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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWinter War: U.S. Military Buys Thousands of Skis
U.S. MILITARY PREPARES FOR WINTER WAR WITH NORTH KOREA, RUSSIA BY BUYING THOUSANDS OF SKISBY JOHN HALTIWANGER ON 12/29/17 AT 4:50 PM
The U.S. military is buying thousands of skis for the U.S. Marine Corps to enhance its preparedness for cold weather operations as tensions grow with Russia and North Koreacountries known for having brutal winters.
The Marine Corps is spending $7 million on the winter equipmenta total of 2,648 sets of new skis, boots and binding for scout snipers, reconnaissance Marines and infantry Marines, Military Times reported Friday. This move is reportedly due to the fact the old skis were breaking. Marines stationed with the rotational force in Norway, deployed to the country back in January, will be the first to receive the new skis.
Link to tweet
There are currently roughly 300 Marines in the Scandinavian countrya fact that has provoked ire from Russia, which shares a border with Norway. When plans to send the Marines to Norway were announced last year in October, Russia swiftly decried the decision. At the time, the Russian embassy in Oslo told Reuters, Taking into account multiple statements of Norwegian officials about the absence of threat from Russia to Norway we would like to understand for what purposes is Norway so...willing to increase its military potential, in particular through stationing of American forces in Vaernes?
Related: U.S. military needs more troops in Europe in case of war with Russia, U.S. army chief warns
As Russia has become increasingly aggressive across Europe, engaging in conflicts from Georgia to Ukraine (and annexing Crimea), the U.S. military has sought to modernize its forces in the region. The U.S. has also butted heads with Russia over their competing roles in the conflict in Syria.
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http://www.newsweek.com/us-military-prepares-winter-war-north-korea-russia-and-buys-thousands-skis-765471
Achilleaze
(15,543 posts)and bilk the US taxpayers up the wazoo for $25-a-cup hot chocolate provided by Private Contractors, Inc. (R).
Historic NY
(37,454 posts)they started training some years back in the Hudson Highlands and moved to Norway. Difficult to train w/o snow.
Irish_Dem
(47,518 posts)onethatcares
(16,192 posts)the kgop will just take a loan from China. They've already shownus that deficits don't matter.
Irish_Dem
(47,518 posts)pangaia
(24,324 posts)they would stop buying and wasting all this shit
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/worlds-largest-plane-graveyard-of-us-military-fighters-in-desert-can-now-be-explored-online-10077079.html
bluedigger
(17,087 posts)We were part of a Mountain Infantry battalion in the Northeast - the first dedicated to mountain warfare since WWII. They used us as a testing unit, along with SF, for a lot of high speed gear such as gore tex and polypro underwear, that later became standard issue stuff. We used Dynastar (I think) mountaineering skis, with Italian bindings, and plastic shell Austrian mountaineering boots that were all too narrow for our American feet.
Anyways, seems like a lot better use of $7 million than another dime spent for the F-35.
(Also, skiing with night vision goggles is a blast. )
DURHAM D
(32,611 posts)My first thought was "Wow, with new skiers comes new equipment and new surgical procedures"
I assume they will improve methods for repairing and replacing knees and other joints.
Hope they hurry up. I need knee surgery right now as the result of a ski injury back in 1981 - patella subluxation.
bluedigger
(17,087 posts)Had my ACL replaced back in 2000. The surgeon said it was an "old" injury - probably dated back to the 80's, when I was in the Army.
underpants
(182,950 posts)I knew some NCO's who were stationed there (Scouts). They said it was training unlike anywhere else. Snowshoes repelling mountaineering etc. I don't remember if there was any skiing.
bluedigger
(17,087 posts)The 10th Mountain Division was reactivated at Ft. Drum around the same time, as a light infantry division. They probably adopted some of the ideas and training we were experimenting with later on, though. We had infantry companies from Maine, New Hampshire, and New York, with our headquarters in Vermont running an all services Mountain Warfare school. Had a few special forces and navy corpsmen in classes when I went through it. Also got to spend a month winter training with Italian Alpini troops in Northern Italy. Spent all day climbing up the Alps, and half an hour falling, er, skiing, back down, every day.
underpants
(182,950 posts)Aristus
(66,478 posts)In the 1939-40 Winter War between Finland and the Soviet Union, Finnish ski troops would ski to the battlefield, then remove their skis and fight on foot. The Soviets tried to ski into battle, and got mown down by the Finns.
The Soviets ended up winning that war, but they had to settle for far less territory from the Finns than they had invaded for, and paid a huge price in Russian blood for it.
DavidDvorkin
(19,497 posts)What could possibly go wrong?
Achilleaze
(15,543 posts)DavidDvorkin
(19,497 posts)The biggest winter invasion of Russia ever!
Achilleaze
(15,543 posts)I'm impressed with the imbecilic military strategery of the republican Draft-Dodger-in-Chief and his cadre of war-profiteering cronies & comrades.
DavidDvorkin
(19,497 posts)Lee-Lee
(6,324 posts)The Cold War Mission for the USMC East Coast units, shoudlnwar have broken out with the USSR, was always to assist in the defense of Norway.
The USMC kept a whole lot of equipment prepositionend in caves there, maintained by the Norwegian government, so they could rapidly move units there that could fall in on the equipment.
Norway takes the threat from Russia very seriously. They still have conscription and recently extended conscription to women as well.
onethatcares
(16,192 posts)and all the previous wars is. What the fuck is wrong with us as a species? I know animals fight for territory and mating rights. Aren't we supposed to be above such crap?
I would rather you have healthcare treatment instead of taking your land or killing your family.
I am so glad I'm on the downhill side of my life age wise because I am over body bags, high cap weapons, killing fields and all the other warmonger bullshit.