Changes

The [[NATO war in Ukraine]] exposed the weakness of the U.S. and European military industrial base.<ref>[https://www.rusi.org/explore-our-research/publications/commentary/return-industrial-warfare The Return of Industrial Warfare], Alex Vershinin, [[RUSI]], 17 June 2022. rusi.org</ref> The United States and NATO have lost their ability to produce essential [[ammunition]] and armored vehicles required to sustain combat.<ref>[https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2023-07-14/eu-us-nato-don-t-have-enough-weapons-for-ukraine-to-fight-russia Europe Is Pledging Ukraine Weapons It Can’t Make], By Max Hastings, ''[[Bloomberg News]]'', July 13, 2023,</ref><ref>[https://www.newsweek.com/nato-allies-would-run-out-ammunition-within-days-war-russia-report-says-1780851NATO Allies Would Run Out of Ammo Within Days of War With Russia: Report], By Jon Jackson, ''[[Newsweek]]'', Feb 13, 2023.</ref><ref>[https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-ammunition-manufacturing-ukraine-west-officials-2023-9 Russian manufacturers are making up to 7 times as much ammunition as Western arms makers, Estonian defense official says], Erin Snodgrass, ''Business Insider'', Sep 13, 2023.</ref> While the United States has the most expensive military in the world, it is totally unprepared to fight a peer-to-peer first world power.<ref>[https://smallwarsjournal.com/jrnl/art/us-not-ready-peer-peer-fight-europe The US is not Ready for a Peer to Peer Fight in Europe], By Keith Nightingale. ''Small Wars Journal'', February 15, 2023.</ref> The U.S. is no longer the industrial behemoth that churned out tanks, planes, [[aircraft carrier]]s, destroyers and bombs in the Second World War.<ref>[https://sonar21.com/americas-delusional-military-fantasy/ AMERICA’S DELUSIONAL MILITARY FANTASY], by Larry Johnson, 24 February 2023.</ref>  

The [[NATO war in Ukraine]] exposed the weakness of the U.S. and European military industrial base.<ref>[https://www.rusi.org/explore-our-research/publications/commentary/return-industrial-warfare The Return of Industrial Warfare], Alex Vershinin, [[RUSI]], 17 June 2022. rusi.org</ref> The United States and NATO have lost their ability to produce essential [[ammunition]] and armored vehicles required to sustain combat.<ref>[https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2023-07-14/eu-us-nato-don-t-have-enough-weapons-for-ukraine-to-fight-russia Europe Is Pledging Ukraine Weapons It Can’t Make], By Max Hastings, ''[[Bloomberg News]]'', July 13, 2023,</ref><ref>[https://www.newsweek.com/nato-allies-would-run-out-ammunition-within-days-war-russia-report-says-1780851NATO Allies Would Run Out of Ammo Within Days of War With Russia: Report], By Jon Jackson, ''[[Newsweek]]'', Feb 13, 2023.</ref><ref>[https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-ammunition-manufacturing-ukraine-west-officials-2023-9 Russian manufacturers are making up to 7 times as much ammunition as Western arms makers, Estonian defense official says], Erin Snodgrass, ''Business Insider'', Sep 13, 2023.</ref> While the United States has the most expensive military in the world, it is totally unprepared to fight a peer-to-peer first world power.<ref>[https://smallwarsjournal.com/jrnl/art/us-not-ready-peer-peer-fight-europe The US is not Ready for a Peer to Peer Fight in Europe], By Keith Nightingale. ''Small Wars Journal'', February 15, 2023.</ref> The U.S. is no longer the industrial behemoth that churned out tanks, planes, [[aircraft carrier]]s, destroyers and bombs in the Second World War.<ref>[https://sonar21.com/americas-delusional-military-fantasy/ AMERICA’S DELUSIONAL MILITARY FANTASY], by Larry Johnson, 24 February 2023.</ref>  

The US military lost in [[Vietnam]], [[Iraq]] and [[Afghanistan]], and hasn't won a major war since 1945.<ref>[https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/three-reasons-why-military-recruitment-crisis Three Reasons Why Military Recruitment Is In Crisis], Ryan McMaken, SEP 15, 2023. Originally published at the [[Mises Institute]]. zerohedge.com</ref> The United States military is not designed to win wars;<ref>[https://nypost.com/2022/10/18/us-military-rated-as-weak-may-not-be-able-to-win-one-war-as-tensions-grow-with-china-russia/ US military rated as ‘weak,’ may not be able to win one war, as tensions grow with China, Russia], Caitlin Doornbos, ''New York Post'', Oct. 18, 2022. nypost.com</ref> rather, it is designed to make [[profit]]s for the [[military industrial complex]] out of the pockets of U.S. taxpayers.<ref>[https://orientalreview.su/2023/10/23/bidens-world-war-iii-innuendo-aims-to-maintain-the-military-industrial-complexs-profits/ Biden’s World War III Innuendo Aims To Maintain The Military-Industrial Complex’s Profits], Andrew Korybko, ''Oriental Review'', 23/10/2023. orientalreview.su</ref> American [[national security]] is in the hands of [[private sector]] [[corporation]]s.<ref>[https://time.com/6315670/big-tech-national-security/ What Happens When Tech Bros Run National Security], BY HENRY FARRELL AND ABRAHAM NEWMAN, ''[[Time magazine]]'', SEPTEMBER 20, 2023. time.com</ref> This likely is the legacy of the ideological struggles of the [[Cold War]].<ref>[https://www.newsmax.com/johnwhitehead/deep-state-democracy-military-industrial-complex-trump/2017/05/23/id/791910/ The Deep State in America Is Driven by Profit], By John W. Whitehead, ''[[Newsmax]]'', 23 May 2017. www.newsmax.com</ref>

