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Questions tagged [military]

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Questions related to the military. This may include questions about the actions or inaction of the military, the armed forces themselves or government action related to the military.

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2
votes
1answer
255 views

How does the government pay for large purchases?

What are the logistics of the government purchasing an aircraft carrier? ACH has a 9 digit limit for example. Do they enter 10 separate payments for a $10B aircraft carrier into Netsuite and click &...
0
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5answers
446 views

Why does the UK have merely 2 gas-turbine-powered aircraft carriers?

For comparison, France has 1 nuclear-powered aircraft carrier ("CV"), India also has 2 gas-powered CVs, and the US 11 nuclear-powered CVs. So why doesn't the UK have any nuclear-powered CVs?...
27
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5answers
7k views

Why do veterans skew right in the US?

I know the military is supposed to be apolitical to a certain degree. But I have found a Pew poll saying that military veterans lean right. This is more pronounced when comparing younger vets to ...
16
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5answers
7k views

Do people in countries besides the US react negatively to “militarized police”?

A 2018 PNAS study concludes that militarized “special weapons and tactics” (SWAT) teams are more often deployed in communities of color, and—contrary to claims by police administrators—provide no ...
3
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1answer
177 views

What is Russia's position on China copying its Flanker jets?

We saw that the USA is very vocal about China infringing on the law of intellectual property of the USA. What is Russia's position on China copying its Flanker jets?
6
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1answer
178 views

What has Israel gained with the official diplomatic relations with UAE in the strategic defense area?

I know that politically and diplomatically Israel gained a lot with the UAE's new move toward normalizing the relations. What has Israel gained in the strategic defense area?
2
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4answers
230 views

Can the European Union defend its geopolitical interests militarily in the east Mediterranean against Turkey?

The latest deployment of Greek, French and Turkish warships in the east Mediterranean is probably only military sabre-rattling. But I wonder whether the EU would actually be able to effectively defend ...
1
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1answer
549 views

Why is the Malaysian Navy and Air Force so poorly equipped? [closed]

Why are the Malaysian Navy and Air Force so poorly equipped compared to even a tiny nation of Singapore?
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0answers
85 views

If a US state secedes from the Union, what would happen to the state's citizens enlisted in the federal military? [closed]

For instance, let's say we have a young adult named Steve, a resident of some state (let's call it "Alexandria" - I don't intend to speculate on actual secession candidates here) who enlists ...
-7
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1answer
124 views

would making the Police a branch of the Military meet the demand of abolishing the police? [closed]

during a conversation with my family yesterday, an idea came to me of merging the Police and military as a potential solution to the demand of abolishing the police, but at the same time retaining a ...
24
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7answers
10k views

Why does Germany have such a rather small defense budget?

This article deals with Germany’s Armed Forces status in the context of Trump's decision to reduce US troops stationed in Germany. Besides the main topic, the article also mentions that Germany spends ...
5
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1answer
297 views

Why do some political parties retain militant wings?

Many rebel groups have evolved and transitioned into political parties - in democracies and non-democracies. Some demilitarise (IRA, Tupamos, M19, Tupamaros, Farc), others do not (Hezbollah, Hamas, ...
3
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3answers
386 views

Why might the military be more useful in controlling the masses than the police?

In reading Dictators and Dictatorship: Understanding Authoritarian Regimes and Their Leaders, I came across this paragraph : the Cold War period was particularly amenable to military dictatorship “...
12
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3answers
1k views

What is the “appropriate” civilian response to police abusing their power? [closed]

Police are tear-gassing civilians during a pandemic that exasperates respiratory conditions while there is a shortage of ventilators and hospital beds. How/why is this allowed? What is the “...
12
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1answer
372 views

Could the US Space Force be dissolved when Trump is gone?

This answer to What are the factors exactly that will make missions like OTV-6 “Space Force launches”? which I've accepted includes the following: The US Space Force (USSF) is the successor to Air ...
4
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1answer
96 views

Do the interviews with neighbours, coworkers etc. conducted for a US background check (like SSBI) pose a kind of intelligence risk?

As Wikipedia writes, to obtain a Top Secret clearance in the US an extensive background investigation (SSBI) must be conducted. In the course of it, officials interview people like direct supervisor(...
1
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1answer
220 views

Why did Turkey reject the Chinese FD-2000 and then purchase the Russian S-400?

