Hey, it sounds good ya know, officers doing their duty to evaluate the situation and refuse to serve if they don't agree that the cause is a just cause.
It might make running the military a bit difficult but is that really a *bad* thing? If politicians can't count on blind obedience from the military they might not involve us in unpopular wars, or any wars at all, for that matter.
So what is this guy complaining about?
If an officer can make up his or her own mind about who's lawful orders to obey (and folks, lets be clear here, calling the war in Iraq illegal does not make it illegal, strong feelings and profoundly held beliefs do not create legal precident,) then why obey the president and civilian leadership at all?
Congress can take a hike and the President can stay home because it's no longer up to them, it's up to the individual conscience of individual military officers. Oh, Congress may still hold the purse strings, but they can't make anyone fight. In the face of an emergency, who wins that standoff?
How long until the officers realize that they can force a change in leadership at will? Make it a condition to fight and they can appoint their own. If not a military dictatorship, we'd at least be looking at a system where the President served only at the leave of the military leadership.
There is a REASON that our military subjects itself to civilian leadership. That reason is far more important than Watada's little PR prank.
And the fact is, you who think Watada is so brave don't really have to worry about military dictatorships because the rest of us *do* understand why we obey the orders of the civilian leadership even if we think the guy is a prick and likely to get us killed for no reason.
Because the alternative is worse.
And if the Democrat canidate prevails in 2008, the 3/4ths of the military who can be expected to vote Republican will NOT go home or begin to refuse orders or "pull a Watada."
And you can thank them for that.
It might make running the military a bit difficult but is that really a *bad* thing? If politicians can't count on blind obedience from the military they might not involve us in unpopular wars, or any wars at all, for that matter.
So what is this guy complaining about?
Believe it or not, Lieutenant, were you to be upheld in your assertions, it would set exactly the wrong precedent. The one where the soldiers (worse - the Officers) decide what is right and good in their employment. Exactly one of the things the Founders feared, regarding a large standing Army.
If an officer can make up his or her own mind about who's lawful orders to obey (and folks, lets be clear here, calling the war in Iraq illegal does not make it illegal, strong feelings and profoundly held beliefs do not create legal precident,) then why obey the president and civilian leadership at all?
Congress can take a hike and the President can stay home because it's no longer up to them, it's up to the individual conscience of individual military officers. Oh, Congress may still hold the purse strings, but they can't make anyone fight. In the face of an emergency, who wins that standoff?
How long until the officers realize that they can force a change in leadership at will? Make it a condition to fight and they can appoint their own. If not a military dictatorship, we'd at least be looking at a system where the President served only at the leave of the military leadership.
There is a REASON that our military subjects itself to civilian leadership. That reason is far more important than Watada's little PR prank.
And the fact is, you who think Watada is so brave don't really have to worry about military dictatorships because the rest of us *do* understand why we obey the orders of the civilian leadership even if we think the guy is a prick and likely to get us killed for no reason.
Because the alternative is worse.
And if the Democrat canidate prevails in 2008, the 3/4ths of the military who can be expected to vote Republican will NOT go home or begin to refuse orders or "pull a Watada."
And you can thank them for that.
Comments
He has lots of honor. /sarc