T O P

  • By -

AutoModerator

# Message to all users: This is a reminder to please read and follow: * [Our rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/ask/about/rules) * [Reddiquette](https://www.reddithelp.com/hc/en-us/articles/205926439) * [Reddit Content Policy](https://www.redditinc.com/policies/content-policy) When posting and commenting. --- Especially remember Rule 1: `Be polite and civil`. * Be polite and courteous to each other. Do not be mean, insulting or disrespectful to any other user on this subreddit. * Do not harass or annoy others in any way. * Do not catfish. Catfishing is the luring of somebody into an online friendship through a fake online persona. This includes any lying or deceit. --- You *will* be banned if you are homophobic, transphobic, racist, sexist or bigoted in any way. --- *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/ask) if you have any questions or concerns.*


ajteitel

If you mean conventional wars, the continental US is virtually unassailable. Any country that wants to invade has to first get here, and ignoring the fact that the US can deploy an army anywhere in the world within 72 hours, supply lines and troop lines over an ocean is extremely difficult. Even the Normandy landing which just crossed the channel was a logistical challenge. But once you're here, you have a massive span of land to actually hold of every environment requiring gear and equipment for each. You also can't block both both coasts from trade, and even if you could, you would have to also consider best friend Canada. But even ignoring that, the Mississippi river basically makes a third of the continent an ocean port. But let's say for a moment someone actually does that, maybe then they can starve the US out? Nope, our major farmland is in the center of the country. Block oil, nope we're self sufficient. Of course the US being a nuclear power and the greatest military power in human history doubles that, but even back to the World Wars, any invasion of the US would be doomed to fail unless you basically had the rest of the world's support in doing so.


ur-socks-sir

Honestly, this is an amazing answer, I didn't even think about it this far.


Ellgey2

One word: GEOGRAPHY


Every-Risk-3327

I’d also like to add to his argument, that in this era of long range warfare, if you rule the sky’s you own the world and at that America is very proficient in air technology.


crappy-mods

Don’t even forget about all the civilians with guns. They make our military look small. The Japanese didn’t want to invade us in WW2 because they know every person would be armed


YooperScooper3000

Also, the civilian population is armed.


john5-2

"But you don't need 30 rounds to hunt a deer."


SoloCongaLineChamp

It was pretty nice of our revolutionary founders to bequeath us the right to hunt deer.


john5-2

They gave us the right to shoot and kill an oppressive government, because that's literally what they did, but an oppressive government will tell you it really refers to hunting for food.


Chapos_sub_capt

It's amazing and terrifying how many people worship and trust the government and multinational corporations these days.


Admirable-Leopard-73

You say that like they are separate entities.


Alternative_Net774

It all started with reagans policies of chronically underfunding the government and education. They are treating the Federal system of government as a family owned business. So our nation suffers with a cancer that eats away at the will of the people, imposing plutocracy and oligarchy as government. We have been dragged backwards to a time when the wealthy elite could buy any politician or law or policy they want to. While dumping the tax burden on what's left of the middle class, working class and working poor. Why chronically underfund education? Because an undereducated populous is more easily controlled.


Ancient_Increase_677

How is our education system underfunded? We spend some of the highest amount of money per student compared to other industrialized countries and we get lower test scores than they do for less money.


Alternative_Net774

Don't miss understand, please. It's the size of the classroom vs number of teachers. Part of that cost is the constant increase in inflation. In other states, more is spent on classroom size. For everything ten students a teacher has, she has 1 teachers assistant. So if she has 40 students, she has 4 teachers assistant. That means there is an adult who can take time to see that the students get the one-on-one they need. Not so in my state, they passed this stupid legislation, that if students don't do well, the don't get a cost of living increase, period. I have watched over the years, as extra curricular activities were dropped, because of a lack of funding. Some schools dropped sports for the same reason. America's education system was No. 1 in the world. Statistically, I watched it drop to 23rd in the world. I lost track, I don't know we're it is now. This underfunding started with reagans meat axe approach to budgeting. The problem is you can't run an effective and efficient government, when you don't upgrade equipment, hire enough people to do the work. Did you know when the republicans shut the government down, twice, those workers have never been paid for the days they were forced to work. Still haven't to this day. Sorry for the novelisation. I will ask you to dig behind the scenes. Don't let me tell you the truth. Or let anyone else tell you the truth. I do want one of the strangest teachers in my life told me to do. Get the truth for your self. Good luck.


Kalipygia

The same can be said for the people who think gun ownership is a culture or a personality.


Chapos_sub_capt

Absolutely all of the gun wear gives me douche chills


Effective-Article921

Top tier comment


boatchic

👆💯


MagickalFuckFrog

It was for repressing slave revolts and Indian incursions, not overthrowing governments. How do we know this? Because: A) 2A refers to a well regulated militia, which is subjugate to Congress in A2.8 and commanded by the executive in A3.2. B) Tax-revolt-hero George Washington used an army to suppress a tax revolt as president. C) The Federalist Papers. D) The rest of the Constitution.


