‘The food is tasteless and there’s not nearly enough and they’re hungry all the time’
Archived version: https://archive.is/newest/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/iran-war-soldiers-food-shortages-mail-b2959960.html
Disclaimer: The article linked is from a single source with a single perspective. Make sure to cross-check information against multiple sources to get a comprehensive view on the situation.
Just saying, the US Navy used to be able to deliver ice cream to troops fighting in the Pacific, and care packages to jungles in South East Asia. Now sailors go hungry ON the ships, with nothing but uncontested waters between them and the US, and surrounded by allied countries.
I’m genuinely shocked at how weak and incompetent the US Military has looked throughout this entire operation. Iraq and Afghanistan were shit shows, but the US was always able to handle the essentials of logistics and so on. The machine worked, it was just clumsy and hard to steer.
Somewhere in the gap between Afghanistan and Iran, that machine has been left without even basic maintenance.
So from one unjust war that they lost to the other war they lost, they lost another one? Maybe more baby-seeking missiles?
Wait til you hear how they can’t even remove mines even if the Iranians would let them.
Minesweepers got retired before their MCM system works.
That’s the corrupt politics/MIC system.
The politicians keep them in eternal war and make sure they can spend an obscene amount of money on it.
They then spend it on their contractor donors, even if their stuff is useless crap.
Plenty of examples.
Pissed of allied countrys.
And yet we give the military more money than ever.
It’s because they didn’t plan for shit, and there’s no supplies because they didn’t expect to be there this long because Trump thought war is easy and quick, because he’s a fucking idiot.
And re-supplying them or rotating them out would be an admission that the war will go on longer and isn’t already over.
So they go hungry.It is over basically, Iran won
I mean the Vietnamese were able to wait out American political will, so Iran will probably manage it, unless the Orange Jackass completely snaps and dies something apocalyptic.
Political will came with the body count.
And I think he is going to try the dumbest thing possible and go all in, Iranians suspect this from what they’re doing now and they’ve been right on everything so far.
His ego can not take defeat.
The USs primary advantage was our CRAZY logistics network and skills. Now that that’s gone I wonder how much longer it is still the vultures really start to pounce
The most “lethal” fighting force in history folks. No pesky details like rules of engagement or logistics.
Its honestly kind of hilarious to see the military directed by morons who are obsessed with “lethality” and culture war nonsense, meanwhile they lack even a rudimentary understanding of how the military functions.
Anyone who understands how a military works could tell you that logistics is not just half the battle, its basically the entire battle. During WWII, 8/10 servicemen worked in logistics. The Nazis were defeated via logistical advantages. American military dominance was created and sustained through the buildup of interconnected bases which enabled them to quickly and efficiently move people, equipment, and supplies around the world. Without that system working effectively there is no such thing as the “lethality” that these dumbasses goon over. Apparently, they believe it comes from thin air
Lots bases in the middle east are abandoned now with lots of the hosting countries taking over them and all the supplies we left behind. I read an article I think yesterday about syria taking over a bunch of bases. And Iran by itself ruined a bunch of ours across the area recently
So they’re cut off, basically? I feel for the soldiers, but I hope their discontent starts fomenting something
Heres hoping for a good helping of scurvy
Or goals or strategies.
Good. We should ship the fuck out of the middle east.
Abandon israel entirely and distance ourselves from Saudi Arabia. We can still maintain a close relationship to Jordan and lend international legitimacy to Rojava.
That’s my geopolitical wish list for the US.
I don’t think Rojava state exists anymore, resolution there was merger with Sharaa govt. which finalized recently.
Huh, I didn’t know that. Thank you.
Yeah, even more Turkish govt. are besties with of Öcalan now (Kurdish resistance leader), even Ultranationalist Turkish party called for his unconditional release, so your train of thought sadly ends up at Türkiye being the only sane ally in the region now.
The headchopper barbarian Jolani is a US puppet, and the Kurds are idiots aligning with the US invaders again, as always they are simply used and thrown under the bus after they served their purpose.
Best militairy in the world!
Combined with the most moral army in the work. classic cocktail.
First we had American antivaxers bringing back measles, now their military is bringing back scurvy.
We SUPPORT the Troops!