The US military lost in [[Vietnam]], [[Iraq]] and [[Afghanistan]], and hasn't won a major war since 1945.<ref>[https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/three-reasons-why-military-recruitment-crisis Three Reasons Why Military Recruitment Is In Crisis], Ryan McMaken, SEP 15, 2023. Originally published at the [[Mises Institute]]. zerohedge.com</ref> The United States military is not designed to win wars;<ref>[https://nypost.com/2022/10/18/us-military-rated-as-weak-may-not-be-able-to-win-one-war-as-tensions-grow-with-china-russia/ US military rated as ‘weak,’ may not be able to win one war, as tensions grow with China, Russia], Caitlin Doornbos, ''New York Post'', Oct. 18, 2022. nypost.com</ref> rather, it is designed to make [[profit]]s for the [[military industrial complex]] out of the pockets of U.S. taxpayers.<ref>[https://orientalreview.su/2023/10/23/bidens-world-war-iii-innuendo-aims-to-maintain-the-military-industrial-complexs-profits/ Biden’s World War III Innuendo Aims To Maintain The Military-Industrial Complex’s Profits], Andrew Korybko, ''Oriental Review'', 23/10/2023. orientalreview.su</ref> American [[national security]] is in the hands of [[private sector]] [[corporation]]s.<ref>[https://time.com/6315670/big-tech-national-security/ What Happens When Tech Bros Run National Security], BY HENRY FARRELL AND ABRAHAM NEWMAN, ''[[Time magazine]]'', SEPTEMBER 20, 2023. time.com</ref><ref>[https://consortiumnews.com/2021/05/24/a-peoples-guide-to-the-war-industry/ A People’s Guide to the War Industry], By Christian Sorensen, ''Consortium News]], May 24, 2021. consortiumnews.com</ref> This likely is the legacy of the ideological struggles of the [[Cold War]].<ref>[https://www.newsmax.com/johnwhitehead/deep-state-democracy-military-industrial-complex-trump/2017/05/23/id/791910/ The Deep State in America Is Driven by Profit], By John W. Whitehead, ''[[Newsmax]]'', 23 May 2017. www.newsmax.com</ref><ref>[https://medium.com/@abstract.expression/perils-of-the-military-industrial-complex-a-profit-driven-war-machine-aee476032e06 Perils of the Military-Industrial Complex: A Profit-Driven War Machine], Andy Wilson, August 1, 2023. medium.com</ref>

The Pentagon reported that the United States military missed its recruiting goal by a combined total of 41,000 personnel across its various branches in 2023.<ref>[https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/3616786/dod-addresses-recruiting-shortfall-challenges/ DOD Addresses Recruiting Shortfall Challenges], By David Vergun , ''DOD News'', Dec. 13, 2023. defense.gov</ref> The [[U.S. Army]] had an 8.4% reduction in its ranks, the [[U.S. Navy]] a 3% reduction, the [[U.S. Air Force]] a decrease of 4%, and the [[U.S. Marine Corps]] a decrease of 5%. The Defense Dept blames the failures on [[obesity]] and a lack of [[patriotism]] among [[Gen Z]]ers.<ref>[https://nypost.com/2023/09/07/military-faces-recruitment-crisis-as-unpatriotic-gen-z-fails-to-join-up/ NEWS Military faces recruitment crisis thanks to ‘unpatriotic’ Gen Z, obesity, therapy ban], Rikki Schlott, Sep. 7, 2023. nypost.com</ref> Active duty personnel have taken to [[social media]] in what has been described at the "[[TikTok]] [[mutiny]]" to discourage enlistment by complaining about “no privacy," "the pay sucks," "sh*tty food," "disrespectful leadership", being pushed to stay in shape, and their freedoms being “suppressed".<ref>[https://www.breitbart.com/national-security/2023/12/17/gen-z-us-army-soldiers-throwing-tiktok-mutiny-discouraging-recruits/ Gen Z U.S. Soldiers Engaged in ‘TikTok Mutiny,’ Discouraging Army Recruits], OLIVIA RONDEAU, ''[[Breitbart]]'', 17 Dec 2023.</ref>

The Pentagon reported that the United States military missed its recruiting goal by a combined total of 41,000 personnel across its various branches in 2023.<ref>[https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/3616786/dod-addresses-recruiting-shortfall-challenges/ DOD Addresses Recruiting Shortfall Challenges], By David Vergun , ''DOD News'', Dec. 13, 2023. defense.gov</ref> The [[U.S. Army]] had an 8.4% reduction in its ranks, the [[U.S. Navy]] a 3% reduction, the [[U.S. Air Force]] a decrease of 4%, and the [[U.S. Marine Corps]] a decrease of 5%. The Defense Dept blames the failures on [[obesity]] and a lack of [[patriotism]] among [[Gen Z]]ers.<ref>[https://nypost.com/2023/09/07/military-faces-recruitment-crisis-as-unpatriotic-gen-z-fails-to-join-up/ NEWS Military faces recruitment crisis thanks to ‘unpatriotic’ Gen Z, obesity, therapy ban], Rikki Schlott, Sep. 7, 2023. nypost.com</ref> Active duty personnel have taken to [[social media]] in what has been described at the "[[TikTok]] [[mutiny]]" to discourage enlistment by complaining about “no privacy," "the pay sucks," "sh*tty food," "disrespectful leadership", being pushed to stay in shape, and their freedoms being “suppressed".<ref>[https://www.breitbart.com/national-security/2023/12/17/gen-z-us-army-soldiers-throwing-tiktok-mutiny-discouraging-recruits/ Gen Z U.S. Soldiers Engaged in ‘TikTok Mutiny,’ Discouraging Army Recruits], OLIVIA RONDEAU, ''[[Breitbart]]'', 17 Dec 2023.</ref>