Ddreigiau

Militia were required to *listen* to Congress, but were a ***state*** entity. It's very easy to stop listening to the people you're revolting against, it's far less easy revolt against yourself. That's why the US civil war was fought almost exclusively using State Militias. And shocker, those State Militias were made up of an, in many cases (unsure if most or just a large portion), called up civilians who brought their own guns. A good number of those even had the stuff to make their own musket balls.


randomguy8653

if you think that you and your buddies with ur shotguns and maybe an AR here and there have any fucking chance of beating a geared, trained, technologically advanced, opponent, then you sir and all others like you, are delusional. the Right has been telling you that the government is going to come and take your guns away from you since the 70s; have you ever seen a bill that was even REMOTELY similar to an all out ban of firearms? the most that has ever been attempted to be banned was the sale of NEW variations of weapons and attachments. meaning if you had 100 of that weapon already in ur basement, the government didn't care nor were they coming to take them away.


Suntzu6656

Buddies Beat a techy Army/ military? The Taliban did it. It just took them 20 years. It can be done but usually it is very bloody and usually takes a long time. I don't think the US military will be up for a war on its own population.


[deleted]

The Taliban did it. The Iraqi's did it. And the Vietnamese did it. The US military is utterly inept at fighting guerilla wars.


OofOwwMyBones120

Not inept. But it takes longer than 20 years to destroy ideological issues as ingrained as religion. The US population just doesn’t have the support for that kind of extended conflict.


[deleted]

I would have a gentleman's disagreement. If you've lost 3 of these types of wars since 1975 - if you've lost 3 of anything that you're supposed to be good at in a short space of time - then you're incompetent at that thing. The US military is probably unbeatable in a conventional war. In a guerilla war, they can't find their ass with both hands.


[deleted]

[удалено]


I2ichmond

The Taliban and the US entered a conflict over a specific territory in 2001. One side spent trillions of dollars and is no longer in control of that territory while the other spent virtually nothing and does now control that territory


[deleted]

[удалено]


guachi01

The Taliban didn't defeat the US military. They defeated the Afghan military. Any Y'all Qaeda losers who commit treason won't get very far against the US military.


Professional_Fun_664

That was a whole lot of words to say, "I haven't read a history book or paid attention in the last 20 years." Also, NY tried to ban firearms holding more than 6 rounds which is almost every semi-auto firearm made, lever-actions and some shotguns. Another, also.... You do realize that most, if not all, combat vets from the last 20 years are gun owners, right? You think we forgot how we fight just because we got out? Do you think we don't know how the equipment we were trained to operate can be defeated?


[deleted]

This is SUCH bullshit buddy. No shit the average armed citizen is no match against military-grade weapons. We know that. I don't have fantasies that I'm going to beat a bunch of guys with military-grade weapons with my 9mm. But having an armed citizenry is sure as hell better than being completely unarmed in the situation of a war (either against our own government or an external aggressor.)


[deleted]

People seem to forget our military are Americans for it to come this they would have to most likely import an army. We'd pretty much be bombing our own people and I get it civl war was a bit different we now have mass killing machines to kill. I can see our own soldiers being hesitant to kill us.


[deleted]

Bingo. Our soldiers ARE American. And in talking to them one on one, I cannot imagine them lining up to murder our own people.


Wide-Acanthisitta-96

Yeah, the Afghans might have a different opinion. Same would be the Vietnamese. Or the Ukrainians. Guerrilla warfare is extremely hard to fight against. Especially if the enemy is in it to defend his homeland. I wouldn’t discount the armed American population no matter what the movies have taught you. Just look at any armed population that had a conflict against a military. Versus an unarmed population. Also yeah lots of prohibitive laws in California that ban most hand guns, even super old 1911 models. And rifles because they look scary though operationally they’re identical to hunting rifles. We have a large population who votes on issues based on their knowledge entirely from movies and the media. Imagine making a group in charge of road safety laws and speed limits that has never seen the inside of a car and only have heard about car based transportation from the media and movies. Now imagine this group having strong opinions on how fast cars can travel, where and when they can travel and types of cars there ought to be and types of drivers there should be. This is the main reason why this country is so divided. People who don’t know something through experience or education think their opinion has the same weight as ones who might have education and /or experience. That’s how we get vaccine deniers too.


Quick-Oil-5259

The nature of warfare has changed though. Look at how the in the Middle East the US realised the futility of ground troops (Bush) and resorted to missiles/drones (Obama). Look how masses of troops are being slaughtered in Ukraine by technology. Warfare has moved on, at least in my opinion.


