Is the US Militarized?

[daft]

If you're of a stable mind, have a license, and you keep hunting weapons in your house, well, you're more than welcome to own/have them. Either for hunting or personal(family/possession) defence. Otherwise, it's a no no.
Regarding US as a military power, isn't the number of military innovations and production (from guns to planes and misslies-and everything in between) a clear indicator as to who is the number one world military power in the world? (well, at least since the fall of Communism in Europe).

Jeopardy:
(Alex)
The most dominant militaristic nation of the world in the last 50 years.
(daft)
What is the USA?
(Alex)
Yes!

 

[gay_Aleks]

A .22 revolver is a pretty handy handgun for vermin. Depending on the type, of course.

Shooting ones on two feet however has the unfortunate tendency of bringing you to court.

Unless you happen to live in Florida, then you'll just say that you stood your ground.

 

[Sonereal]

Otherwise, it's a no no.
Regarding US as a military power, isn't the number of military innovations and production (from guns to planes and misslies-and everything in between) a clear indicator as to who is the number one world military power in the world? (well, at least since the fall of Communism in Europe).

Jeopardy:
(Alex)
The most dominant militaristic nation of the world in the last 50 years.
(daft)
What is the USA?
(Alex)
Yes!

MB summed it best.

I humbly suggest that being the worlds most dominant military power and being militarized aren't really the same thing.

 

[MobBoss]

Nah, they have significant uses outside of wasting other people. Mine still get work. The varmint 12 gauge got use last month.

But as for whether or not guns should exist at all. Now isn't that thorny. It's not like a simple erasure of firearms from the history of mankind would render us without a massive plethora of tools specifically designed around the sole purpose of killing other human beings. Issue is that with the advent of quality firearms the age, sex, relative fitness, and most importantly raw time available for dedicating to the practice of the art of murder martial arts became soft barriers on the ability to kill somebody rather than significantly firmer ones.

12 gauge is a bit overkill for varmints honestly. I agree the .22 is a good choice, but if you absolutely have to have a shotgun, try a .410 instead.

If you're of a stable mind, have a license, and you keep hunting weapons in your house, well, you're more than welcome to own/have them. Either for hunting or personal(family/possession) defence. Otherwise, it's a no no.
Regarding US as a military power, isn't the number of military innovations and production (from guns to planes and misslies-and everything in between) a clear indicator as to who is the number one world military power in the world? (well, at least since the fall of Communism in Europe).

Jeopardy:
(Alex)
The most dominant militaristic nation of the world in the last 50 years.
(daft)
What is the USA?
(Alex)
Yes!

I'm not sure being a military exporter is an indicator that ones nation is actually militarized. Especially since it can involve a lot of material that can be dual-purpose, i.e. prime movers, trucks, engineering equipment, some helicopters, etc.

Perhaps an even better indicator would be largest arms importers instead. Consider nations that buy lots of weapons instead of nations that sell them to others. India is at the top of that list by far.

 

[Civ'ed]

wouldn't a militarized nation need to keep most materiel for itself?

 

[Farm Boy]

12 gauge is a bit overkill for varmints honestly. I agree the .22 is a good choice, but if you absolutely have to have a shotgun, try a .410 instead.

I use .22 shorts whenever I can, but usually I'm at my parents' house, and it's too close to a well traveled road for me to bring those out. The carry distance in case of ricochet unreasonably limits my available firing angles.

I would use a .410 if I owned one, but I don't, and I'm not particularly inclined to buy one. So for things about groundhog-sized I just plunk in a shell of quail shot. It'll kill pretty much anything that you hit with the wad plus enough farther to be useful and the killing power dissipates rapidly enough that I have a lot more spaces I can actually use for approach/firing.

 

[MobBoss]

I use .22 shorts whenever I can, but usually I'm at my parents' house, and it's too close to a well traveled road for me to bring those out. The carry distance in case of ricochet unreasonably limits my available firing angles.

I would use a .410 if I owned one, but I don't, and I'm not particularly inclined to buy one. So for things about groundhog-sized I just plunk in a shell of quail shot. It'll kill pretty much anything that you hit with the wad plus enough farther to be useful and the killing power dissipates rapidly enough that I have a lot more spaces I can actually use for approach/firing.

Fair enough, but you hit full on with that 12 gauge that's going to be messy.

wouldn't a militarized nation need to keep most materiel for itself?

Possibly. But a lot of people don't realize that 'military exports' covers a lot more than just guns and ammo these days. C3I systems, robotics, advanced optics, FCS, communications, etc. are all facets of 'military exports' today, a lot of which have valid civilian use. Take GPS for example. Started out as purely military use, and as the tech developed it turned into a significant civilian tool.

The bottom line is the question 'is a nation militarized' actually takes more thought than one realizes. You cant just kneejerk it and be correct. You have to really pin down what the term actually means and then apply it. I cant' really convince someone who makes a 'well duh' reaction to the question 'is the a militarized nation' because they aren't really interested in discussing it. However, those that are reasonable and willing to explore what the term militarized actually means might come away with a different impression of the USA being truly militarized or not, especially in comparison to many other nations the world over.

 

[Farm Boy]

Fair enough, but you hit full on with that 12 gauge that's going to be messy.

Can't say that's never happened, but quail shot is pretty delicate. It starts losing splatter power pretty rapidly.

Also, when the hell are morons going to stop buying every box .22 ammo as soon as it hits the shelves? This idiocy is running several years straight now.

 

[JollyRoger]

We use our military as a jobs program and to dole out corporate welfare. Not very militaristic to me.

 

[Commodore]

We use our military as a jobs program and to dole out corporate welfare. Not very militaristic to me.

That's actually not too far from the truth. I always hear people telling those who can't find a job and are still in their twenties "well, you could always join the military." I have also seen firsthand just how much money defense contractors are bilking the American tax payers. The company I worked for would just come up with new "missions" and convince the government they totally needed contractors to handle these made-up missions and boom! There's another $100 million dollar contract from the Pentagon.

 

[IglooDame]

Can't say that's never happened, but quail shot is pretty delicate. It starts losing splatter power pretty rapidly.

Also, when the hell are morons going to stop buying every box .22 ammo as soon as it hits the shelves? This idiocy is running several years straight now.

It's because they can't reload .22LR in their Dillons and Lees.

 

[Cutlass]

I use .22 shorts whenever I can, but usually I'm at my parents' house, and it's too close to a well traveled road for me to bring those out. The carry distance in case of ricochet unreasonably limits my available firing angles.

I would use a .410 if I owned one, but I don't, and I'm not particularly inclined to buy one. So for things about groundhog-sized I just plunk in a shell of quail shot. It'll kill pretty much anything that you hit with the wad plus enough farther to be useful and the killing power dissipates rapidly enough that I have a lot more spaces I can actually use for approach/firing.

I've got a .410. But it's probably not been fired since before I was born.

 

[Farm Boy]

It's because they can't reload .22LR in their Dillons and Lees.

Guh. That sounds perennial rather than temporary and it's really a hastle to buy new ammo as is. I just don't care enough to camp it, travel for it, or figure out how to order online. I'm almost through the ones my dad bought in the 80s/90s.

I've got a .410. But it's probably not been fired since before I was born.

Those are fun little guns. Usually perfect for lightweight skeet. Doesn't kick or roar as rudely as the 12. The ones with some decades on them often have some nice character once they're cleaned up too!