Soldiers and Marines march to admirals' orders

St. Louis Post-Dispatch ^ | 16 JUNE 2007 | Harry Levins

[rlmorel]

That was the comment she made AFTER her public denuciation of them...

[familyop]

"Remember the uproar from the media about this statement that should have been greeted with applause? Can't have our warriors being too warlike..."

LOL! No, I didn't. But that's the kind of talk that goes through recruits for about the first three months (tougher Army specialties, too). Such sardonic humor and/or desensitization helps combat soldiers and Marines get through their initial training. Most of it is really about humility. ...keeps 'em from being too emotional later on.

People should be moral but not so sensitive about warfare--especially when a high ranking officer says something like that. Most of them are nerds, IMO.

[familyop]

"I don't want somebody leading me who thinks about the repurcussions of walking into a mosque to kill a sniper, or the right way to say "I surrender" without looking weak. I want somebody who knows how to kick ass and take names, somebody who know how to defeat and keep down the enemy in the Area of Operation. How many ports do Iraq and Afghanistan have? Not enough to warrant a squid leading a ground force."

Here's another consideration. Naval forces (except Marines and Seals, who are more like soldiers) are, strategically, like artillery on the water. Admirals are like artillery commanders in that sense.

Do we want a top commander who has always been in charge of men who call for fire or a top commander who has always been in charge of those who provide the fire?

...the former, IMO, because we always want that fire to get there, when it's requested.

[familyop]

"Eleanor Roosevelt, communist that she was, thought the Marines were 'brutes'."

She apparently hadn't been around many Marines. Small arms (combat) Marines are some of the toughest and coolest (polite, even) in the field. The two attributes go together.

[Lancey Howard]

So why was Mattis passed over? Says Peters: "He's too blunt, too honest, too much of a fighter. That's the last thing Washington a coward like Bush wants."

[RedRover]

Have a look at this. The media's panties were in a major twist.

[mathurine]

Her son was a Marine!

[familyop]

"Have a look at this. The media's panties were in a major twist."

I looked. You're right!

Our government, education and business leaders have been playing a game of who can be the most sensitive and bothered by humor from men. ...survival of the most effeminate.

That will change, after the enemy detonates nukes and starts a chain of exchanges.

[familyop]

"Uh, Rice answers to Bush. She’s not autonomous. The $hit has to be up the hill before it can roll down."

That's the way it was before our nation became so feminized.

[gcruse]

Must be all that estrogen in the water supply.

[Modok]

I think the answer is one of control right now. In the US mainland and on the ground elsewhere the Navy can’t do squat. They can make your day miserable but they cannot stick a gun behind your ear and end it like the Army and Marines can. The Navy is put in charge because there is apparently fear and Navy ships don’t sail on dry land.

[SauronOfMordor]

One thing about the Navy: since WW2, we haven't had major naval battles where naval officers could distinguish themselves in actual fighting

In the Navy, for the past few decades, the ones who got promoted were the ones who avoided making glaring mistakes like letting your ship run aground. The mentality of being the last one standing who didn't make a visible mistake is not necessarily something we need

[rlmorel]

"...where naval officers could distinguish themselves in actual fighting..."

With all due respect, this man contradicts that statement.

[SauronOfMordor]

With all due respect, this man contradicts that statement.

I stand corrected. I had been thinking about blue-water ship-on-ship clashes, rather than carrier-based aviators, who did indeed distinguish themselves in actions all the way to the present

Admiral Fallon the new CENTCOM commander, is also a carrier aviator

[rlmorel]

I knew what you meant...I was just poking you in semi-fun, as an ex-swabbie.

Adm. Stockdale is one of my personal heroes. It was one of my life’s to-do’s to meet him and shake his hand. Sadly, he has passed on. I wrote a letter to his widow, a wonderful woman by all accounts.

The book “In Love and War” is a great read.

[EverOnward]

"They're doing it because a Navy guy is the only one who can get confirmed in the Senate," Peters said.

Geez. Insanity reigns.