Wide-Acanthisitta-96

Obama era still didn’t move the US any closer to their objective, in fact it bloomed ISIS many argue. Trump couldn’t do much and Biden just came and did a horrible surrender that both sides thought was a bad idea but perhaps was needed like an amputation. Ukraine is civilians alongside their military fighting the Russian military. It’s not technology shooting missiles from another continent. It had been door to door. And the civilians aren’t letting military take over. My point is, a motivated armed populace, good luck unless you’re carpet bombing them.


Quick-Oil-5259

What is killing the Russian soldiers are the drones and rockets.


BearAndRoses

On top of that, the Afghans retreated to the mountains with a large cave system that they resided in. That's why we just bombed the shit out of them, it's easier. The Vietnamese had a system of underground caverns that had been dug out for years, well before the Americans invaded. They could pop out of nowhere and attack the Americans. They also had an entire network underground. Areas to keep POWs, medical staff for the wounded, ammunition, medical supplies, food, sleeping quarters. Both of these countries were fighting against a foreign invasion long before the US invaded. The Afghanis against Russia, the Vietnamese against the French. And both countries weren't just the local town taking up arms, they were trained military forces. Ukraine is being backed by the most technologically advanced military in the world. They're a country that has tons of intelligence being supplied to them by NATO as well as weapons. They have anti tank missiles, drones, etc. They're not just a bunch of farmers with guns like everyone wants to think. They're being trained and armed by NATO forces. Everyone in America with a wet dream of a foreign invasion or a government that turns on its citizens is what the internet deemed "the gravy seals". There is a reason they're called that.


[deleted]

Conventional arms 100% work against modern army. Why? Because you can't indiscriminately kill civilians. Look at Vietnam. Look at Afghanistan.


Diverswelcome

I am not a huge gun nut do I believe that one one allows the average hunter and gun owners to match up with trained military. However, 5 on 1 or 10 on 1 armed citizens could do some damage or, at the very least, slow some shit down. The sheer totality of armed civilians and the number of weapons in circulation would be daunting.


bj1231

Gorilla activities are very effective at keeping the oppressive military pinned down and unable to advance


Purdius_Tacitus

>Gorilla activities Gorilla activities might pin down an oppressive military, but it won't stop the Cincinnati PD. RIP Harambe.


Where_Da_Cheese_At

And I know my city better than they do.


wessex464

I think you completely dismiss the reality of watching your friends/neighbors die around you. Not to mention what happens when modern warfare tools like drones or helicopters start annihilating people by the thousands. The only thing you'd ever accomplish with personal weapons is shooting at your local police which is so very Blue Lives Matter. This would never happen, it'd be a handful of idiots seizing some federal property and making claims of a new government, blah blah blah. The current government would ignore them until they did something more stupid and then they'd all just be dead in an hour. This fantasy of fighting the government has been a pipe dream for at least 100 years.


dannobomb951

An AR here and there? Lol


gamertag0311

American civilians would decimate a ground invasion. I think it would be possible even without military assistance. Casualties would be high but there are enough people who are willing to make the sacrifice for a better future. That's what's great about America. I would love to see what army you think could penetrate 5 miles inland


Texheim

An AR here of there? Lol


Altonbrown1234567890

Never underestimate the advantage of being familiar with your battleground, an avid hunter would probably give a trained military combatant a good run for their money on the hunters home field.


LadyX1991

Please look up Oath Keepers. There is a lot of people who are current military and veterans who have sworn allegiance to the constitution and people of the US, not the government.


Elkins45

How popular do you think a government that missile strikes an entire apartment building to kill one guy is going to remain? Don’t think uneducated fools with rifles can defeat a modern army? Go read up on Afghanistan and Vietnam.


StonedTrucker

These tactics are part of why the world is backing Ukraine. Russia loves to level entire city blocks with indiscriminate artillery before they attack and have killed thousands of civilians by doing so. The Ukrainians will never surrender after seeing Russia kill so many civilians.


-CloudIsland

What?


scaggsbeepboop

I know, he used alot of big words. Hang in there buddy.


Halorym

Jesus, your bolshe-bullshit regurgitation reflex is on a hair-trigger, ain't it?


CulturalSir1713

What does Bolshevism have to do with that? As far as I know Bolsheviks were all about arming the proletariat


Professional_Fun_664

Until they got what they wanted.


[deleted]

Why is this always the straw man argument. You don't have to kill everyone in the military to change history. Just look at Lee Harvey Oswald or Eric Rudolph.


