Vets I Would Like Your Opinion ( The Dangerous Politicization Of Our Military): I thought this was an interesting article. Notice I said vets but let's see how this plays out...

soba1 Loc: Somewhere In So Ca

I thought this was an interesting article.
Notice I said vets but let's see how this plays out

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/07/the-danger-of-turning-the-us-military-into-a-political-actor/534624/

Texcaster Loc: Queensland

The best strategy is to start with the Boy Scouts and personal loyalty oaths to Donald J Trump.

Sjfh

soba1 wrote:

I thought this was an interesting article.
Notice I said vets but let's see how this plays out

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/07/the-danger-of-turning-the-us-military-into-a-political-actor/534624/

The author of this article clearly doesn't understand the military and sees only a politicized view of recent military history. Just one example...."Uneven performances in Iraq and Afghanistan" makes it sound as if the military failed and gets a pass anyway. But the fact is, it wasn't uneven performance. It was outstanding performance with available resources...which were inadequate for the mission.

The author also suggests the military should "be brought down a peg or two" in the eyes of the American public. Really? He has a great deal of support for this idea among the liberal media and probably also many "progressives". He takes for granted that the very military he disdains will fight to the death for his right to express that disdain and attempt to gain a following for his political views.

It is not the military that is being leveraged for political gain in this situation....it is the uninformed and prejudiced reader of this article (among very many others) who are being used to spin a political message.

bull drink water Loc: pontiac mi.

the problem is that the last 4 or 5 military engagements were unwinable by normal means. we haven't come up with a way to win them. ever since we've demanded that our soldiers fight for ideals only, they have been getting the short end of the stick. low pay low or no allotments to their family's. lousy va medical plan. the vets should have the finest blue cross type plan, with access to the best treatment and no red tape.

Sjfh

bull drink water wrote:

the problem is that the last 4 or 5 military engagements were unwinable by normal means. we haven't come up with a way to win them. ever since we've demanded that our soldiers fight for ideals only, they have been getting the short end of the stick. low pay low or no allotments to their family's. lousy va medical plan. the vets should have the finest blue cross type plan, with access to the best treatment and no red tape.

Case in point right here. Last week (Thursday) I had a spinal fusion surgery canceled just half an hour before going into the OR at Walter Reed. IMO, the resident jumped the gun on interpreting some test results, but what's done is done. I'm in considerable pain as well as suffering from progressive nerve damage and my surgeon said he'd get me in as soon as possible. In the military system, ASAP translates in this case to September or October. In the meantime I wait with my two new best friends....Robaxin and Percocet...and hope for two things: that I don't develop increased tolerance or dependence and that my escalating nerve damage remains reversible.

sb Loc: Florida's East Coast

My brother recently finished a 30-year career in the Army. Watching him, meeting and talking with his colleagues, I have been impressed with the professionalism I have seen. They do not like it when they are used as political pawns. They really hate it when leadership is by morons (Rumsfeld...). Our military needs to maintain the fine line of being run by civilians and yet not being used for political benefit.

dpullum Loc: Tampa Florida

Actually Trump is working a step-wise takeover and is doing it well. As soon as the judicial branch reports to him... then we have only two branches of government. Next the legislative branch loses a few people to "accidental events" like Putin would do and we have comfort in a dictator ship. I was in the army in 1961 when it was anti communist anti Russian all the way. Now we will be all equal except for the Oligarchs running the show. At 81, never did i really think that Democracy would end in my life time. At 20 I told my dad that we were not going to war with Russia, we would be more like them and they like us.

Trump can pardon psychopaths to do his murdering of um-cooperative legislators. The voters will be purged and restricted...

Yes sb, Rumsfeld was a moron ... but... perhaps a quotable one! A standup comedian; I love the "know knows" quote... there are many others.
https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/d/donald_rumsfeld.html

I watched the dedication of the Carrier... was surprised he did not rename it during the speech .... also did they change the catapult to steam like he commanded.

