Does Size really matter?

[nForce]

A recent example of defeat of size is US/NATO defeat against Afghans. History is full of evidences in which giants got defeated by few forces. Even outside Islam you will find such examples.

I will still be a little too early to declare defeat of NATO.It will be a clear defeat if NATO withdraws and Taliban takes back control.
Anyways...my point of view on the topic..

Does size really matter? well the answer is both yes and no.
There are many examples present in history supporting both.

Example where size does not matter:
Look at England,or shall I say,Great Britain.Its a tiny island,and at one point of time they controlled half of the World!!
Originally used for the Spanish,and later for the British,they used to say,"the Empire on which the sun never sets".

Example where size really matters:
What can be a better example than Mother Russia!! The land is so huge that invaders have come time and again and finally succumbed to its vastness,be it Napoleon or Hitler..

 

[SherAli]

The Mongols conquered Russia

Britain exploited and deceived to "conquer" those territories, not because of any military reasons ... initially anyway

 

[Avisheik]

The Mongols conquered Russia

Britain exploited and deceived to "conquer" those territories, not because of any military reasons ... initially anyway

Everything is fair in a war or conquest. Got to give the brits some credits for making the biggest empire in the world

 

[nForce]

The Mongols conquered Russia

Britain exploited and deceived to "conquer" those territories, not because of any military reasons ... initially anyway

The mongols didnt conquer Russia in a sense we see it today.At that point of time Russia was fragmented among a lot of tribes with the powerful ones being in Poland,Ukraine etc.,in short,not a single country/empire.

I think another fellow member has already replied to the question about Britain.
In any case,we need to take a look at the overall picture.Britain was not only militarily strong,but technically and economically as well,and still continues to be so.

 

[Prometheus]

if you talk about number...........read history of sikhism............always outnumbered still the winner

 

[kalu_miah]

If we are talking about states or countries, then size matters, not just the physical size of land, which means more resources, but the size of population. A nation state today is like a corporation and the citizenry are its human resources. Those nation states that know how to develop well their human resources and make them into highest productive manpower using highest technology will be the dominant ones. That is kind of stating the obvious. What is not obvious:

- future competition of countries will no longer be in the physical battlefield, as Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD) by nukes kind of makes obsolete any major confrontation between major powers, instead the main confrontation of the future will be about economics, trade and competition for global resources.
- in this competition, the largest states in terms of population have economies of scale and internal markets that no other countries have
- so to balance this skewed playing field and make it level, one way is to work towards unions of nation states which would have much bigger sizes, closer to the largest states:
http://www.defence.pk/forums/world-...-world-order-road-map-future.html#post2675055

Only small and unstable states will be involved in armed low scale combats, which is more of a security problem than anything else. The US getting involved in nation building in Iraq or Afghanistan was a costly mistake. It should leave nation building to regional players (specially countries that are included in the same union in my above post). All the US/NATO should be concerned with is to take out hostile extremists or Al Qaeda safe haven, whenever they appear on the horizon. It does not need to come and occupy where there is nothing to occupy and build something which is not within its ability. AK47 and IED's are good equalizers, but so are drones from the opposite end. As for keeping a presence and influence in the region, the US can do that by helping the relevant countries form a stable regional union, as I described in the above post, so they can take care of themselves to achieve stability, which will open up a lot of trade route from EU/Russia to South and South East Asia, via Central Asia.

 

[MastanKhan]

That is true, but don't discount asymmetric warfare, example Iraq, a 1,000 dollar IED, takes out multi-million dollar Abrams tank out, same is happening in A-stan, a multitude of unwashed illiterate cavemen armed with AK's and RPG's are winning a war with one of the most powerful military machines in the history of the world.

Hi,

But by that time you have already lost the war---your daughters, mothers sisters and wives have already been gang raped by the invading armies in front of your eyes---your young boys sodomized by the soldiers, in front of you----the love of your life---your child is forced into prostitution----soldiers making pornographic videos are having a hey day with all the girls in your family---so you still want to talk about asymmetricaql warfare.

So---blow up a few tanks----. Also for asymmetrical warfare---you need some kind of supplu line---if it was not for iran supplying the equipment---the afg resistance was long gone----. In case of a different enemy---all the accesses to get explosives would be controlled. The agenda of this war is totally different than what has been told to the public / media.

The question need to be asked is---why----what is the ulterior motive of the invading army to let it happen

 

[Peaceful Civilian]

No size does not matter. It is the technology which matters a lot. Look at Israel a small country but technology which they are getting is very advance. Even Allah can't help if opponent has better technology. Look at Fall of Libya, Iraq , Afghanistan.

 

[SherAli]

if you talk about number...........read history of sikhism............always outnumbered still the winner

sorry but we're speaking of reality, not fantasy

---------- Post added at 11:18 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:17 AM ----------

if you talk about number...........read history of sikhism............always outnumbered still the winner

sorry but we're speaking of reality, not fantasy

 

[kalu_miah]

Israel is the 51st state of the US, so it is not small. And it also has support from most Western countries because of historic reasons.

 

[SherAli]

Israel is the 51st state of the US, so it is not small. And it also has support from most Western countries because of historic reasons.

Same old story bro

These porkers will gang up on you with their whole continent

Now its 2 continents since they've murdered the indigenous peoples of the Americas

 

[kalu_miah]

Same old story bro

These porkers will gang up on you with their whole continent

Now its 2 continents since they've murdered the indigenous peoples of the Americas

The trick is to team up with this strongest gang and keep the other weaker gangs at bay. Israel is white man and white man is Israel, so if we Muslims don't want or cannot have a war with white man, we should leave Israel alone and let it be. If Muslims can think collectively, our bigger problems are with India and China (may be a little less than India), it is not Israel, it is just a side show and distraction.

 

[Prometheus]

sorry but we're speaking of reality, not fantasy

---------- Post added at 11:18 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:17 AM ----------



sorry but we're speaking of reality, not fantasy

yes sir......................

Battle of Saragarhi - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Battle of Chamkaur - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Sam_Bajwa]

Morale and bravery are poor substitutes for numbers.

the only true substitute is technology

Not really mate at the end of it behind those massive beasts you will find humans.

Numbers don't matter at all nor does technology provided you have good leadership, strategy and high morale.what would you do if you nation is under attack fight back or just sit and analyse your technological assets ?

Just watch how this brave young man conquers this fort "alone" and makes the technically advanced English suffer.

NAPOLEON(Heroes and villains)part 6 - YouTube

 

[S.Y.A]

No size does not matter. It is the technology which matters a lot. Look at Israel a small country but technology which they are getting is very advance. Even Allah can't help if opponent has better technology. Look at Fall of Libya, Iraq , Afghanistan.

think before voicing your thoughts, when Allah can create He can destroy too and more easily, even the latest tech cant protect from storms and earthquakes