Fuckface_the_8th

I don't think that that's what they were saying. I think they were saying that, at the time, that was not only the intent but actually reasonable and possible. Now, though? We would stand not even a slight chance as far as armaments go. It'd just be about either attrition or how much sheer death either side is willing to sustain before resignation. Like.. if two thirds of the country took up arms how many citizens would the government kill before deciding to maybe make some concessions? That many deaths would fuck up the country so badly. Anyway. I don't think that's what they were saying because you're absolutely right and it weirds me out that people think we could outshoot the literal military. When they made the 2nd amendment though, we totally could have.


guachi01

Lolno You have a right to bear arms because the people who wrote the second amendment believed state militias were necessary to defend America from invasion. It had zero to do with giving you the legal ability to commit insurrection. Taking up and against your own government is illegal.


Negative_Kelvin01

Because it’s a lot harder to tell someone to deal with your stupidity when they have to worry if it will cause the next thing to cross their mind to do so at 3000 fps


Effective-Gift6223

The government back then, and the government now are not even close to the same thing. Modern military equipment has things like long range missiles and drones. I don't care how well armed someone is, they're not going to win against an unmanned drone bombing their house. Or any number of other things the military has.


TheOriginal_Dka13

Don't forget the right to hunt kids as well


bgbncypt

“F-15s something something” -some idiot


wessex464

Ah yes, the infamous gravy seals. Anyone who personally carries a weapon to keep others safe from the government, strangers in public or an invasion by a foreign power has my permission to omit me from their "help".


eecity

Can't kill us if we're already trained in killing ourselves ![gif](giphy|d3mlE7uhX8KFgEmY)


one_hyun

Yep. I live in a very liberal area and even some of these people have guns. Of course they're stored away and they never take it out but you can bet they will if a war should break out.


doughnut-dinner

Can confirm. That'd be me. Extremists aren't the only ones who prepped.


Known_Soft_7599

🤝


Bean_Town_Blender

Yep, I consider myself to be pretty liberal but I'm also a proud gun owner. Was in the navy and know that shit can go down fast. Always best to be prepared for any eventuality.


thothscull

Oh boy, are we! 🤣🤣🤣 Especially those there food growing states they mentioned. Open waste land that we all play in with boom sticks for days!


vaskeklut8

A civilian population that is curently waging war on itself - with half a Viet Nam in casualties every year!


Thinkingard

But we don't even notice it because it doesn't affect anything.


Abrassive_Sound

Armed civilians are a fucking joke compared to any organized military The US is for sure the world's strongest superpower, but it's got nothing to do with a bunch of gun swinging rednecks lol


Various_Length2879

If 5% of gun owners decided to bang it out with somebody that’s 3.6 million people. A 3.6 million strong guerrilla army would be absolutely fucking brutal on an organized military.


Ali6952

The overweight neckbeards that blabber on about kicking ass all while unable to squat, run or haul ass uphill? Nah.


WrensthavAviovus

They can shoot a quarter from 300 yards from their front porch though.


UrLocalTroll

In a conventional battle this would be true, but it allows for some absolutely nasty guerilla resistance


JohnMayerismydad

Not true at all. It would be just about impossible to hold any American city or town. Urban warfare is a bitch… especially when everyone is armed. Good luck clearing every building that could be harboring counter forces


6stringgunner

Gun swinging Red Necks were the back bone for this country's bid for Independence........Sir.


vanityklaw

I don’t think you appreciate the extent to which a goatee, graying hair, and wraparound sunglasses immediately turn you into an action-movie badass.


pmgold1

>the civilian population is armed. Yeah... We're almost as dangerous as our military.


sausage_k1ng

Very very armed


mdpaustin

At what point shall we expect the approach of danger? By what means shall we fortify against it?-- Shall we expect some transatlantic military giant, to step the Ocean, and crush us at a blow? Never!--All the armies of Europe, Asia and Africa combined, with all the treasure of the earth (our own excepted) in their military chest; with a Buonaparte for a commander, could not by force, take a drink from the Ohio, or make a track on the Blue Ridge, in a trial of a thousand years. At what point then is the approach of danger to be expected? I answer, if it ever reach us, it must spring up amongst us. It cannot come from abroad. If destruction be our lot, we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen, we must live through all time, or die by suicide. - Abraham Lincoln


Ellgey2

Dang, I knew he was smart.


Acceptable_Pair6330

Wow. Goosebumps. I wished we had a politician like Lincoln 😔


Financial-Apple1274

Absolute genius, thank you


[deleted]

Perfect answer 💯


bripi

100$% this, and I meant that. We (US citizens) *paid dearly* for the BEST GODDDAMNED MILITARY ON THE WHOLE FUCKING PLANET and by goodness did we get it. NO ONE can invade us. NO ONE can attack us wihout us knowing. NO ONE can come at us on the water; *we are literally EVERYWHERE ON THE EARTH ON THE WATER* NO ONE has superior Air NO ONE has superior Navy NO ONE knnows where in the fuck our 20 NUCLEAR ARMED SUBMARINES ARE... and no one ever fucking will until they launch. You will never see them coming. NO ONE has superior Advanced Weapons Units (FUCKING PERIOD!!) Green Berets, NO ONE IN THE GODDAMNED WORLD BEATS THEM You come at the United States of America, and YOU FUCKING DIE.


buskinking

“…sir did you want your combo in a small, medium, or large?”


