Does anyone else miss the Cold War, when the bad guys were defined?

Thank you sir, always try to bring a thought provoking subject.

I served in NATO for a total of 9 years in a Boarder Regiment in Fulda as well as an Armor Brigade in Bamberg. Our Army was the post Viet Nam / VOLAR Army and there were many challenges that faced the leadership both officer and noncommissioned officers. But we did not have to worry about the safety and security of our families that served along side us. It was understand that we faced the Warsaw Pact and they face NATO and it was an Alliance to Alliance, Army to Army and soldier to soldier standoff. Families were not threatened nor were they part of the equation. That is not to say that there was no risk that if hostilities were to actually start that there might be some casualties among our dependents but is was a manageable risk to say the least. In todays world the asymmetric threat that service members face increases the stress and concerns on warfights who are already stressed and concerned that they will be able to perform their missions without having to worry about the "home front" . I believe that Army's leadership is out to lunch on this issue. Perhaps they suffer from the same Islamic Derangement Syndrome as the Commander in Chief. Yes reliable enemies would be something I would take in a heartbeat. Thanks again for raising a thought provoking subject -- Well Done!

Because now, the enemy is known; but hidden amongst the noncombatants.

SGT Francis Wright - People seem to forget that is how we won the Revolutionary war. We were the insurgents. George Washington never had more than 20,000 troops under his command but he defeated a force twice the size and better equipped. The graphical size of the colonies and the colonist familiarity with it made it possible for them to defeat a professional army. Combine this with the British commanders not trusting the loyalist British commanders or respect their fighting ability. The guerrilla tactics the colonist learned during the Indian wars were very effective. The Militia struck quickly using natural terrain features and manmade obstacles .... then they faded back in to the forests. The did not wear a uniform making it impossible to distinguish them from noncombatant citizens and there for it made it difficult to distinguish them from the loyalist.

Absolutely, that's what the disloyal don't understand. Not everyone looks to make trouble. But when it comes knocking be prepared for a response you didn't see coming. Fore the time for talking is over.