there were no studies that proved they were much better at it than the Army was in Europe. Also, an amphibious landing is just a limited role. The Earth does not have that many beaches.
Currently the Marine Corps is striving to justify its existence because it cannot conduct amphibious operations in the face of modern adversaries increasing use of Shore-based Anti-ship missiles which deny them access to the Area of Operations ashore.
The Marines still exist because they could throw a fit in Congress, calling anyone a "liberal" or a "leftie" whenever anyone points out that they do not have a separate mission from the Army. It is recommended to let them continue to exist and wear their unique uniforms in recognition of their tradition and history, but make them a subsidiary or division of the Army, not the Navy. Their mission would be like that of the Tenth Mountain Division and Army Airborne Rangers: elite Army divisions with specialized functions.
The Army could perform, and does perform, all the functions of the Marine Corps.
References: http://www.combatreform.org/USNAVYINDANGER/
https://www.quora.com/Why-do-the-Marines-exist-if-we-already-have-the-Army-Navy-and-Air-Force
Image Source: Google images for noncommercial use
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Thank you, I knew my post is under-valued. The Dolphin votes proved it.
To be fair to the marines ( Weird I know coming from an Anarchist ) they are often deployed on the front lines with standard infantry even if it may not be an amphibious operation, so they aren't necessarily a complete waste as they fight alongside the regular army.
I do agree that training like this at the moment is pretty obsolete though, the only time we could possibly need an amphibious assault is if simply they needed a coast assaulting and they were up against a conventional army. Realistically, the west isn't up against either of those things and America generally isn't either, Russia in particular does not want a war with any of us so that rules them out, the closest we might get is if Iran tries to get involved with the middle east but because of their ties to China that probably won't happen directly.
Thankfully as well, we don't have what I think is a cold war fanatic like Hillary Clinton in office right now and Trump wants to make peace with the other nuclear powers rather than piss them off so things could end up calming down now after he takes office.
So... How do we go about this; we expand the Marine Corps and justify that expense by building a water canal through the Middle East so we can conduct amphibious operations against Iran?
I mean would that work, let me grab a map; of course the question is will this canal be built by the Army Corp of Engineers for the Marine Corp and would the Air Force provide aerial superiority to ensure the safety of personnel building this canal ?
Could this entire thing be done cheaper by civilian contractors rather than the military and would these private companies have senior diplomats and public "servants" as their 'owners' or on their "Board of Directors"?
This could actually generate a lot of jobs and profit, if planned and organised properly; this could indeed " Save America . . .
... Where the heck is my map of the Middle East; where did I put that damn thing ! ! ! When did I last use it ? ? ? . . .
What absolutely amazes me is how they can spend so much money and always lose LOL.
Truly the officers running the american military must have all been there for the college program or something, but its amazing how they never seem to win : )
I do not expect the situation to improve till Walmart starts RE-HIRING, hopefully this will clean out some of the officers corps and give someone new a chance to possible win or lose battles ; )
Your opinion is much appreciated.
thank you : )
Personally I feel the Marines had a purpose in the Pacific campaign, this gave them to public image to continue in existence. Today they are about as useful as a chastity belt, completely obsolete : )
But if we do not have them playing war games, they would simply join the ranks of the unemployed ; )
War Games on Steemit?, perhaps!
War games...that would be cool!
First how many marines are there in total all their divisions and support?
Still good paying jobs. It must have a significant effect on the economy have so many people decently paid to spend money. However they could just, as you mentioned, be assimilated into the army and cut out some of the higher ranking paid officers as they retire end the post.
I didn't realize until this post how unneeded they were.
nice post. reminds why i followed you. ^^
OMG WTH you are talking about putting Officers Out of Work ?????
Truly you are crazy, the TRUE ENEMY is not Alqeda or Isil or whatever else they might be called; the natural enemy of the Marine Corp is the ARMY ! ! !
These two waste of oxygen spenders who steal tax dollars for nothing are bitter enemies and you are talking about combining and integrating these two outfits ? ? ?
I urge you to not speak such heresy or else you will have a Marine Sniper or Army Ranger coming to find you . . .
These two departments compete for tax dollars in budgetary allocations it is their primary reason for existence and you are suggesting putting them together...
Maybe a 'retraction' and apology might be in your personal safety's best interests ? ? ?
This post is made in a vain attempt at light hearted humor, not . . .
(just kidding) ! ! !
haha. i could feel the humor.
This trash would make a kool movie, but a movie costs like $15 whereas this situation costs every tax payer hundreds of dollars every year . . .
You got me there. That is funny.
Its how I hook up and pullin the Chicks, my charming witty kool personality : )
If you believe that; then I have this 2004 honda you can buy for 49 thousand dollars ; )
North Korean Dollars?
no, and not even Japanese Yen :)
C u on the BlockChain ; )
...followed...
Thanks, I have nothing against Marines but think they are an over-hyped and badly misused force in these times. They are wrongly used as a 2nd Army by the U.S. government.
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Thanks!