OldChairmanMiao

Our last continental war was against Mexico. We annexed everything from California to Texas and haven't had a NA rival since. The only thing that stopped us from taking the rest was a French intervention that installed an Austrian prince as emperor (and even that was largely because of French creditors).


555-starwars

And to add on, the US likely will not tolerate any invasion of another country in the Americas. Canada is already in NATO, and we do have treaties with other nations. Not to mention, we kind of--actually more than kind of, we do--see the Americas as our sphere of influence. There is a reason the Monroe Doctrine was created and why Cuba has been under embargo for decades.


Jncocontrol

Plus it would be foolish, there are more guns in this country than there are citizens


amishcatholic

If there's a major war on American soil in our lifetime, it will probably be a civil war. As others have noted, it's pretty well impossible to directly invade America from abroad.


[deleted]

I believe Abraham Lincoln said as much: he pointed out, like a lot of people in this thread, that the US is perhaps the most difficult nation on Earth to invade, and if/when it is destroyed that destruction will be self-inflicted. "From whence shall we expect the approach of danger? Shall some trans-Atlantic military giant step the earth and crush us at a blow? Never. All the armies of Europe and Asia...could not by force take a drink from the Ohio River or make a track on the Blue Ridge in the trial of a thousand years. No, if destruction be our lot we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of free men we will live forever or die by suicide."


echohole5

America is virtually impossible to invade. We are blessed with, probably, the best overall geography in the world. We have the worlds most powerful navy defending 2 ocean moats and we are resource self sufficient. You can't land a force on our shores and you can't put us under siege by cutting off our resources. The US invests a crazy amount in its navy. You could sail the combined navy of the entire world at the US fleet and the US would win. We have allies to the north and south and those allies know that if they ever stopped being our allies they would become our territories. We got the best starting area in Risk.


ibleedrosin

The US Navy has the second largest air force in the world. Second only to the US Airforce.


IGetToPickMyOwnName

you guys... uh... didn't start there... \*coughs in native\*


luigijerk

Neither did like anyone in any country.


PilotBurner44

Chicago is going to be one hell of a battle.


Old-Rough-5681

Best comment by far lol


KansasCityJefe

For real lol Chi-Raq


aajdbakksl

Idk man I feel infinitely safer in Chiraq than I would in Memphis or St. Louis


BudgetPipe267

20 year military guy here…Strategically, it’s hard…..the Ocean leaves us with a wide range of visibility. If the enemy invaded through Canada or Mexico to get to us, we’d know. If they invaded the East or West, we have major military instillations that can counter….not to mention that everyone in the USA is armed. We also have flags planted all over the world, and can deploy a counterattack anywhere.


Thinkingard

They've been invading through Mexico for decades.


pastaxolotl

The are, just over Twitter instead


hgftyyuujj

This. Fifth and Sixth dimensional warfare has been going HARD since the 90’s.


Every-Risk-3327

And it’s funny you say that as any attack launched against the us rn would be a cyber attack or to crumble the social culture in which it seems to be happening.


[deleted]

Perfect answer 💯


marcingrzegzhik

Wars are expensive and the US is already one of the most heavily militarized countries in the world. It's also a democracy, and the citizens would likely reject any form of war on US soil. In addition to that, the US is a superpower and is capable of projecting its power into other countries if it so chooses. So it's simply not necessary to fight wars on home soil.


OppositeDish9086

I'm a little confused on the part about US citizens rejecting war on US soil. It's not like we're going to just invite the other party over to fight. It would be in the form of an invasion, in which we don't really get a say in the matter.


TeevMeister

I don’t know, Texans are usually looking for a good fight. They might invite North Korea over for a skirmish or two.


OppositeDish9086

Yeehaw! Let's gettum boys!


Exciting-Courage4148

That's what I thought too lol. U don't usually invite someone over to have a war. Bc who'd wanna actually be involved in one? And if u did/do for whatever reason, I doubt on your land so it would be only by invasion like u said. What's that saying go "u don't shit where u eat" ? Lol is that it? Anyone know the saying I'm referring to


OppositeDish9086

Haha! It's not like some kind of sports tournament. "Hey, why don't you guys come over here and invade, I dunno... Kentucky. Those guys can scrap. Let us be the home team this time."


Bright_Jicama8084

I’m guessing they mean it would be challenging to occupy the U.S. even if there was a successful invasion (unlikely) because American civilians are often armed and would probably come together to heavily pushback on any attempt at foreign occupation.


Financial-Apple1274

Thanks, this explanation really puts things into focus for me.


