Here’s retired general Robert H. Scales on a war the military doesn’t want:
By no means do I profess to speak on behalf of all of our men and women in uniform. But I can justifiably share the sentiments of those inside the Pentagon and elsewhere who write the plans and develop strategies for fighting our wars. After personal exchanges with dozens of active and retired soldiers in recent days, 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.
Meanwhile: John Kerry has announced that the House of Saud and other Arab oligarchs will pay us to take out Assad. Is this what we’ve come to? Mercenary hit-men in the ancient Sunni-Shi’ite blood feud? They take out their checkbooks and we do the dirty work?
Pat Buchanan asks the same question, here.
6 Comments
Malcolm, the question you and Buchanan are asking is one of aspiration. To become paid mercenaries would be an ambitious, impertinent enhancement of America’s status. A mercenary receives consideration for his assignments and exercises self-interested agency in choosing them.
No, America is a dopey myrmidon lazily musing of a mercenary’s Á©lan.
I’ll certainly give you “dopey”.
Well I think we can guarantee that America will get shafted in true ‘Wild Geese’ style. So there’s that going for the analogy.
“None of the White House staff has any experience in war or understands it.”
Yeah, I guess neither John Kerry nor Chuck Hagel have any experience in war, and the five Purple Hearts they earned don’t exist.
They aren’t White House staff.
Purple hearts are usually awarded to the front-line troops. And though the grunts who earn them deserve our respect, our sympathy, and our support, the purple hearts are not qualifications for strategic competency. And, BTW, neither is a phony Nobel Peace Prize such a qualification.