-The people NOT Feeding the Troops!
I had the unfortunate experience of being extremely anti-war in the US right after 9/11, the amount of “so you support the terrorists??” In my life at that time was way too many. I always answered that “no, I support the troops by not voting to send them into unnecessary foreign wars” which of course they were appalled by, because of course it was necessary!!!
It feels a lot like that again. Except this time it seems most people understand this war is unnecessary
this war is unnecessary
americans only care about themselves.
Reasons for not doing it:The other side is for it so I must automatically be aginst it.
Our baby killers are put in harms way!
Please think of the gas prices!But do you?
Stop fighting for a pedophile and go home, there’s plenty of food there.
You do realize that’s not actually an option right? Like, you can’t just quit the military. You can request your release, but they’re not gonna grant it until your ship gets cycled off of the operation and returns to a friendly port, and that’s assuming they grant it at all. They absolutely do not have to, and during an active military operation they’re extremely unlikely to.
Well looks like like the Eisenhower followed the example of the Ford: ‘sorry, can’t go, our ship is on fire’
You do realize that’s not actually an option right? Like, you can’t just quit the military.
Don’t say bullshit please, when they send you on a mission you can decide and refuse to go.
That would either be insubordination, dereliction of duty, or going AWOL, depending on the exact context. All of those can buy you a court martial and potentially some time in military prison, as well as fines and other punishments.
You’ve probably heard at some point about people volunteering for deployments, which is a thing that happens, but only on a “Volunteers get first dibs” basis. If they don’t have the numbers they start tasking people and you absolutely do not get to say no. That’s why you swear an oath. It’s not a regular job, they own your ass. During actual conflicts like this they even get to keep people on after their contracts are up, if it’s required for “operational tempo.”
Oh, actually, here’s an additional fun fact (provided by one of the serving military members I showed your previous comments to, after they were done laughing their asses off); when you’re overseas on an operation you travel on a military passport, which is kept locked up by the orderlies, and even if you got it back somehow you’d need travel orders to use it. Airports will literally refuse to board you on the plane if you don’t have paperwork saying you’re not AWOL. It’s not only illegal for these guys to go home, it’s also basically impossible.
That would either be insubordination, dereliction of duty, or going AWOL, depending on the exact context. All of those can buy you a court martial and potentially some time in military prison, as well as fines and other punishments.
I would rather spend some time in military prison than murder kids fighting for a pedophile.
Trump was re-elected in 2024 and the first attack to iran was carried last years. That’s plenty of time to leave.
OK, but what you said was “Stop fighting for a pedophile and go home.”
That’s the misapprehension I was correcting. Now you’re just saying a completely different thing.
i’m going to repeat it: stop fighting for a pedophile and go home.
If they kill you for it that is a more honorable way to serve justice than murdering kids fighting for a pedophile.
How?
Literally, how should they do that? They’re on a boat, in an ocean. How should they go about the task of going home?
Yeah but the food isn’t free. And good luck finding a job, any job basically, in this recession. Can’t blame people choosing the military when the alternative could mean homelessness.
Sounds like you have enemies to fight at home not in another countries. There’s people who actually believe in justice that would rather be homeless than murdering kids fighting for a pedophile.
“Starve at home or fight the wars of the ruling class abroad.” Yay, another page from Russia’s playbook implemented in the United Emirates of Ameristan!
I can’t help but wonder how many of those troops voted for Trump considering the military still leans quite right, it has to be many. My heart goes out to the rest who chose to be there due to circumstances of their lives giving them no better options.
iirc the military is like 65% RepublicanMAGA, with enlisted troops being 75-80% RepublicanMAGA.
Even so, they don’t deserve to starve. Food is a human right, and MAGA idiots are humans too.
Wrong, there was a vote few months ago at the UN to make food a human right. Only two countries voted against it, the USA and Israel.
So the US don’t consider food to be a human right.
The US and Israel are frequently wrong on matters of morals and ethics, so I don’t consider that to be a good reason to compromise my own moral compass. Human rights are for every human, regardless of whether or not you like or agree with them.
I guess if the US and Israel think something, that makes it right ¯_(ツ)_/¯
Well at least they are leading by hungry example.
It sounds like they should have voted to align with their needs, then.