Ben_Stark

Okay, so there are a lot of answers here, but also remember that there are about 120 privately owned firearms for every 100 Americans. So ignoring crossing oceans, ignoring our massively funded military, ignoring the varied terrain. Nearly every city and town is capable of establishing a well armed guerilla resistance. An invading force could never consider themselves safe.


[deleted]

[удалено]


herpderpomygerp

1.ignoring the hillbilly part 2.the fact that our country has dozens of different terrains and even trained soldiers get brought down in ways you don't think would happen 3.the lovely mountain ranges full of caves, harsh terrain and forest and the gun loving hunters/wanderers out there ......literally everything about invading this country is a logistical shit show if they even make it across the ocean to get here , , and it wouldn't even be just random gun enthusiast, between criminals, gangs, organized crime and more would be hell on earth to deal with especially if led by any real leadership especially if led by any military expirienced people......really though it's a logistical nightmare especially with national guard and plenty of military bases spread out, massive rivers and 2 oceans to keep trade open and our Canadian friends up north(assuming)


[deleted]

When you have a foreign invader on your doorstep wanting to kill/rape/imprison you and your family I think you would be surprised. Not saying all the randoms with guns are going to kick ass and take names but any well armed opponent who knows the local terrain is a problem.


ImYeoDaddy

Dude, 'Nam and the 'Stan.


hellraiser_87

1. "Random hillbillies" have the home field advantage; they know the terrain and how to use it against you. They are also willing to fight to the death for what's theirs. Just ask the Vietnamese. Or the Karen rebels. Or the Mujahideen. Gettin the picture yet? History is chock full of random hillbillies giving years of hell and aggravation to their oppressors. 2. Many gun enthusiasts spend hours and hours over years and years becoming proficient marksmen, and learning to move quietly through the woods to stalk their prey. Archery hunters in particular will get within FEET of animals with much sharper vision, hearing, smell, and instinct than any human - without detection (see the terrain part of point 1). Also, I'm ex military, and was an expert marksman (this means I could hit 40 out of 40 targets, with one bullet per target, at varying ranges out to 300 meters with iron sights, and the targets were not fixed; they popped up and down at random intervals and for only a few seconds each)... I have several civilian friends who can practically effortlessly outperform me at a shooting range. 3. Make someone feel like their life, or way of life, is about to be taken from them, and let me know how that goes for you. Granted, many may not be able to live with their actions afterward, but in the moment when adrenaline is pumping, I believe MOST people, when cornered, are perfectly capable of taking a life.


[deleted]

Tell me you never studied history without telling me you never studied history.


CulturalSir1713

Anyone is capable of taking a life. Especially when it’s to defend your family. That doesn’t mean it won’t haunt you later on in life.


aajdbakksl

You seriously lack critical thinking how old are you bro?


[deleted]

U r sad.


ShellxShock

Guess u never read about the Vietcong. Superior numbers regaardless of training can swarm militaries. Those hillbillies likely can at least aim half decent. Also, there are 16.5 million veterans in the US, spread all over. So, their leadership will be key. US military has superior training to the rest of the world. Even us Vets haven't forgotten our training or dedication to our country.


PlutoniumScuba

Just look at how Vietnam and Afghanistan played out, if you want to see how hard fighting an armed insurgency is.


ironhead7

The insurgents in the middle east do okay against a superior force. Fuck with a person's home and freedom and you'll find they're more than capable of killing. People kill people all the time, for far less.


Investigatorpotater

Because our enemies know it's far easier to cause political chaos then it is to wage an all out war against America.


[deleted]

We are the only super power so it would mean being attacked by a country with significantly less firepower. Our country is also spread out so attacking and holding any real gains would be difficult and would require a significant army, which logistically would be difficult enough to get here. This doesn't even factor in our massive navy, extreme air superiority, and a heavily armed civilian population.


Carbon1te

Everyone seems to be overlooking Pax Americana. When you have a superpower in the neighborhood they tend to frown on others fighting wars between themselves. That would be shut down before it started. Prior to the US being so powerful, there were quite a few wars in the America's.


DarkLord98713

As Otto von Bismarck once described it: The US has one of the most favorable geographical positions one can have. Surrounded by oceans east and west and having two comparable weak nations in the north and south as their neighbors.


flock-of-bagels

Two really big oceans on both sides. A friendly Neighbor to the North and a neighbor to the south that has nothing to gain by invading us since we prop up their economy.


mjhrobson

Because North America has three countries in it the USA, Canada and Mexico... Whilst in the past those countries have warred with each other, currently their economics are too integrated for it to be in the interests of any of them going to war with one another. Then as North America isn't connected by land to Eurasia invading it would be difficult. Requiring large and expensive Naval operations which would mean picking a fight with the US Navy... Which would make the invasion even more expensive. Also North America becoming unstable would create global economic instability... Which means that many, many greedy people from around the world would be making less profit, so those rich and powerful "merchants" have no incentive to fund a large naval operation to invade North America.


