Greenfield's concern is about how progressives see the role of the US military - and where they're trying to take it.
The left has traditionally hated the military. Why has that changed? It's changed because leftists have decided to use the military to push progressive goals: gay rights, social engineering, Peace Corps values, make 'em luv us policies. But not to have men with guns protecting the United States. The conversion will be a slow process for them - but it is a process going in one direction... toward leftists goals. Obama's weeding out traditional military types - and replacing them with folks 'more amenably' to leftists thinking.
It might be nice to build schools and bridges for 3rd world countries and have all the local women and children smile and show appreciation - but that's not what taxpayers are paying for. And it's doubtful it's doing any good. Would you want the Chinese military coming to your city to build things as gifts? Build a recreation center for the women? It's creepy.
US Citizens are paying for defense against people who want to kill us - we're not paying for a bunch of well meaning young people to 'peace corps' it on our dime.
W started such a policy with Afghanistan and Iraq. Obama just kept it going. After the success of the Surge in Iraq, there was obviously talk of doing the same thing in Afghanistan. There was a huge debate from Afghanistan veterans as to whether Afghanis would care about improved infrastructure, cars, etc. since they’ve been living like cavemen since the beginning of time. Bush gave the go-ahead, Obama let the inertia do its thing, then Obama’s handpicked 4-star made the whole situation vastly worse. Now, here we are.
My point is, elections have consequences. The military handles missions within the framework of commander’s intent, and that goes all the way up the chain to POTUS. You can’t complain about a girly military when 12 years of POTUS direction have required such restraint.
Having said that, this article wants us to think that the military is little more than a series of Boy Scout troops, that the fundamental mindsets have changed, and that’s just BS. I’ve no doubt some of the higher-ups are well pansified, but they’re not out there getting it done. A general’s order to “respect the culture” isn’t worth the oxygen he used giving it when a Fire Team sees a man raping a boy in a backwater village or if a Rifle Platoon comes under enemy fire while on patrol.