Reply To: The North Atlantic Current

[Brian H]

Rezwan wrote:
…

The solution is to study our enemies as they have studied us and build a networked, flexible, and, here’s the kicker, less hierarchical military structure that employs humans to fight the humans fighting us.

In this context, railguns are yet another technological approach, which the author above finds less relevant to the nature of warfare today. The middle easterners aren’t lobbing nukes (much as Iran would like to have them) so what use are rail guns against them (whew. I got back on topic)

The younger and COIN-experienced military is doing quite well at that, and its guru, Petraeus, has just been given command of the entire theater.

The major indirect effect I see of FF on the ME regimes is that their Money Tree will be chopped down for kindling. The Sauds and Mullahs et al will have a lot less wherewithal to stoke jihad and create reactionary Back To The Ummah movements elsewhere. They’ll be lucky not to go down in flames because of their sheer incompetence. Some of the Gulf States have aggressively diversified in anticipation of some such development.

BTW, another MegaloWannabe whose rentier regime will take it in the ear is Putin. And, come to think of it, Chavez.
And China will no longer need to aggressively reach for power and influence wherever some spare oil is to be found, like Sudan and Burma.

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As for the railgun anti-ICBM defenses, I repeat that dropping a crowbar or twenty from orbit on them will take them out quite handily. And relatively cheaply.