Posted on 09/07/2013 4:07:29 AM PDT by Kaslin
There's a must-read op/ed in today's Washington Post, authored by a retired Army Major General. He draws on "dozens" of exchanges with active and retired military leaders to mount a case that Pentagon brass want no part of a Syria intervention. He begins by analyzing Gen. Martin Dempsey's body language during Congressional hearings this week -- by far his least compelling argument. Then comes the meat of his case. Brutal:
I feel confident that what follows represents the overwhelming opinion of serving professionals who have been intimate witnesses to the unfolding events that will lead the United States into its next war. They are embarrassed to be associated with the amateurism of the Obama administration’s attempts to craft a plan that makes strategic sense. None of the White House staff has any experience in war or understands it. So far, at least, this path to war violates every principle of war, including the element of surprise, achieving mass and having a clearly defined and obtainable objective. They are repelled by the hypocrisy of a media blitz that warns against the return of Hitlerism but privately acknowledges that the motive for risking American lives is our “responsibility to protect” the world’s innocents. Prospective U.S. action in Syria is not about threats to American security.
The U.S. military’s civilian masters privately are proud that they are motivated by guilt over slaughters in Rwanda, Sudan and Kosovo and not by any systemic threat to our country. They are outraged by the fact that what may happen is an act of war and a willingness to risk American lives to make up for a slip of the tongue about “red lines.” These acts would be for retribution and to restore the reputation of a president. Our serving professionals make the point that killing more Syrians won’t deter Iranian resolve to confront us. The Iranians have already gotten the message. Our people lament our loneliness. Our senior soldiers take pride in their past commitments to fight alongside allies and within coalitions that shared our strategic goals. This war, however, will be ours alone.
They are tired of wannabe soldiers who remain enamored of the lure of bloodless machine warfare. “Look,” one told me, “if you want to end this decisively, send in the troops and let them defeat the Syrian army. If the nation doesn’t think Syria is worth serious commitment, then leave them alone.” But they also warn that Syria is not Libya or Serbia. Perhaps the United States has become too used to fighting third-rate armies. As the Israelis learned in 1973, the Syrians are tough and mean-spirited killers with nothing to lose. Our military members understand and take seriously their oath to defend the constitutional authority of their civilian masters. They understand that the United States is the only liberal democracy that has never been ruled by its military. But today’s soldiers know war and resent civilian policymakers who want the military to fight a war that neither they nor their loved ones will experience firsthand.
Soon the military will salute respectfully and loose the hell of hundreds of cruise missiles in an effort that will, inevitably, kill a few of those we wish to protect. They will do it with all the professionalism and skill we expect from the world’s most proficient military. I wish Kerry would take a moment to look at the images from this week’s hearings before we go to war again.
I'm in no position to determine whether this is a tendentious screed, or a fair approximation of how Pentagon higher-ups feel. If it's more the latter than the former, it sounds as if American military leadership shares the intense skepticism expressed by the American people and many in Congress.
It might at least be run better than the civilian dictatorship, and have an actual American in the driver's seat.
I agree. They have to be able to prove their case
Actually, the Post is the voice of the neocons now. But that's no contradiction. Neocons are of the left.
you mean the military “leaders” who are making our military a joke by belittling Christians, promoting homosexuality to the hilt,etc?.....THOSE military “leaders” can just go jump in a lake....but wait and get your fat pensions first boys...
Don’t be surprised if obama orders the attack then ACCUSED some rogue officer.
That’s why we give them the bars and stars. Sometimes they have to suck it up and do the right thing. There is plenty of room/opportunity within the military framework to evaluate a civilian leader’s order to make sure someone is not going to a war crimes trial if they follow it.
Which is precisely what we've been saying on FR from the beginning of this ridiculous kabuki dance. At this point we'd be dropping bombs on empty targets just so show that nobody can tell 0bama "no". This is the politics of the playpen and the mission planning of little boys with stick guns. Anyone who voted for this bumbling moron deserves to be drafted.
“I’m glad he stood up for his principles, but if you’re “officially” wrong, then you pay the price.”
I think it’s our job to protect and uphold the Constitution in this case. Let’s not be so quick to ask members of the military to sacrifice themselves unless we’re willing to give up our careers and freedom like we’re asking them to do.
I’m STILL trying to figure out what Assad and the Syrian government EVER did to us...
No Syrian Ever Called Me “Cracka”....
141 rounds of golf so far... http://obamagolfcounter.com/
Are there any adults in charge in the government right now?
You’re 100% correct. We are post-Obama purge of the serious Generals. Dempsey seems to be hiding all the time. He knows that he’s been neutered and he only has 100 Tomahawks left in reserve. Maybe he knows the score afterall?
The same mentally ill agendas of Obozo Liar, Queeg McAinal, Kerry the Faux Vietnam hero, and congressional rats wanting to bomb Syria could apply to 9/11!
There is no such thing as a good democrat war. The only "slaughter(TM)", "genocide(TM)", or "ethnic cleansing(TM)" which was ever going on in Kosovo was that perpetrated by the albanian muslims.
Not only have they been able to test their capabilities against U.S. forces in actual combat, but they are expecting training as well - which would further cement their understanding of our TTPs and expose vulnerabilities - prior to the inevitable back stab.
These are the people that will inevitably end up with U.S military training and hardware. And exposure to gaps in our tactics, techniques, and procedures. And you can bet your bottom dollar that in the land of unicorns and lollipops, where warfare is blood free, risk free, and everyone loves us that the ROEs [of U.S./coalition troops] will be so restrictive that they couldn't even adequately defend themselves from the threat.
Think of it like this -
Imagine Rocky agreeing to be Apollo Creed's sparring partner and Mickey agreeing to be Apollo's strategic adviser/coach in the run up to Rocky and Apollo's rematch. Oh, and Rocky had to agree to fight with one hand behind his back.....all because Rocky's halfwit brother-in-law shot his mouth off about the Apollo v. Ivan Drago fight.
Syria did nothing to US. this is fabricated and totally made up to install some government like the “New World order” tried in Libya! How did that work out for you ? AL QAEDA!! And in IRAQ? How did that work out for you? Shiite Iranian control and sale of oil to China. Well how about Egypt? A butchering Coup de E’tat of a fairly elected regime !! You can’t make up what a bad Secretary of state old Clinton was ( thunder thighs) . Let me assure you that Syrian government had nothing to do with killing its own people. The facts and the German intelligence today proved that the Al Qaeda let the gas go in the Damascus suburb. AND IT FAILED TO SUCKER US IN!!
I don’t laugh as much as I used to since Obama got elected. Thank you for making me laugh!! Department of the Dense is a program I could fully support!
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When the historians summarize the fallen star known as the Obama administration, they will give Barack Obama credit for one positive contribution: He kept the country from having to suffer a McCain administration.
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