Chinese firm wins Turkey's missile defense system tender Turkey cancels $3.4 billion missile defense system tender: official This analysis says that Turkey rejected using a Chinese missile defense ...
0
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1answer
101 views

What are the factors exactly that will make missions like OTV-6 “Space Force launches”?

Space.com's US Space Force to launch the next X-37B space plane mystery mission on May 16 is not the first launch said to be a Space Force launch†. As I understand it the US Space Force is currently ...
7
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2answers
2k views

Why are US nukes still stationed in Germany for use by German pilots and not French ones?

So, recently Germany somewhat controversially ordered 45 F-18 fighter jets, supposedly for replacement of the old Tornado fighter jets to still have jets capable of delivering US nuclear bombs, given ...
1
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1answer
93 views

What program(s) is the US DoD funding through the WHO just in South Korea?

A lot of the voluntary contributions that the WHO receives are "earmarked" for a specific purpose (by the donor), specification which sometimes include a certain country in which the money is to be ...
43
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10answers
16k views

How is Russia able to maintain the 2nd most powerful military in the world at a fraction of the cost of the US & China?

The 2020 Military Strength Rankings list Russia's military as #2 in strength: United States Russia China However, their defense budget rankings show that Russia's only #8 in spending: United States ...
11
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1answer
408 views

Have the contents of the letters of last resort ever been revealed?

The letters of last resort are the letters written by the UK Prime Minister to the naval officers in command of the four nuclear submarines which provide the UK's nuclear deterrent, containing ...
-2
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2answers
110 views

Which US law transfered the power to declare war from Congress to the President? [closed]

The last few wars have been declared by Presidents without an act of congress. Yet the Constitution says that only congress can declare war. What is the specific legal justification that ...
3
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1answer
115 views

Graph of US military spending a percentage of GDP

I found a (North America proxy) graph of US military spending in absolute real terms (i.e. adjusted for inflation). As you can see, in absolute terms, even adjusting for inflation, the US has spent ...
2
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0answers
130 views

How did the 4th of July “Salute to America” military parade compare to France's (regular one) on Bastille Day, numerically?

Trump's decision to have a military parade on the 4th of July last year was criticized as being out of character for the US and even costly. According to Wikipedia, France regularly conducts such a ...
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1answer
247 views

Why did Iran recognize it's at fault on the Ukrainian plane? [closed]

Now there is a furor inside and outside of Iran. And some people now want their leader to step down. They could deny it forever. Now they having such backlash. Did they make it to put fault on US (...
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1answer
244 views

Is this show of Islamic Republic and the US confrontation beneficial for Trump's impeachment process? [closed]

I'm an Iranian that I'm just living in the US for a couple of years. Recently, the tension between the US and Islamic Republic regime is heightened to another level that we didn't see it before. In ...
-2
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1answer
437 views

is there any way a WW3 can start? [closed]

Because of the latest conflicts between USA and Iran, is there any way a WW3 can start? And in what case a ww3 can start? Honestly, I don't believe this but I want other people's opinion.
20
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2answers
8k views

Have US anti-ballistic-missile capabilities been used and were they effective in countering the recent Iranian missile strike on US bases in Iraq?

This is breaking news, so it may not be answerable right away but probably will be in a reasonably short term... Iran has launched (from its own territory) ballistic missile strikes against US bases ...
2
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1answer
173 views

Does the US have any long-term leases on bases in Iraq?

Breaking news is that the Iraqi parliament has passed a non-binding resolution calling for the withdrawal of foreign troops: The non-binding resolution was passed by the Iraqi parliament after the ...
42
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9answers
18k views

What threat, if any, does Iran really pose to the US?

The US army absolutely dwarfs the Iranian army in terms of military might. Realistically, Iran cannot attack mainland US, whereas the US could nuke Iran into oblivion at a moment's notice. They ...
2
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1answer
195 views

Significance of three days mourning for Gen. Qassim Suleimani

There is a three-day mourning event in Iran over the assassination of Gen. Qassim Suleimani. Is that a long period of time or a fairly standard period? In 1989 the Ayatollah Khomeini was mourned for ...
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4answers
261 views

Which “coalition” countries have troops in Iraq and how many?

U.S. airstrike kills top Iran general, Qassem Soleimani, at Baghdad airport The Defense Department said in announcing the strike Thursday night that Soleimani had orchestrated attacks on coalition ...
6
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1answer
297 views

How do Micronesia, Guam and the Northern Marianas give the US “dominance in the Pacific”, according to experts"?

