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Notes -
American Achilles in his Tent
In the Trojan war the Greek overlord Agamemnon slighted his strongest hero (Achilles) by taking his war-bride for himself. Achilles withdrew to his tent and the efforts in taking Troy halted as nobody could oppose Hector--the rival champion of the besieged city--on the battlefield.
To me, it seems American Elites have made a similar mistake in modern time by slighting their traditional warrior caste.
What was the offense?
There are many reasons (some stated, others merely insinuated) when you go looking at conservative forums, but they can all be classified under a feeling of institutional betrayal and subsequently that the American Military—even the nation itself—no longer represents them and their values. That they are to fight for a mere economic zone, one that doesn't even cater to their moral taste, instead of a country proper. In no particular order they complain about LGBT+ acceptance/promotion, Anti-white rhetoric and practices, entry of women in the forces, forced vaccines during COVID, futile wars for profit, fighting for others countries instead of defending the homeland, poor pay for potential deathly work, etc. etc.
Take a look at their new recruitment adds and you can find these complaints in various degrees among the comments: https://youtube.com/watch?v=luc9saxt_YQ
The dwindling pool of recruits comes at a bad time for the Washington Elite as it seems the US is having a harder time than usual being the world's policeman.
With several conflicts around the world that endanger American Geopolitical interests how will the Army try to boost their numbers of foot soldiers? Will its attempt(s) be effective?
I can think of several options available to them:
The Patroclus Option
Making a false flag attack, or letting an actual attack on American soil happen despite knowledge of it beforehand, to shore up support among the public. A common enemy binds groups together despite their differences and grievances. After 9/11 the America public was easy to whip into a warmongering frenzy and this support was used for two-decade long misadventures and futile nation-building in the Middle East to keep the Military Industrial Complex fed fat with death and capital. Though, many among conservative have seemed to developed anti-bodies to this tactic. Cries about the USS Liberty are frequent in dissident right circles and seemed to have trickled down into the mainstream. Some thoughts should also be spent on diversity being a negative here as you’ll have a harder time getting a particular group to fight when being a countryman no longer means being the same race/religion.
The Briseis Option
Appeasement and concessions to white men as a group. Highly unlikely I think, but an option nevertheless. Though, what it would look like I have little to no idea. Perhaps putting away the institutional opprobrium against them?
The Foreign Legion Option
Saw this option floated around on /r/Neoliberal and /r/Army. Guarantee citizenship for half a decade of service, or something similar. Many conservatives are in favor of an army boycott (like the one they have done against Bud Light), but warn that this option leaves White America at the mercy of outsiders with guns that the Regime will have an easier time moving around.
The Daedalus Option
Automate the combat with drones and AI, perhaps the most likely among the options (by my account), but a little to early to make the transition I think.
The Penthesilea Option
Put women en masse into the meat grinder. I think it the most unlikely option, though with the rise of robots this could actually be a viable path in some form. Making women drone pilots will be easier than making them army grunts.
The Midas Option
Make it more economically enticing for new recruits to enter the armed forces. Give greater pay and greater benefits. Perhaps even bring back war prices, such as foreign land or even women.
Does the US need a large army at all? A small high-tech army is good enough if your goal is to topple foreign governments, it's annexing nearby countries that requires a large body of infantry. The US isn't going to send a million men into the P.R. of China or even Iran, it isn't going to start another Mexican-American War either.
Toppling foreign governments requires massive militaries. It is if anything the most man-power intensive form of war. Firing a few multi-million dollar missiles from platforms that cost hundreds of millions of dollars isn't going to knock out Iran. Even if a small force rolled into Tehran, they wouldn't be able to control more than a tiny area. Afghanistan required US troops in every valley in the country to be won.
How many governments has the US toppled by shipping hundreds of thousands of infantrymen abroad since WWII? Iraq required less than 200k, as did Afghanistan.
Two, but it was more of a "temporarily threatened" and less of a "toppling".
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