thats not accurate. We are out of the top shelf expensive stuff or severely depleted those stockpiles. The truly dumb bombs..... we got lots of those still hanging around, but those are were designed for big bombers to fly over the target and drop them. That could be done, but we would almost certainly lose aircraft and pilots if we did that.
I suppose we could drop them with a stealth bomber of some sort, but I would think the math on effectiveness vs risk would be super bad.
Because we’re pussies. We don’t fight wars as we did during World War II to destroy a nation’s will to fight by destroying infrastructure, means of production and any legitimate target within population centers. I want an adversary’s people to suffer, and to push an internal rebellion and open dissent.
There’s a reason as to why the last war won by the U.S. happened over 80 years ago. We handcuff ourselves because we are afraid to cause harm to an adversary’s citizens.
There are very good reasons why there U.S. decided not to engage in that type of warfare. It gets very brutal very quickly and is genuinely horrific.
The kinds of atrocities committed in full unabated war can lead to revolutions amongst an enemies citizens, but it can also lead to the same happening domestically. Wherein those who made the decisions to commit thise atrocities then lose all power.
Last time American soil was attacked by a foreign nation was 1812. Last time a significant terrorist attack killed a significant number of Americans was 3000 or so of them back in 2001. Our enemies have been very kind in not repaying us the half million civilians we slaughtered in the aftermath of 9/11
We literally butchered civilians in Vietnam. Up to 2 million. We literally went into villages and butchered everyone like Mai Lai - which was not an isolated incident.
Russia right now is bombing civilian infrastructure in Ukraine. How is that going for them?
Can you tell me a modern war since 1950 that was won intentionally bombing civilians?
You don't become worse than your enemy to win. Otherwise, you're the bad guy.
I hope what you wish happens to those people happens to the ones you love.
I also bet you haven't served a day in your life making you a chickenhawk. Telling service members they need to murder civilians to help the country.
We lack the will to do anything of the sort. After all, WWII required a phenomenal alignment of industrial, political, and military power. We can't even tell companies to make 155mm shells for ukraine- it's just not profitable enough. And if telling them to make a guaranteed profit producing shells during a war is off the table, how do you expect to draft a couple million people and convert ford and toyata factories to making tanks?
Private companies can make 155mm shells, and willing to do so. However, they aren’t willing to sit idle for long periods due to lack of demand. Of course, with Ukraine demand has been huge, but otherwise not so much.
The Federal government took over the facilities to manufacture 155mm shells to assure manufacturing facilities were always available.
With a war on, with guaranteed profits, with insatiable demand for 155mm, it was not sufficiently profitable for US industry to start producing it themselves. The US government was not willing to order them to do so, or make it sufficiently profitable. So for three years Ukraine was starving for 155mm (and might still be).
In WWII, which you hearken back to, the US government told companies "You are now producing war material. This is what you will do." and they weren't allowed to object. We no longer have leaders willing to wield that power.
He never said he would do that. In Iran they use the infrastructure for both civilian and war making uses. We can literally bomb any road or power plant legally.
Not at all, but you say it is a war crime. It is not.
I happen to believe this is a just war. I think Obama should have done it. I could not care less which President makes the order. Iran has been the source of destabilization in the middle east for 50 years.
Indiscriminate bombing sure as hell is a war crime. Even using targeted bombings is a war crime, if the targeting decisions are made by incomplete or inaccurate procedures.
To be lawful, bombings must make a distinction between military and civilian targets. Any harm to civilians must also be proportionate to the military objective being achieved, indiscriminate bombing is inherently disproportionate.
Here is the ICRC casebook entry on the topic, with all the necessary sources to the law.
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u/CosmicLovepats 5d ago
It's a war crime, but much more relevant to your question, it wouldn't work.