06-23-2010, 10:44 PM
Hi,
It's not. It started out as an attempt to use the military for a job that they are not trained for (anti-terrorism), and transitioned to another job they are not trained for (state building). It is unfair to the troops, to their leaders and to the country -- a lesson we should have learned by now.
What does "winning it" even mean? You win a war by defeating your enemy, not by capturing a terrorist, nor by establishing a stable government. Not that those aren't good goals, they're just not goals a military is designed to achieve. The problem is that some jackass proclaimed a *WAR* on blah, blah, blah and the sheep just went along.
Because the politics dominate, and the granting of a star is an induction into politics.
What makes you think he didn't realize it? Could it not be that he just didn't give a damn?
It's called the free market (and First Amendment). Winning or losing the war doesn't matter, selling newspapers does. The one is just good for the country, but the other is good for the editor.
--Pete
(06-23-2010, 09:58 PM)kandrathe Wrote: I just have to ask; If this is a war, . . .
It's not. It started out as an attempt to use the military for a job that they are not trained for (anti-terrorism), and transitioned to another job they are not trained for (state building). It is unfair to the troops, to their leaders and to the country -- a lesson we should have learned by now.
Quote:. . and we are serious about winning it, . . .
What does "winning it" even mean? You win a war by defeating your enemy, not by capturing a terrorist, nor by establishing a stable government. Not that those aren't good goals, they're just not goals a military is designed to achieve. The problem is that some jackass proclaimed a *WAR* on blah, blah, blah and the sheep just went along.
Quote:. . . then why does the US military allow a civilian this kind of access, . . .
Because the politics dominate, and the granting of a star is an induction into politics.
Quote:. . . why wouldn't the writer realize he was ending the career of the guy who gave him the story, . . .
What makes you think he didn't realize it? Could it not be that he just didn't give a damn?
Quote:. . . and why wouldn't the editor think about the effect this might have on our ability to win the war?
It's called the free market (and First Amendment). Winning or losing the war doesn't matter, selling newspapers does. The one is just good for the country, but the other is good for the editor.
--Pete
How big was the aquarium in Noah's ark?