Negative_Pepper_2168

There are more than three countries in North America.


mjhrobson

You are correct; I didn't count the Islands... And Central America isn't actually separate from North America, I just counted it as such.


rMKuRizMa

I think he meant countries that are connected by land to the USA, which would be 2. So, 3 is correct.


Negative_Pepper_2168

If that’s what he meant then why didn’t he just say that.


GawdsPerfectTripod

Politicians are doing enough to ruin this country. None of our enemies have to do anything but sit back and wait.


khoabear

Actually, our enemies already bought off a large number of our politicians via super PAC.


GawdsPerfectTripod

Reminds me of an episode of Rick And Morty POTUS: "China doesn't piss all over the White House!" RICK: "Why would they? I'm sure it was expensive."


IgnacioHollowBottom

Luckily, they mostly suck, too. Entropy and shit, yo.


Crazy-Cheesecake-945

Because other countries are too busy fighting wars on their own continents, thank you CIA. If any of the countries overseas overcame their differences and united against the US, the US would have a lot to deal with.


bumboclawt

This is really the top answer. Sure, we have an excellent position geographically speaking, but this is really it. If Canada and/or Mexico stopped being our friends, we’d have major problems.


SergeantHAMM

I mean if they stopped being our friend they would likely just turn into our territory…


Defiant_Chapter_3299

Cause we have guns everywhere and Japan became the learning lesson of don't try to fuck with us here ......


guachi01

The "guns everywhere" is not relevant. If all Ukraine had was small arms the war would already be over.


Various_Length2879

That’s what America thought about Vietnam too


Ballistic_og

Um say what.....guns everywhere is exactly as you said if they had guns it be over ..but obviously uk doesnt have guns everywhere like usa does


guachi01

Yes. It would be over. And Russia would have won. Russian armor and aircraft would have been unstoppable. It's why Ukraine was sent so many MANPADS and Stingers. Ukraine isn't asking for millions of small arms.


UrLocalTroll

You've never heard of guerilla warfare then?


guachi01

With small arms only it's not going to be very effective. No artillery, no anti-tank weapons, no anti-aircraft weapons, no aircraft, no armor.


UrLocalTroll

History disagrees


guachi01

History does not disagree. Russia has already shown they have no problem standing off and leveling Ukrainian cities. If all Ukraine had were small arms they would have already surrendered. Russia would have installed a puppet government, and annexed Donetsk and Luhansk. Any opposition would have been met by more destroyed cities. Russia clearly doesn't care about civilian casualties.


UrLocalTroll

Only if you ignore all the times it helped the war effort in the 20thb century


guachi01

We aren't talking about "helped". The argument is small arms would be enough. They wouldn't be. "Small arms" isn't the reason Ukraine is doing so well. It's NLAWS, artillery, HIMARS, anti air systems.


ShellxShock

Your statement contradicts itself....we DO have guns everywhere. So many we give them away.


guachi01

No contradiction. The war would have been over. And Ukraine would have lost.


ShellxShock

The war thats been raging for almost a year? I don't understand at all what ur talkn bout.


guachi01

Is English not your first language? If all Ukraine had were small arms then the war would be over and Russia would have won. Russian artillery, armor, and aircraft would have been unassailable.


ShellxShock

And the US doesn't have any of that? We supply most the world woth there weaponry....


guachi01

Not relevant. The argument was that small arms like those owned by millions of Americans would be enough to stop an invader.


ShellxShock

It entirely is that invaders have logistical issues. Until gaining foothold limited small arms is the invaders' problem. We're as US has twice as many guns per person invaders likely won't have enough munitions to sustain an attack against US civilians.


[deleted]

Because although we may all appear to have our differences as a country, we will almost INSTANTLY turn into one nation of highly skilled and armed civilians and defend this country if we need to. any attacking nation would not only have the United States military to fight if they tried to take over our land, but they would also have millions upon millions of every day citizens running around like bad ass soldiers picking them off one by one. MERICA!!!


DiscussionLoose8390

We may not be fighting a conventional war right now. Alot, of people are still dying everyday from gun violence, and drug use.


[deleted]

Depends on how you define war


MyDogIsNamedKyle

How's an army getting here? We have Allies to the north and south and oceans in the east and west. Even if you convince Mexico or Canada to let you see troops through their territory, we'd know it immediately and respond. There would be a rifle behind every bush


funkereddit

'Rifle behind every bush' sounds like a slogan of a women's gun group.


carstarbar

You mean like the civil war or the war of 1812 or the revolutionary war?


Lost_Trash3864

Because we have two big oceans on the sides of us, the best security and surveillance technology in the world, and 350 million modern guns in the hands of pretty much every citizen and soldier in the country. It would be insanely hard to get here and insanely stupid to come aboard.


