Conduct Unbecoming

Politics strike the Pentagon

Photo Credit: Kiyoshi Tanno

These are perilous times. For our democracy. For our planet. And for world peace, as the United States and its allies compete for power and influence against an array of autocratic and despotic regimes. 

Within this cauldron of uncertainty, buffeted by destabilizing cross-currents, sit the United States armed forces. They should be an institution unfettered by the vagaries of domestic politics and focused on a foundational mission: the safety and security of the nation. The protection of our United States.

Sadly, the destructive partisan forces who have torn our national fabric through pettiness, divisiveness, and recalcitrance have trained their small-minded mania on the military. It is a situation both dire and despiriting. We are weakened and thus more vulnerable to the adventurism of our adversaries. As a result, adversaries may now see us as a more tempting target for direct and indirect attacks than at any time in a long while. 

Exhibit A is the National Defense Authorization Act, which has traditionally been a rare occasion for bipartisan agreement. Not this year. Right-wing renegades in the House of Representatives demanded Republican leadership pollute a sober approach to national defense with culture war theatrics. So a bill that should have been about military readiness became yet another battleground for abortion, transgender rights, and diversity. On all these issues, important to the well-being of the troops and the unity of the nation, a reactionary, self-described “conservative” cabal was allowed to force its will. 

The bill, which barely passed the House (and on almost a strict party-line vote), will be dead on arrival in the Democrat-controlled Senate. It is unclear what compromise might eventually emerge.

As for the Senate, there is destructive ugliness there as well, thanks to Alabama Senator Tommy Tuberville. He has put a hold on over a hundred military promotions in a protest over abortion. Even many Republicans have criticized Tuberville for putting military readiness at risk. But he hasn’t budged. 

For decades, Republicans chastised Democrats for being “soft” on national defense (and not supporting “law and order,” but we will leave their hypocrisy and attacks on the FBI and Department of Justice for another column). Recent actions show how shallow that rhetoric is. When it comes to prioritizing culture wars or preparing for real ones, has the MAGA party chosen divisive demonstrations over national defense? All this from a party whose leader bowed to Putin. 

This is dangerous. For one thing (and most importantly), it comes at a time when we have other powers seeking to exploit our weakness — from Beijing to Pyongyang to Tehran to Moscow. We also have the biggest war in Europe since World War II, one in which we are deeply involved.

As an aside to add context and perspective, did you notice that more of the Army’s reserves have recently been called to active duty in Europe? The regular Army is stretched thinner around the world than most Americans realize. For that matter, so is the Navy.

Meanwhile military recruiting numbers are well below targets. The right blames “wokeness,” of course. But Pentagon studies suggest other reasons. What a surprise. According to an article by The Associated Press:

(Army) officials said that based on the surveys, young people simply do not see the Army as a safe place or good career path, and believe they would have to put their lives and careers on hold if they enlisted.

Army leaders said very few say they are deterred from enlisting due to “wokeness.” Concerns about discrimination against women and minorities is seen as a bigger issue, along with a more general distrust of the military.

One can understand why young people would offer the reasons above for choosing careers other than military service, especially in what has been a hot job market. It is also true that in our all-volunteer military, those from lower economic environments make up a disproportionate percentage of people in uniform. And that has meant they suffered disproportionately in our recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. As people’s economic prospects improve, the military becomes less appealing. 

But it is also true that, whether we like it or not, we live in a world where it is essential that America’s armed forces are ready and able to protect our nation and its interests. It is vital that we recruit quality people to serve. We need to root out extremism in the ranks, another rising concern in an age of overt white supremacy. And we must hope that our political leaders deploy the military with restraint and foresight. 

These all add up to significant challenges. And the last thing we need is to add to the burden by turning our national defense into another excuse for performative poppycock.

This isn’t Fox News. It’s the real world. And we know that we had better act, and prepare, accordingly. 

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