[email protected], I never said anything about being aggressive to our
neighbors. Of course peace is preferable under any circumstances. A
war in the region would benefit no one. That is precisely why the
SAF has to be so strong. Because we suffer from many strategic
disadvantages, we must make up for them with technological,
tactical and material advantages if the SAF is to be a credible
deterrent. Any potential foe must realize that invasion of
Singapore is futile, and that we have the armed strength to secure
our interests in the region. If the SAF ever becomes too weak to be
a credible deterrent, it will encourage diplomatic and ultimately
military assault upon Singapore and lead to war. Hence, the
stronger the SAF is, the more peaceful ASEAN will be. The conscript
nature of the SAF helps ensure that she will not be used for
illegitimate or aggressive purposes.
VINSANITY, I don't think completely destroying the jungles of the
peninsula is possible or necessary. You don't seem to realize how
big even a small country like Malaysia is -- a side effect of
living in Singapore too much, maybe? Burning everything down would
require catastrophic levels of force. Anyway, I don't think it is
necessary, since our armored vehicles have probably been designed
to pass through a good portion of the terrain they will encounter.
Either that, or their doctrine has been written to be suitable for
their capabilities.
After all, you don't have to slavishly follow the doctrine of
Blitzkrieg or armored divisions, and burn down a whole jungle to do
it. You create your doctrine according to your environment, then
acquire equipment and train in accordance with your doctrine,
revising the doctrine as circumstances change. If Blitzkrieg is
impossible on the peninsula, then we will fight another way. Just
because Guderian used it does not mean it is the word of God.
