Re: A Libertarian Army?

den Otter (neosapient@geocities.com)
Tue, 15 Dec 1998 00:19:53 +0100

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> From: Dick.Gray@bull.com

> den Otter writes:
>
> "If you cut off your private army's funds they'll do exactly what every
> other pissed-off private army did before them: they'll come and take
> it by force (perhaps shooting you, torching your home and raping
> your wife, kids and dog if they feel like it). An army that's intended
> to take on PPAs and even nation states shouldn't have much of a
> problem with coercing a couple of civilians."
>
> You're forgetting that this private army (aka militia) would be *us*, or
> our sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers.

The problem is that many people can't/won't be professional soldiers, and in a world full of (potential) enemies you really need more than just a bunch of guys with AKs; you need trained personnel that can fly helicopters, fire missiles, operate tanks, knows about demolition, surveillance techniques, counter-intelligence etc, etc. This means that you have to form a standing army with (probably) mercenaries, as was often done troughout history. People's militias can be a good addition to a professional army, but are not sufficient to defend your territory against a serious attack in this day and age.

There is one alternative tactic, of course: stockpile weapons of mass destruction and threaten to use them against anyone who attacks. This *does* severely limit your tactical possibilities, of course...

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----------
> From: Dick.Gray@bull.com

> den Otter writes:
>
> = "If you cut off your private army's funds they'll do exactly what = every
> other pissed-off private army did before them: they'll = come and take
> it by force (perhaps shooting you, torching your = home and raping
> your wife, kids and dog if they feel like it). = An army that's intended
> to take on PPAs and even nation states = shouldn't have much of a
> problem with coercing a couple of = civilians."
>
> You're forgetting that this private = army (aka militia) would be *us*, or
> our sons and daughters, = brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers.

The problem is that = many people can't/won't be professional soldiers,
and in a world full = of (potential) enemies you really need more than
just a bunch of guys = with AKs; you need trained personnel that can
fly helicopters, fire = missiles, operate tanks, knows about demolition,
surveillance = techniques, counter-intelligence etc, etc. This means that
you have = to form a standing army with (probably) mercenaries, as
was often = done troughout history. People's militias can be a good
addition to = a professional army, but are not sufficient to defend your
territory = against a serious attack in this day and age.

There is one = alternative tactic, of course: stockpile weapons of
mass destruction = and threaten to use them against anyone who
attacks. This *does* = severely limit your tactical possibilities, of
course...

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