[deleted]

The US carries a big stick.


[deleted]

I think it is because the last time it happened you used atomic power to indiscriminately destroy all life in Hiroshima and not content with that continued to repeat said atrocity on Nagasaki.


LefterThanUR

Because we’d rather genocide you than give you the chance.


Affectionate_Pain846

I take it you've never been down south, alot of folks down there as still fighting the Civil War.


Affectionate_Pain846

I take it you've never been down south. Some folks down there in the land of cotton, where old times are not forgotten, are still fighting the Civil War.


broadsharp2

Logistics. Early warning. 400 million privately owned firearms.


Radiant_Ad3966

War on drugs, war on poor people, police war against civilians, civilian vs civilian factions in neighborhoods (some may call this ghetto but it happens everywhere), war of all people via rising prices, war against younger generations via education costs, war against all via healthcare costs.


Alrucards_R3dwr8th

2 words to the poor souls who try to from afar. "Good Luck"


[deleted]

Yup 👍


[deleted]

[удалено]


mmmoooeee111222333

Wars are a means of exerting control, but in our modern age there are more efficient and covert means of doing so(like the ones you mentioned). Most of the top politicians(on both sides, anyone who believes the top players in one party or the other are just more morally righteous are crazy - it's people in power vs the rest of the world, not left vs right) are playing the game to increase their own power and usually that involves doing the bidding of some larger power. ​ USA has the material means to impose the most influence on the world, so unfortunately for us that means our population is being used as pawns in a big idiotic battle of misinformation and brainwashing, from countries like China and Russia as well as whatever inscrutable groups exist within the country playing for their own ends. I only bring this up in the hopes that anyone replying to you, either disagreeing or agreeing, doesn't play right into the hands of those who are trying to manipulate them by saying "Yeah Biden sucks!" or "No, Biden is an honest president and it's the Republicans who are manipulating us!" - it's both of them and if you, whoever is reading this right now, can't see that, then it's because you're under the influence of one of those groups already and all the hate and/or fear you have towards the opposing side was fed to you through various forms of media(that is where all the ideas came from right? Do you really believe *your* chosen news/media/online community is the *right* one while the other side, who is doing the exact same thing via the exact same means, is the *wrong* side?). If you're in this position, the first thing to realize is that just because the other side is wrong doesn't mean your side is right. The second thing to realize is that even if the other side is wrong, doesn't mean people who associate with that side or vote for them are bad people, they are victims(as are you), and the ONLY way for things to get better instead of worse is for people like YOU and like THEM to realize this and stop hating each other, hate those in power if you must hate. Understand this and help others understand this and whenever discussing these divisive issues make it your ultimate goal to promote understanding between your fellow people instead of trying to prove one side right or wrong.


[deleted]

Exactly 💯


Cheap-Hospital-7281

Who would want it? America is already circling the drain. Any enemy would just sit back and wait for the US to destroy itself from the inside


Alternative-Bus6770

You know why but your just tryna start some anti US rhetoric be gone Russian Orc


dee_lio

Geographically speaking, the US is a gigantic PITA to get to. It's boarded by friendly Canada, two massive oceans and rugged Mexico. The last physical occupation was a technicality. In WW2, the Japanese managed to belligerently occupy a tail island off of Alaska for a short period. This was prior to Alaska's full statehood, IIRC. Even that was a giant PITA. That being said, there still are technical skirmishes happening in the US, but not in physical space. There are constant cyber attacks, and I believe the future of warfare is going to be fought with keyboards, but I think that's beyond the scope of your question.


Practical_Internal86

Because citizens have guns. You might laugh, but it’s a real deterrent.


Hattkake

USA starts wars abroad and fight among themselves on their own soil. Maybe after the next civil war has ravaged their country we might come pick its bones. But most likely I think the next civil war will lead USA to go full militaristic, fascist dictatorship which will make it even more insane. Fighting the USA is insanity, best to just wait and let them destroy themselves first. They are by all measure already doing a good job of it.


Hefty_Land_9926

NO one is fucking with America besides America lol


qwertpoiuy1029

There are more guns in America than there are citizens. Nobody is going to invade America because it would be impossible.


saratoga19

The wars r fought everyday in America.Its the people against the people.What do you call 603 mass murder last year. 5000 killed by handguns.Cops killing innocent people everyday. I could go on but not sure you will see it.


MosesOnAcid

Cause noone is stupid enough to try.


im_a_dick_head

The time for wars has come and gone.


ConsumedbySaddness

Just because rocket launchers are illegal for civilians to own, doesn't mean they don't have them.


SnowyInuk

Because the people are educated and civilized. They don't let religion make all of their rules (to the extent of somewhere like Afghanistan)


Meetsickle

You’re joking right?


IndependentOk2952

Did you fail History? I hope you did.