If either side actually gave a damn about having healthy, robust militaries, Congress would see to it that military pay kept pace with their own incomes, that housing was top-notch and not vermin & mold infested, that NO service member ever had to rely on food stamps to feed their families, that our militaries weren’t used as pawns for politician’s greed, and for the love of God, that the horrid policy of allowing company and battalion commanders to decide whether or not a claim of sexual harassment or assault even needs to be investigated gets axed once and for all.
In addition, and quite importantly, we need a President who doesn’t call service members who tell the truth about disastrous outcomes of Presidential policy liars. I will never forget Biden doing just that when the first DOD report on the poorly planned withdrawal from Afghanistan dared tell the truth and he publicly declared it to be false and that he didn’t believe a word of it. I know from experience what it takes to speak up when the brass makes mistakes. We need a Commander in Chief who fully understands the role and treats it with the utmost respect.
Our military is bloated, overfunded and offensive. It is a tool of imperialism. For the most part it is less about extending freedom and more about making the world safe for our economic interests. The destruction imposed by our military on Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere is shameful. We ought to be focus more on building up rather than destroying. Our tax dollars ought to go to foreign aid, education, health care, clean energy transition and care for the environment not bombing and destroying infrastructure in the world.
With recruitment numbers falling, one outcome might be that our leadership has to find other ways to address international issues, other than waging war.
Tuberville's behavior is irrational and irresponsible. To in danger the military and the American people of this country, because of his extremist ideological thinking is ludicrous. I saw Senator Whitehouse who questioned one of the generals about his concerns and dangers and how vulnerable this country is to our adversaries. I pray they will find a resolution for this critical situation we're in.
I can't help but wonder if younger people are not signing up for the military because our wars are seen as unjust - "I could die because somebody wants the oil from another country or the water or whatever." I know many who hear stories of the way their command did not have their back or used them as pawns. I digress from the articles content, however. Is there a way to go beyond culture war? Is there a way to pump character training back into this historical moment. Until we set limits on how social media and media can function in politics, we cannot move in a more positive direction.
Thank you. A sobering article. It reflects my own thoughts. In my five decades with the military, I witnessed my share of the services being used as pawns and scapegoated by thoughtless, cowardly, selfish politicians. But in this past decade, it has gotten far worse. Politicians have sunken lower and lower into the cesspool of hypocrisy and fraud. Understandable since only 80 members of the 535-member Congress have served in the military. And recently, a good handful of those are conspiracy nuts and right-wing wackos. I salute my dedicated colleagues and friends who continue to serve and take seriously their oath to support and defend the Constitution and our country. It used to be that as a microcosm of American society, our military lead the way in diversity, equality, and fair treatment for all. They lead the way in trying to demonstrate the ideals of our Constitution and Bill of Rights. But now phony politicians say That's "woke", whatever the hell that's supposed to mean. I am truly ashamed of what we've allowed our country to become..
The CDC states that, “only 2 in 5 young adults are both weight-eligible and adequately active” to serve in the military due to obesity and sedentary lifestyles. It’s not about being “woke” it’s about a national healthcare crisis.
Women are an untapped pool for the military but it is not a safe place for enlisted or for those attending an academy. Yet all the Republicans do is worry about wokeness.
Correction taken...I missed clarifying that I was not idolatrizing them but no matter how I said it, they came out somewhat less tainted. I agree with you....violence is abhorrent though at times there may be no alternative. In their case, it was seditious violence without any justification to the rational and reasoning citizen.
DAN and ELLIOT, I AM UNABLE TO TRACE THE THREAD BACK FROM "MY COMMENT" TO THE PERSON TO WHOM I AM RESPONDING. IT'S VERY FRUSTRATING!! CAN YOU HELP?
Tuberville is one nasty, stupid man.
If either side actually gave a damn about having healthy, robust militaries, Congress would see to it that military pay kept pace with their own incomes, that housing was top-notch and not vermin & mold infested, that NO service member ever had to rely on food stamps to feed their families, that our militaries weren’t used as pawns for politician’s greed, and for the love of God, that the horrid policy of allowing company and battalion commanders to decide whether or not a claim of sexual harassment or assault even needs to be investigated gets axed once and for all.
In addition, and quite importantly, we need a President who doesn’t call service members who tell the truth about disastrous outcomes of Presidential policy liars. I will never forget Biden doing just that when the first DOD report on the poorly planned withdrawal from Afghanistan dared tell the truth and he publicly declared it to be false and that he didn’t believe a word of it. I know from experience what it takes to speak up when the brass makes mistakes. We need a Commander in Chief who fully understands the role and treats it with the utmost respect.
LOVE Dan Rather and Elliot Kirshner's column.
Very good article. Thank you.
Our military is bloated, overfunded and offensive. It is a tool of imperialism. For the most part it is less about extending freedom and more about making the world safe for our economic interests. The destruction imposed by our military on Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere is shameful. We ought to be focus more on building up rather than destroying. Our tax dollars ought to go to foreign aid, education, health care, clean energy transition and care for the environment not bombing and destroying infrastructure in the world.
With recruitment numbers falling, one outcome might be that our leadership has to find other ways to address international issues, other than waging war.
Tuberville's behavior is irrational and irresponsible. To in danger the military and the American people of this country, because of his extremist ideological thinking is ludicrous. I saw Senator Whitehouse who questioned one of the generals about his concerns and dangers and how vulnerable this country is to our adversaries. I pray they will find a resolution for this critical situation we're in.
I wish our President could/would do something as our leader that would "cut to the chase" the war mongering.
I can't help but wonder if younger people are not signing up for the military because our wars are seen as unjust - "I could die because somebody wants the oil from another country or the water or whatever." I know many who hear stories of the way their command did not have their back or used them as pawns. I digress from the articles content, however. Is there a way to go beyond culture war? Is there a way to pump character training back into this historical moment. Until we set limits on how social media and media can function in politics, we cannot move in a more positive direction.
Thank you. A sobering article. It reflects my own thoughts. In my five decades with the military, I witnessed my share of the services being used as pawns and scapegoated by thoughtless, cowardly, selfish politicians. But in this past decade, it has gotten far worse. Politicians have sunken lower and lower into the cesspool of hypocrisy and fraud. Understandable since only 80 members of the 535-member Congress have served in the military. And recently, a good handful of those are conspiracy nuts and right-wing wackos. I salute my dedicated colleagues and friends who continue to serve and take seriously their oath to support and defend the Constitution and our country. It used to be that as a microcosm of American society, our military lead the way in diversity, equality, and fair treatment for all. They lead the way in trying to demonstrate the ideals of our Constitution and Bill of Rights. But now phony politicians say That's "woke", whatever the hell that's supposed to mean. I am truly ashamed of what we've allowed our country to become..
So well said. So spot on. Few people say it better that what appears in Steady.
The CDC states that, “only 2 in 5 young adults are both weight-eligible and adequately active” to serve in the military due to obesity and sedentary lifestyles. It’s not about being “woke” it’s about a national healthcare crisis.
Women are an untapped pool for the military but it is not a safe place for enlisted or for those attending an academy. Yet all the Republicans do is worry about wokeness.
This is indeed a very troubling situation. Talk about hubris Republicans
Correction taken...I missed clarifying that I was not idolatrizing them but no matter how I said it, they came out somewhat less tainted. I agree with you....violence is abhorrent though at times there may be no alternative. In their case, it was seditious violence without any justification to the rational and reasoning citizen.