Turkey invaded Syria,will WE protect the Kurds?

AND...

In the end, No Kurdistan proper.

Screwed again.

All based on, which faction, is on which side, fighting whomever is or isn't popular, based on imaginary lines drawn on maps, located in areas, deemed pro or con to any given outside political influence.

Yeah, the situation is complicated.....

I had heard they were intending to build our primary HQ based in Iraqi Kurdish territory.

a reply to: cavtrooper7

Amazing to think they are still in service.

a reply to: TonyS

MARINES had the in Desert Storm.
I wonder how they stack up to the T72?

a reply to: cavtrooper7

Now there's a question I'd like to know the answer too.

My understanding of things, per wikipedia is that sometime around the early 2000's, two significant upgrade packages were created and offered to countries owning the M60. One was developed by Israel and one by the US. The one offered by Israel is called the M60 Merkava upgrade. The reason they chose the M60 for that project was because, as you noted, there's a lot of space in the M60 to house new stuff like electronic fire controls and such, (and because they own a lot of M60's). They also up-armored the M60 with exploding out ceramic blocks and they upgraded the gun to be the same gun used on Abrams tank.

The US upgrade is virtually the same type upgrade, but with a different electronics package.

The T-72 is made up of at least 2 models. Ivan makes one solely for domestic use that's reasonably robust. Then they make the T-72M series for export. It's not near as good.

As to a comparison, check www.quora.com...
It is just one guys opinion.

A cruise around the Internet gives advantage to the T-72. But....correct me if I'm wrong, you were in the US Military?
My personal best guess is that in a conflict between US trained M60 crews of high caliber in the Mid East theater (like Israel) v. T-72's, the M60 Merkava or TTS (US upgrade package), the M60 would have a slight advantage. It would really be all about training and support. I mean, lets get real. If I had the choice between any tank in the world and the A-10 Warthog, I'd take the airplane!

a reply to: TonyS

The auto loader gives them a time advantage, and an M60 would be TALLER and vulnerable but I once saw 2 master gunners perform what is called a VACCUM load.
THAT is where the loader drops the next round into the breach before it returns AFTER the last shell is removed.
Watching a gun like that belch EVERY 2 seconds clenched it for me.
I was a Scout in the army at Carson as a dismount, Korea as a division LRC platoon member( Blues recon ,we repelled from helicopters and performed an LRRP type mission or were placed on mountain tops as OPs waiting for the Norks to tweak.)
Then Ft Hood after being out for 3 years as Bradley crew in Desert Storm.
I received NO formal Bradley training at all but I did the job as well as I could...because I was PROUD to.
We had 2 A-10 s EAT an armor unit we were raiding across the border for BRAVE BUGLE,when those rolled in EVERYBODY surrendered the next day.
Forth of July Fireworks pale with what I saw when an enemy tank blows it's turret,M1s don't miss .