tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12796551.post5147170215001388448..comments2024-03-26T05:18:53.709-04:00Comments on Pen and Sword: Iraq: Congress Steps Up to the PlateJeff Huberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14146644937683409726noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12796551.post-4467214096725056592007-04-27T13:16:00.000-04:002007-04-27T13:16:00.000-04:00Jeff,The following article by Lieutenant Colonel P...Jeff,<BR/><BR/>The following article by Lieutenant Colonel Paul Yingling is a very thoughtful and incisive one in which he points out the failures of the current and past senior military leadership, which are in many ways responsible for the debacle that we are presently facing in Iraq and Afghanistan. Much of what he says will have been obvious for a long time to those with previous military experience. However, I would certainly recommend its reading by anyone seeking a better understanding of how we have arrived where we are and what might be done in the future to correct the problems associated with our senior military leadership. <BR/><BR/>http://www.armedforcesjournal.com/2007/05/2635198<BR/><BR/>If I were to offer any criticism of what Yingling has to say it would be in the realm of why our current political system makes the reforms that he suggests almost impossible to implement or achieve. <BR/><BR/>Our current political system, where genuine oversight by congressional committees is for the most part a bad joke, makes it far too easy to embark on foolish and ill conceived military adventures such as Iraq. Moreover, in a Congress that is far more concerned with retaining their own seats through pork barrel politics than the present and future security of the nation, it is difficult to envision its members wanting to confirm and promote flag officers whose duty and mission would be contrary to their own self-interests. A Congress and Executive Branch which insists on funneling huge amounts of the annual defense budget into unnecessary high tech junk and retaining military installations, which have long since ceased to be necessary, are not likely to be very receptive to advise against such programs from generals and admirals attempting to do what is best for the nation. It is therefore difficult to see how many of the key elements of what is suggested by Yingling can ever be achieved without a major reform in how our current form of government operates. The likelihood of that happening is very slight indeed.<BR/><BR/>My criticisms notwithstanding, I would still highly recommend Lt. Col. Yingling's piece for your blog readers consideration.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12796551.post-38366030164780898032007-04-27T12:48:00.000-04:002007-04-27T12:48:00.000-04:00Ed and Jeff, Thanks for the links.Ed and Jeff, <BR/><BR/>Thanks for the links.Jeff Huberhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14146644937683409726noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12796551.post-2948232636804813332007-04-27T11:54:00.000-04:002007-04-27T11:54:00.000-04:00Found this from a comment at Juan Cole's: Iraq’s W...Found this from a comment at Juan Cole's: <A HREF="http://www.thefirstpost.co.uk/index.php?menuID=1&subID=1332" REL="nofollow">Iraq’s WMD myth: why Clinton is culpable</A>.<BR/><BR/>So, not only was the Iraq intelligence bad/cooked/outright fabricated -- it was all Clinton's fault, too! Sure, why not, it's possible, he's to blame for everything that's ever happened...<BR/><BR/>Hey, if it's the beginning of bringing the troops home from Iraq, they can blame it all on me.Jeff (no, the other one)https://www.blogger.com/profile/04030611459552848949noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12796551.post-60160916034737313352007-04-27T11:50:00.000-04:002007-04-27T11:50:00.000-04:00Jeff,Your sources have likely already brought this...Jeff,<BR/><BR/>Your sources have likely already brought this opinion piece by Lt. Col. Paul Yingling in the Armed Forces Journal to your attention, but I thought I'd mention it. It's currently getting noticed at some other blogs:<BR/><BR/><A HREF="http://www.armedforcesjournal.com/2007/05/2635198" REL="nofollow"><B>A failure in generalship</B></A><BR/><BR/>.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12796551.post-40788708712723704422007-04-26T15:32:00.000-04:002007-04-26T15:32:00.000-04:00Two things: - I had (very much past tense) hoped ...Two things:<BR/><BR/> - I had (very much past tense) hoped that impeachment would not be a feature of the current administration lest we fall into a habit of it. But the current administration's behavior clearly rises well above lying about a blow job.<BR/><BR/> - The last thing the current administration wants is for their favorite boogeyman, to wit, one Osama Bin Laden, to be taken in custody or killed. Who would there be to frighten us with then?Mikehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15308567394308330867noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12796551.post-37501459811453701122007-04-26T10:49:00.000-04:002007-04-26T10:49:00.000-04:00Hey, we haven't had a Major Terra Alert in quite s...Hey, we haven't had a Major Terra Alert in quite some time -- all this talk of impeachment will probably bring one out to disrupt the news cycle, er, <I>embolden the Terr'ists to action</I>, if we're not patriotic enough to keep clapping louder...Jeff (no, the other one)https://www.blogger.com/profile/04030611459552848949noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12796551.post-5966478347101785772007-04-25T23:30:00.000-04:002007-04-25T23:30:00.000-04:00Or we could simply impeach them. In order to let ...Or we could simply impeach them. In order to let Nancy Pelosi know that you support Dennis Kicinich's impeachment bill for Cheney (HR333), call 202-225-0100. You would also do well to contact your Representative and Senators.<BR/><BR/>MeMyselfEyeAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com