The majority must have veto power over the military
I’m glad the guy I voted for is doing what I want him to do: hold his horses. Yes, the Defense Department and General McChrystal and a lot of other voices are saying there’s no time to wait for Afghan legitimacy, but I’m not certain these people thought before they spoke. Without a legitimate government, the hearts and minds of the people are in disarray, without a strong cause to rally around.
The results of a significant increase in military presence cannot be predicted. Will things turn around because of 40,000 more troops, even if they don’t know when and if an Afghan government coalesces? I kinda doubt it. A country without a legitimate government or leader is a very delicate thing, even in America. Everyone is on edge between presidents; they want someone in charge. Well, here’s the crux of the matter: Obama is the C-in-C, and when it comes to military matters, his word is scripture, and all of those below him, regardless of experience or expertise, must defer to him. The bellyaching and mildly insubordinate chatter must cease.
If the parties who are itching to put a bigger Amerian footprint in Afghanistan can’t respect Obama’s authority, how do they expect him to respect them? There seems to be this divide between “what needs to be done” and “what is popular,” but this is just an illusion, created throughout history by those whose job it is to make war. All that matters is what the majority of Americans want. Politics exist not to undermine the military, but to keep it on a leash and protect blood and treasure the military is all too willing to squander at the drop of a hat.
This is not an autocracy; the President and everyone below him have an obligation to listen to that majority, even if they think they know better. And if that majority is sick and tired of babysitting Afghanistan and wants the army to pack up and leave, then doggone it, that’s what we should do. If they want to try a bit longer to set things right there, we should do that. One thing is for certain; if the generals had their way 100% of the time, there would never be any peace.