The NBC News article Why is this tiny Pacific Ocean nation getting VIP treatment in Beijing? says: David Panuelo, president of the Federated States of Micronesia — a nation of some 600 islands and ...
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4answers
343 views

What is the Constitutional precedent for military aid?

Is there any Constitutional precedent for the claim that it is or is not within the rights or duties of the office of the President of the United States or of Congress to grant, to deny, or to suspend ...
30
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3answers
9k views

How true are Trump’s claims about NATO spending?

Over President Trump’s term in office, he has been very vocal about the spending commitments made by many NATO countries, and their frequent failure to live up to them. He now seems to be taking ...
22
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4answers
8k views

Are members of the military allowed to wear civilian clothes when testifying in Congress?

The question is sparked by the attention that media has to military personnel wearing dress uniform when testifying in front of a US Congress committee, calling it "pulling the soldier card" in regard ...
4
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3answers
322 views

Did the Obama administration make any statements on lethal aid for Ukraine?

In today's impeachment hearing, Republicans mentioned a number of times that the Obama administration did not provide lethal aid to Ukraine, even though officials (at least today's witness Ambassador ...
2
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1answer
176 views

Why is the US concerned about Turkey's S-400 deal? [duplicate]

Is this for being concerned about Turkey's self-defense capabilities or is it more about that Russia competes with the U.S on arm deals? What reasons does the US havefor being concerned about Turkey'...
2
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0answers
41 views

Can a country be expelled from NATO? [duplicate]

It seems a country can leave NATO, seeing as France did so in 1966 (and rejoined in 2009), but can a country be expelled from NATO? Who would make such a decision? Must all member countries vote FOR, ...
3
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2answers
304 views

What is Trump's plan to end or reduce US involvement in Syria?

Trump recently slammed the "endless wars", but an apparently not very well publicized Pentagon press release from Oct 8 says: Despite continued misreporting to the contrary, Secretary Esper ...
3
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1answer
111 views

How can I follow the civil case against IDF former chief Gantz in the Netherlands?

Last month, a case began to be heard in the Hague - in a Dutch court, not an international court - against the former head of the Israeli military and now a prime-ministerial hopeful, Benjamin (Benny) ...
6
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1answer
354 views

Are there any public opinion polls in the US on them starting military action against Iran?

Give the recent international events rising tensions between the US and Iran, have there any public opinion polls been conducted in the US asking whether the US should do more militarily against Iran? ...
18
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5answers
8k views

Can the U.S. president make military decisions without consulting anyone?

Looking on Wikipedia, we learn that: It is generally agreed that the commander-in-chief role gives the President power to repel attacks against the United States[3][4] and makes the President ...
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3answers
198 views

Could a government's standing military forces be entirely hired away by private interests? [closed]

Say, for example, a corporation obtains enough money to pay all the military (which isn't hard- investment banks manage trillions, the military salaries are a fraction of that). Then, the military ...
0
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2answers
369 views

Are Saudi Arabia's air defences actually working? [closed]

Saudi Arabia has one of the biggest military budgets in the world. State purchased huge amount of western weapon systems, including the most advanced of them - US Patriot systems. It is even ...
4
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1answer
204 views

How would the chain of command work if a service member were elected president?

Tulsi Gabbard is currently enlisted in the Hawaii Army National Guard and running for president. If elected, she would become commander-in-chief, as opposed to Major (O-4), her current rank. Would she ...
7
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1answer
241 views

UK: “limited nuclear strike” policy (history, details, politics, etc)

In a recent submission to a UK parliamentary committee the former chief of the navy (Lord West) was talking about a policy change which surprised me, that "recently" (some point in the last 10-20 ...
3
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1answer
273 views

Russian military bases in Germany: judicially possible? [closed]

The US has many military bases in Germany, e.g. 34 Army bases, Ramstein Airbase, etc. Discounting politics, what would be judicial hurdles to setting up a Russian military base in Germany? Is there ...
10
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2answers
421 views

In American politics is the “free ride” problem (Japanese defence spending) acknowledged as a direct consequence of American strategy?

I have been reading an article from The Atlantic which was published in 1989, on the question of whether Japan enjoys a "free ride" with regards to defence spending. This is a topic which has ...

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