They would’ve bombed schools under some Blue MAGA scumbags, and then you would find it OK.
Fuck them all and their shithole country.
No sympathy for anyone joining the largest baby killing terrorist organization because ‘they need to go to college’.
Typical US hypocrites.
Blue Magats support illegal wars and imperialism just as much.
They are only against it out of their 2 sides cultism where they automatically oppose anything the other side does.
They sold their soul to join a terrorist child killing organization.
It’s more than they deserve.
I hope someone pisses in it regularlySold their soul? Not all of them, I bet. With the US economy being in a recession (if you factor out the AI companies which all they do is move money between each other in a circle). There are constantly layoffs and noone is hiring. I can imagine a bunch of people choosing the military so that they can at least pay their bills / debt from college. Having a job in the military beats being homeless, I guess.
Yes great excuse.
They had a recession in Germany too once.
Hey Heinz, I’ve found a way to not be homeless. All we have to do is help kill millions of innocent people and gas some Jews, communists, etc…
Heil Hitler!ja aber das begeisterte abschlachten sogenannter untermenschen war nicht vom sold motiviert.
It doesn’t make one bit of difference to the victims.
Just as it doesn’t make any difference if brown children are bombed by Trump or cool democratic Obama
If you are amoral
aww the poor sods didn’t have a choice but to join the terrorist organization of the US army.
I get it. People do things they normally never would think about when they get desperate. Maybe they think being on a sub or a mechanic out of combat they won’t have to actively hurt anyone while also providing for a wife and kids. People have a very black and white sense of things on here. Join military = bad no matter what no exceptions.
This was a war of choice. At some point the US needs to lose worse than it lost in Afghanistan to become more cautious of starting unnecessary war in the future. The US public, not just the military, need to remember it and tell their future children about it to avoid a repeat of it. The swift success in abducting the president of Venezuela gave the current US administration a sense of invincibility that they could repeat it in Iran.
“We have the strongest military in the world. You shouldn’t be running out of food,” Dan, a Marine veteran, told the outlet.
It is increasingly evident that this may not be the case. The US lost to Afghanistan, is incapable of concluding the war with Iran on its own terms, and I can’t see the US winning against PRC. What we know for certain is that the US has the most expensive military in the world.
Okay I went to a private school at one point (yes parents were more well off) the kid that had military rations to share had way better food than we were given. Though we were well fed just not by preference. This was on outdoor stuff not in school stuff we had a kitchen and all there though we did the work (good idea really for teaching).
Any military not feeding their people must be led by one of the dumbest motherfuckers in existence…let’s teach people how to be an armed force and not feed them…sounds like a rich idiot or drunk morning show type.
Scarce and shitty food is one thing, but if you fuck up the mail (and these days the internet), you’re gonna have a really bad time.
Failing to feed your troops is one of the fastest ways possible to tank morale. Mail from home comes every few weeks. You eat three times a day.
Word from home and communication with people you love, especially in the era of instantaneous global communication, is a powerful thing. Not that food isn’t a motivator too, but you expect some missed meals and low quality as the ops tempo increases. Miss a meal and you’re pissed until you get to eat again. Jack up a guy getting video of his kid’s last ballgame and he’ll stay pissed even after he gets it.
Buddy, I’m just going by what actual soldiers tell me.
And I didn’t contradict that.
Just pointed out that, and this is coming from the same source, it’s not the only thing that keeps morale up and that folks who have deployed before know that food service in a war zone can be spotty even with modern logistics.
EDIT: People are focused on food in this thread, but there’s a reason why mail service is mentioned in the headline with it.
Sorry if it offends, but communication with home (mail, internet, etc.) plays a big role in morale as well. A lot of soldiers like getting mail and hearing from their families, girlfriends, etc. It relieves a lot of anxiety to know that your loved ones are doing well. Don’t know what else to say.
I’m confused and not American. I read the article. Why are they not sending food to their own troops? Where’s the logic in that? Is there a foreign force intercepting the “airspace” ? Why would “civil authorities” order this space to be shut down? Fuel shortages? I feel like there has to be a very obvious reason and it’s flying over me completely
I am an American, I also read it so I can answer you.
