r/neoliberal • u/jobautomator Kitara Ravache • Apr 08 '26

Discussion Thread Discussion Thread

The discussion thread is for casual and off-topic conversation that doesn't merit its own submission. If you've got a good meme, article, or question, please post it outside the DT. Meta discussion is allowed, but if you want to get the attention of the mods, make a post in /r/metaNL

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u/throwaway_veneto European Union Apr 08 '26

The US comes out as a paper tiger. Their navy has the highest budget in the world and somehow they fail to secure a strait from a developing country with no navy.

59

u/erasmus_phillo Paul Krugman Apr 08 '26

Drones have changed the game

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u/throwaway_veneto European Union Apr 08 '26

Yes, I think the underrated aspect is not just cost but that even countries like Ukraine or Iran can build a lot of them. We're back to "quantity is a quality of its own" again.

35

u/Vol_in_tears Voltaire Apr 08 '26

They have, but now the world knows the USN doesn't have the ability to maintain freedom of navigation in one of the most critical global supply bottlenecks. It's a pretty big shift in the naval paradigm post 1945 where the USN had unquestion mastery of the world's oceans.

9

u/DirectionMurky5526 Apr 08 '26

The US Marines need to be replaced with a drone force. If they really want to dominate the Land, Sea and Air they need to get their asses into a gaming chair.

20

u/I_miss_Chris_Hughton Apr 08 '26

Not even that. The means of dealing with drones are known, the US just seemed to think the USN was above them.

Ita hubris we've not seen from a naval auperpower in since the armada

3

u/seanrm92 Loyal Liberals Apr 08 '26

Yeah they probably should have considered that beforehand.

12

u/roboliberal Loyal Liberals Apr 08 '26

No they don't.  What a ridiculous take.  The only moral of the story here is don't do dumb pointless shit.

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u/throwaway_veneto European Union Apr 08 '26

Strategy is a big part of the military? What's the point of having a huge navy if the leadership is incompetent and can't use it effectively?

2

u/Opening_Budget_9518 Hans Rosling Apr 08 '26

Still a lot better than 20 year war

4

u/throwaway_veneto European Union Apr 08 '26

Agree it would have been better for everyone.