Hi JCP; Re: "I find it comforting that some of our senior commanders would resign before doing something stupid they KNEW would lead to a bad end. The oath they take is to the constitution and the American people, not the President. Resignation is the correct course, then, they are free to speak out aganist the policy."
I don't think we're going to attack Iran because they can do things to us that are sufficiently nasty as to make it not worth our while to do nasty things to them. But if the politicians tell the generals to attack, I believe that they will attack.
Perhaps unfortunately, it's not the general's job to decide on foreign policy. They advise. I wouldn't be surprised if a cabinet member or two resign, but even that, in wartime, would be rather surprising. I think the article is just wrong, or maybe they quoted some who were pissed off about the thought of fighting Iran.
Vietnam killed 55,000 of OUR youth. It was well known in the officer's circles to be a disaster from the early 70s. And yet how many of them (a) spoke up, or (b) resigned. As far as I know, it was very close to zero.
The essence of military duty is "my country right or wrong", which, loosely translated, means that they fight for the US in its wars that are right the same as the ones that are wrong, and in its wars that are good ideas the same as in those that are bad ideas. The advantage of having oneself killed only in a meaningful war is not granted to a soldier of any country, on any side, now or at any time in the past. They fight.
Carl |