Leica User Loc: Western North Carolina

dpullum wrote:

Actually Trump is working a step-wise takeover and... (show quote)

You are a very special kind of stupid. Just a hate filled moron.

Leica User Loc: Western North Carolina

sb wrote:

My brother recently finished a 30-year career in the Army. Watching him, meeting and talking with his colleagues, I have been impressed with the professionalism I have seen. They do not like it when they are used as political pawns. They really hate it when leadership is by morons (Rumsfeld...). Our military needs to maintain the fine line of being run by civilians and yet not being used for political benefit.

Had to get you lefty agenda in, didn't you? You pathetic imbecile.

WorldTraveler Loc: San Antonio, TX, now in Greenfield IN

soba1 wrote:

I thought this was an interesting article.
Notice I said vets but let's see how this plays out

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/07/the-danger-of-turning-the-us-military-into-a-political-actor/534624/

Well, evidently I must have held my hand over the wrong bible on my initial enlistment and the subsequent
5 reenlistments. I swore to uphold the constitution and those placed in position over me. I wonder if the OP realizes that NOT following the orders just because I don't like the person issuing the order and/or directive could result in prison time in FEDERAL custody. You respect the position and/or uniform. There were m*any instances in the previous admistration that I disagreed with, the policies that seemed to appear without any thought. Unlike those in the civilian world, military personal CANNOT make statements contrary to established policy . Please (I'm just glad I had already retired). Just saying it's not as easy as most think to organize a coup.

Clinton Biediger, MSgt, USAF, Retired

Frosty Loc: Minnesota

Texcaster wrote:

The best strategy is to start with the Boy Scouts and personal loyalty oaths to Donald J Trump.

Taking a loyalty oath to Donald Trump, or any president , would be the worst thing the military could do. That is how dictatorships develop. You take a loyalty oat to preserve, protect and defend the constitution........not some politician. However, that includes following the lawful orders of the president when he is acting as Comander in Chief of the armed forces.

As a 30 year veteran and an officer, I can't say I have ever seen any attempt by other officers to try to get the officer corps to influence either the president or congress in any way. That would be unacceptable conduct.

Bazbo Loc: Lisboa, Portugal

bull drink water wrote:

the problem is that the last 4 or 5 military engagements were unwinable by normal means. we haven't come up with a way to win them. ever since we've demanded that our soldiers fight for ideals only, they have been getting the short end of the stick. low pay low or no allotments to their family's. lousy va medical plan. the vets should have the finest blue cross type plan, with access to the best treatment and no red tape.

I believe that combat veterans (not REMFs) should be exempt from paying Federal income taxes for life. They made their contribution.

Texcaster Loc: Queensland

Frosty wrote:

Taking a loyalty oath to Donald Trump, or any pres... (show quote)

I just got carried away with the cult of MAGA and the blonde joke of all time, DJT, I'm better now.

Frosty Loc: Minnesota

Bazbo wrote:

I believe that combat veterans (not REMFs) should be exempt from paying Federal income taxes for life. They made their contribution.

The US has along history and tradition of ignoring combat wounded veterans.....but it is getting better. Viet Nam vets had to lobby hard along with the VFW and American Legion to get recognition of health issues related to Agent Orange and PTSD. Previous veterans such as those that served in Korea, WW II, WW I and especially the Civil War certainly suffered from PTSD but no help was ever offered or available..

.

Bazbo Loc: Lisboa, Portugal

Frosty wrote:

The US has along history and tradition of ignoring combat wounded veterans.....but it is getting better. Viet Nam vets had to lobby hard along with the VFW and American Legion to get recognition of health issues related to Agent Orange and PTSD. Previous veterans such as those that served in Korea, WW II, WW I and especially the Civil War certainly suffered from PTSD but no help was ever offered or available..

.

The ideals that hold the military (and its vets) together are more powerful than the abuse and neglect they suffer.