Head Of The Army Gives Strange Speech - "Prepare For little green men and hybrid armies"

I came across this headline this morning and thought I needed a laugh, figuring this was from 'superstation95' or 'WND' or other similar BS sites I clicked on it.

Well my jaw almost hit the ground when I read this from ArmyTimes.

“If the world if 1916 was complex, or the world of 1945 was complex, the world of 2016 is intensely complex, and I can tell you that from personal experience,” he said. “You’ll be dealing with terrorists, you’ll be dealing with hybrid armies, you’ll be dealing with little green men, you’ll be dealing with tribes, you’re going to be dealing with it all, and you’re going to be dealing with it simultaneously.”

Wait, did he just say "Hybrid armies" and "little green men"?
Well, yes, that is exactly what General Mark Milley, US Army Chief of Staff said.
Here is the full speech, with the point of interest starting around the 34 min point.

Here is an edited video with some guys commentery.

I have read in various fringe places that the next arms race will be in the modified soldier, or super soldier.

It seemed possible to me with all the advances currently in genetic engineering and cybernetics.

The part that got me was the "little green men" comment.

What does this general know that we don't?

a reply to: stosh64

Perhaps the "little green men" comment was in reference to the complexity of this day and age and how we need to be prepared for anything, not actually a hint at the secret of extraterrestrials

I'm sure our military is working on (or at least researching the possibility of) ways to make "super-soldiers" if it is feasible, as well as robot soldiers and combining the two concepts for cyborgs

Strange. It could be he is simply referring to the Russian troops. They were being specifically called 'little green men' during the Crimea/Ukraine fiasco due to their green uniforms with lack of insignia.

a reply to: stosh64

www.museumofplay.org...


??

Perhaps they have found out to gift these toys sentience? Or turn them to drones?

a reply to: stosh64

That is odd for sure!

I'll be taking my trap League night a bit more seriously... Tonight, I'll pretend every Bird is a "little green man"!

a reply to: lightedhype

First i've read that anywhere...are there any sources that confirm what you say about the Russians being called little green men please?

OP..that IS an odd thing to say to cadets...he's essentially saying that duing their careers, these are the enemies they will be facing...hybrids and aliens basically.

Hybrids meaning cyborgs perhaps? Or a Human / ET hybrid i wonder. Taken in context of the little green men crack, i would assume the latter.

He also said (from your link);

Leaders must also be compassionate, Milley said, caring for their soldiers as if they would their own children.

Am i the only person who finds that statement disgustingly patronising to Men and Women being asked to put their lives on the line and kill for their country? Children...bloody outrageous slur.

a reply to: stosh64

Little green men and hybrid armies are referring to Russian policies and Ukraine not aliens. The people russia sent into Ukraine without insignia were called little green men. Everyone knew they were Russian army but was denied by putin.

www.bbc.com...

next.ft.com...

warontherocks.com...

Little green men? Poking fun… dehumanizing the 'enemy' better facilitates destroying them. The initial battle is in ones own mind between conscience and 'duty'.

SOP.

a reply to: dragonridr
I had no idea there were so many uses for the term 'little green men'.

Thanks for the link.

I still find his wording odd.

I'm so glad i left the army in my training. Getting blown up for somebody else's dirty wars is so messed up. Ahhh i remember how angry they became for not shaping me the way they wanted. Those r some good memories

a reply to: MysterX

Hybrid refers to a type of conflict not cyborgs. For example cyber arrqcks are considered hybrid warfare. These are attacks made where retribution becomes difficult because the attacker hides themselves.

a reply to: stosh64

Warmonger lunatics, they'll kill us all someday

a reply to: stosh64

Ambiguity abounds.

He is not saying that little green men pose a clear and present danger to the safety of American citizens or the world in general. What he is saying is that the modern soldier must be prepared for every theatre of combat that could happen, even those at the silly end of the spectrum of possibility, because by preparing for such a thing, ones preparedness for the relatively mundane process of face stomping soldiers and insurgents fighting on behalf of vastly inferior war machines than the US military, will much less of a darned hassle. That was what I got from it.

And to a degree I understand his position. If you learn to land a knockout blow on a deity, grinding angels to dust seems less of a tricky prospect.

a reply to: TrueBrit
I always enjoy your eloquent and insightful posts.


This is why I continue to seek out the wisdom of ATS.

It always expands my thinking.

There are many ideas posted already that I had not thought of.

Thanks ATS

a reply to: dragonridr

Well, one would imagine that the next generation of 'competent, compassionate and character driven' military leaders would also have the IQ to comprehend the simple term 'cyberwarriors' or 'cyber warfare' or even plain old 'computer hacker'...to say 'hybrid armies' right before saying 'little green men' is just asking for alternative conclusions to be drawn.

originally posted by: dragonridr
a reply to: MysterX

Hybrid refers to a type of conflict not cyborgs. For example cyber arrqcks are considered hybrid warfare. These are attacks made where retribution becomes difficult because the attacker hides themselves.

But, he said "hybrid armies," not just "hybrid".. and not sure why cyber warfare would be discussed with infantry..

anyways, strange words indeed..

I guess Id agree with TrueBrit's take..

On the surface little green men appear like an odd drop in the middle of the sentence.

He is more than likely referencing the types of ops the Russians performed in the Ukraine. Small, covert, militarily trained units of which the country of origin is difficult to discern.

There was a X-Files episode called "Little Green Men", but I don't think he was referencing ET's. I'm sure a little more context to the speech would back up my original assertion.

originally posted by: GD21D
I'm sure a little more context to the speech would back up my original assertion.

The first video in the OP is the full speech.

a reply to: stosh64

We all know reptilians are not little... Or men. I agree with TrueBrit's take, as well as it possibly being a reference to Russia's little green men in Crimea, though as an example.

All of this, unfortunately, as wars with aliens and hybrids would make life exceedingly interesting (though likely shorter and less pleasant.)

a reply to: stosh64

sigh - basic context - a " hybrid army " is NOT an army of hybrids