bmoore
11/20/2008 7:15:00 AM
On Nov 19, 2:15 pm, Jisseigh <jismqu...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> The U.S. military has trouble when it's within 500 miles of Somalia.
> Recall "Black Hawk Down"?
>
> Something about contemporary warfare that baffles each service. Does
> 5-1/2 years in Iraq ring a bell?
>
> True story: After the U.S. Civil War, the Navy returned to sailing
> ships, rather than adopt the emerging steam and iron-clad
> technologies. Seems the old academy grads in charge didn't want to be
> bothered with world progress in their field.
>
> In fact, the Navy became so backward that when, circa 1890, several of
> its wooden vessels visited Santiago, Chile, on an "inspection tour,"
> they were literally forced and laughed out of the harbor by the head
> of the Chilean Navy.
There are elements of truth in this post, but it's pretty misleading.