Posted on 04/21/2006 2:14:07 AM PDT by ricks_place
Last time around, the antiwar left did not have a very high opinion of generals. A popular slogan in the 1960s was "war is too important to be left to the generals." It was the generals who had advocated attacking Cuba during the missile crisis of October 1962, while the civilians preferred -- and got -- a diplomatic solution. In popular culture, "Dr. Strangelove" made indelible the caricature of the war-crazed general. And it was I-know-better generals who took over the U.S. government in a coup in the 1960s bestseller and movie "Seven Days in May."
Another war, another take. I-know-better generals are back. Six of them, retired, are denouncing the Bush administration and calling for Donald Rumsfeld's resignation as secretary of defense. The antiwar types think this is just swell.
I don't. There are three possible complaints that the military brass could have against a secretary of defense. The first is that he doesn't listen to or consult military advisers. The six generals make that charge, but it is thoroughly disproved ...
A second complaint is that the defense secretary disregards settled, consensual military advice. The military brass recommends X and SecDef willfully chooses Y. That in itself is not necessarily a bad thing. ...
What's left of the generals' revolt? A third complaint: He didn't listen to me . So what? Lincoln didn't listen to McClellan, and fired him. ... In our system of government, civilians fire generals, not the other way around...
We've always had discontented officers in every war and in every period of our history. But they rarely coalesce into factions. That happens in places such as Hussein's Iraq, Pinochet's Chile or your run-of-the-mill banana republic. ...
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Something is wrong here.... this doesn't sound like the Washington Post at all...
The real issue, as Krauthammer ultimately points out, is civilian control of the military. All very well for a few retired generals to express disagreement with the incumbent SecDef. But when they are recent retirees, and the suggestion is seriously made that more active flag officers are going to retire and join them, it raises the issue of the political persuasions of the active members of the officers' corps.And subverting the tradition of apolitical military officers which seperates our constitutional republic from the bananna republics of Latin America is about the worst thing which could be done to America.
This doesn't sound like the Washington Post.
It isn't the Washington Post, it is Mr Charles Krauthammer speaking through the Washington Post.
I always enjoy Mr. Krauthammer when appearing with Brit Hume via. Fox News. He is always eloquent in choosing his words and , always stands firm on his beliefs regardless who it might offend.
The man is truly brilliant, I understand he is a Dr. and a writer. I also understand he was almost killed in a car wreck at some point of his life, his body was severely broken and the man had much to over come.
It seems when he talks that every word is carefully chosen,
and his critique of the English language is almost perfect.
He uses the greatest metaphors in describing the left and the loony left, that being said, if the Conservatives screw up he will also choose carefully his decent for them also.
Krauthammer is someone there who can think.
well said..........
Then there are exceptions.
I worked for a 4 star General once who was certifiable. He was obsessed with "base appearance" and had hundreds of military people raking leaves in the height of autumn so that no leaves would touch the ground.
The only characteristic of what makes a decent human being to me is his or her relationship with the Almighty. If they don't have that, I don't care how many stars they have on their shoulder.
We have six (former) perfumed General prince's advocating the overthrow of Secretary of State Rumsfeld. The U.S. can't control illegal immigration over it's southern border with Latinos pouring in by the thousands almost on a daily basis ... me thinks the banana republic process is well under way. By the middle of this century the U.S. will be a banana republic.
Here's a truth we won't hear from the MSM.
Stunningly, a coherent, rational piece of journalism from the Washington Post. What's wrong with this picture???
Every thread must be hijacked. So sayeth the border troll collective.
I guess if you have a single track mind, it is hard to think about anything else. Must be a whole lot of fun at parties.
It was the French prime minister Clemenceau who said that 'war is too important to be left to generals' sometime around 1919.
ping
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