I think that if a hard core leftest like Moyers likes him he can’t much of a “conservative”.
Don't know him never heard of him. But he prefaces this quote with the fact that the parties aren't different and they just say what they want to get elected. If so, then why vote Democrat in 2006?
I didn't see anything particularly revealing in his ramblings with Moyer. And with what Russia just did in Georgia makes his whole argument moot.
No surprise there ...
Ended at 23 years BECAUSE he wasn’t going to be a General.
I have known Skip Bacevich for years, both professionally and personally. He and I are contemporaries in both our professional and personal lives. We both experienced the emotional challenges of dealing with American defeat in Vietnam, a defeat of political capitulazation, rather than failure of military actions.
Skip and I left the emotions of Vietnam behind and turned our attentions to the real threat to world peace, the Cold War. He was a true Cold Warrior, dedicated to the defeat of the Soviet Union, both militarily and politically. To this end he became a political science intellectual and a true soldier of the Cold War standoff against Communist agression in Europe.
No doubt, he rejoiced in the fall of the Wall and the Soviet Union and expected that his years of dedicated service to the country would be vindicated by this significant event.
But, then came Saddam and the resurgence of Islamic Fascism. Skip was by then the Regimental Commander of the 11th Regiment of Cavalry, one of the Army’s most storied unit. He and his Regiment were late to the fight, arriving after we had brought Iraq to heel and liberated Kuwait. Skip and his regiment were given mundane chores while the warriors packed up their kit and went home. Whilst they conducted this unglamorous chore, a tragedy occurred: ammunition stored in the vehicles and in the motor park of his Regiment exploded, a number of soldiers died. Skip was relieved of his command, the kiss of death in today’s military.
He retired from the military and pursued an academic career, for which he was well suited. Then came the second Gulf War and the ultimate tragedy: His son was killed in action. Skip was twice personally injured by his country. His judgment has been understandably affected by these jolts to his life.
I admire Skip Bacevich, both as a soldier and as a scholar. I discount most of what he has to say.
If he's a conservative, I guess Ralph Nader is a Reagan Republican.
Sounds like he bought into a lot of the Liberal crap., a real step down I’d say.