- Posts tagged military
- Explore military on posterous
Go easy on the Marines
The US ambassador to Afghanistan, retired three-star Army Gen. Karl W. Eikenberry, reportedly made a comment about there being 41 nations serving in Afghanistan -- and a 42nd composed of the Marine Corps. The Washington Post quoted an unnamed Obama administration official as saying, "We have better operational coherence with virtually all of our NATO allies than we have with the US Marine Corps."
Some officials call the new Marine enclave in Nimruz Province "Marinestan" -- as if, out of a Kipling or Conrad novel, the Marines have gone rogue to set up their own independent province of operations.
Yet once again, it would be wise not to tamper with the independence of the Marine Corps, given that its methods of training, deployment, fighting, counterinsurgency and conventional warfare usually pay off in the end.
The technological and political face of war is always changing. But its essence -- organized violence to achieve political ends -- is no different from antiquity. Conflict will remain the same as long as human nature does as well.
The Marines have always best understood that. And from the Marines' initial mission against the Barbary Pirates to the battles in Fallujah, Americans have wanted a maverick Marine Corps -- a sort of insurance policy that kept them safe, just in case.
Victor Davis Hanson says "hands off" the Corps. As if they need any help! I knew my son the soldier wouldn't mind if I posted this about those other guys.
Don't smoke'm even if you got'em
Is the Pentagon really serious about banning smoking in the military? And if them, why not all government employees?
Hmmm. What about everyone who get government healthcare once that fires up?