The military is feeding the troops, just very poorly and quite frankly this should be a huge scandal. People are also sending food via care packages to their family members but military zip codes across the region were “closed indefinitely” so there’s no where to deliver to. The air spaces are closed because the region is at war. In the paragraph directly after the part about airspace:
“Interruptions and delays in mail service have been a part of every American conflict since the Revolutionary War,” he told the outlet. “Communications and supply networks that work well during peacetime are invariably disrupted during wartime."
It’s a supply lines during wartime thing
If we can’t even feed our troops or keep the most basic function of our government open as opposed to just disrupted, the US is founded on our post office practically! it’s a very bad sign for us being able to keep supply lines open for a war.
Thanks for replying but this doesn’t give me a satisfactory answer. I understand that during war you as a civilian may not always be able to deliver items to troops, and that the post may not always be able to reach places.
However the country should try to feed those troops and keep them alive, otherwise what’s the point? Why would you kill your own troops?
If it is well known that you have this group of people starving, why isn’t the government doing anything about it? Why aren’t they even bothering to reach them? Forget the post, the “best army in the world” can’t spare a single vehicle with supplies to reach starving troops? It’s not a situation of nationwide famine or poverty. They have resources. I just don’t understand why this is being allowed to happen. There isn’t a reason stated anywhere for the post to stop working, or for the army to not do anything. Who benefits from this? The whole situation appears to be easily preventable and solvable yet nobody in a position of power is doing anything? Why?
TLDR basically I don’t understand why it’s not a scandal and why anyone is trying to fix it. You said the army is feeding the troops but poorly and this leaves me just as puzzled.
The secretary of defense is out here talking about holy wars and shit. The patients are running the asylum. This is just standard bureaucratic collapse. It turns out that incompetence and poor leadership have predictable consequences!
Maybe firing all the competent generals because they aren’t white and racist was a bad idea.
is it profitable to feed troops? you have to understand we are being run by an administration whose main goal is converting tax money to personal ogliarch money. See trumps irs lawsuit.
I think there’s a misunderstanding in how the situation is being presented.
The troops are not being starved or abandoned. They are being fed through military supply lines, which are separate from civilian systems like the postal service. The issue is that the food they’re getting isn’t great, which is common in active war zones where logistics prioritize calories and durability over taste or variety.
What you’re seeing about mail being “closed” is about care packages from family. Those go through military postal systems, and in a combat zone those systems can be shut down or restricted for safety and logistical reasons. It doesn’t mean the military stopped supplying food, it just means families can’t send extra snacks or comfort items right now.
So the situation is more about poor quality of life and disrupted mail, not troops being left without food or intentionally neglected.
The current U.S. military leadership has been pared down to loyalists, and the competency level has dropped severely.
The goal of the trump administration is a vastly weakened US that’s easier to prey upon and control, but they’re neglecting even the basics of totalitarianism, because their propaganda machine has worked so flawlessly over the years.
Given that various articles are talking about soldiers “rationing” their food, I don’t know that they are being fed adequately regardless of whether they’re getting a variety or if they’re stuck with the least-eaten MREs.
Okay, this does give me a satisfactory answer however it raises other questions, perhaps for another occasion. My take from you is that this is relatively normal and that the media is fussing too much over this. Fair, it’s not nice but at least I’m not puzzled, thanks for the answer
This war is being incredibly mismanaged on every level in the US. There’s no strategy, there’s no objective, there’s no plan.
Food quality is dropping because they didn’t plan, this isn’t about front line troops where there’s supply line issues due to enemy actions.
This is all self inflicted. It should be a scandal of incompetence.
I get it now, thanks
This is far from normal. The United States is typically highly effective at maintaining resilient supply chains. What this situation reveals is just how poorly planned these decisions have been. There is no clear justification for how things have unfolded.
That explains why, that’s the reason I was looking for initially. This makes sense and completes the picture, thank you
Why would you kill your own troops?
Same reason Russia is? It certainly looks like theyre being depleted on purpose.
this drives me nuts with the republicans constantly trying to kill the usps and libraries. its not just historically big for the us but historically big for civilization in general.
I’m confused and not American.
I need this on a t shirt. Feels like it’d sell a lot, since the rest of the world can fucking relate.
