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SilentPony

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I mean, the US, British and Russian did conquer Afghanistan... just not permanently
I mean I would argue that means they didn't conquer, they occupied.
The US conquered the native American lands in the American West. Its under US control. US laws and government are in power. In Afghanistan at best we had a few ramshackle military bases and free use of their skies, but we had no real control outside of what missiles could achieve.
 
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Trunkage

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The Soviets never conquered Afghanistan: they were invited in by the then Afghan government (Communists almost wholly dependent on the USSR in the first place) to maintain order and keep themselves in power.
Look, I know that's what said. I find it about as flimsy as Putin reason to invade Ukraine.
 
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Trunkage

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I mean I would argue that means they didn't conquer, they occupied.
The US conquered the native American lands in the American West. Its under US control. US laws and government are in power. In Afghanistan at best we had a few ramshackle military bases and free use of their skies, but we had no real control outside of what missiles could achieve.
Okay, then I would call Alexander the Great time in Afghanistan as an occupier
 
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Gordon_4

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Because of the conflict, Mitch McConnel is calling for the military budget to be raised by another 5 percent "above inflation." Infuriating.



Why are Veteran's benefits their own slice and not part of the overall military budget?
 

Avnger

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Why are Veteran's benefits their own slice and not part of the overall military budget?
Largely because the Department of Veteran Affairs is an entirely separate government organization than the Department of Defense with its own funding, staffing, facilities, etc. As for why that's the case, you'd have to ask the 1930 Congress who authorized the creation of an independent agency, but the rough reasoning is that before 1930, a number of different government orgs provided different pieces of veteran services, so consolidating them into a new independent org was easiest.

 
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Seanchaidh

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Why are Veteran's benefits their own slice and not part of the overall military budget?
To some extent it's an arbitrary distinction, but it's not too weird that you'd separate care for personnel who aren't any longer involved in the country's military readiness from the military budget.
 

Thaluikhain

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Not to mention the thing about not actually caring about veterans.

But there's a thought, do you reckon they could get away with transfering money from the military to the ex-military? Couldn't get condemned with the usual "support our boys" stuff, but I guess there's always something.
 
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Seanchaidh

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False war reporting, which is to say fake news, is fine when it's part of a war strategy of a nation we're supposed to like.
 

Seanchaidh

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Unironically yes, it is. That's how morale works
Oh, indeed. We wouldn't want soldiers and civilians in combat zones or, for that matter, outside combat zones and in entirely different countries around the world, to be getting an accurate picture of events to help make informed decisions. Better that we all engage in collective self-delusion for the war effort!
 

Gergar12

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Russia for some reason is holding back some Su-35s, and Su-34s. Their best jets.
 

Seanchaidh

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Russia for some reason is holding back some Su-35s, and Su-34s. Their best jets.
probably don't particularly want to showcase their abilities and weaknesses if it isn't necessary. Also, they don't look all that well suited to asymmetric warfare. If they still use the Su-25, that'd be a better fit.
 

TheMysteriousGX

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Oh, indeed. We wouldn't want soldiers and civilians in combat zones or, for that matter, outside combat zones and in entirely different countries around the world, to be getting an accurate picture of events to help make informed decisions. Better that we all engage in collective self-delusion for the war effort!
Correct, that's how morale works.
 

TheMysteriousGX

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Glad to see Daines repping Montana by being an absolute dumbass. Was worried he was sick, he hadn't done anything publicly stupid in a hot minute

Russia for some reason is holding back some Su-35s, and Su-34s. Their best jets.
Heard they lost a few to SAM fire. Would make any military skittish
 

Trunkage

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Because of the conflict, Mitch McConnel is calling for the military budget to be raised by another 5 percent "above inflation." Infuriating.



Just want to point out that Biden, at the start of the year, added about $800b onto what the generals were already asking for (over 10 years, so $80ish billion per year)
 

Trunkage

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Correct, that's how morale works.
I don't understand people being surprised at countries lying to affect morale. I thought this would be common knowledge.

All those stories about George Washington? Manipulations of truth to help build a country. Alfred the Great? Same. Julius Caesar? yep. Muhammed ibn'Abd al-Wahhab? Damn straight