War at the Pentagon

[babylonsister]

War at the Pentagon

By Jim Hoagland
Sunday, April 13, 2008; Page B07


The most intense arguments over U.S. involvement in Iraq do not flare at this point on Capitol Hill or on the campaign trail. Those rhetorical battles pale in comparison to the high-stakes struggle being waged behind closed doors at the Pentagon.

On one side are the "fight-win guys," as some describe themselves. They are led by Gen. David Petraeus and other commanders who argue that the counterinsurgency struggle in Iraq must be pursued as the military's top priority and ultimately resolved on U.S. terms.

In this view, the Middle East is the most likely arena for future conflicts, and Iraq is the prototype of the war that U.S. forces must be trained and equipped to win.

Arrayed against them are the uniformed chiefs of the military services who foresee a "broken army" emerging from an all-out commitment to Iraq that neglects other needs and potential conflicts. It is time to rebuild Army tank battalions, Marine amphibious forces and other traditional instruments of big-nation warfare -- while muddling through in Iraq.

I unavoidably compress what is a serious and respectful struggle about resources, military strategy and political ideology. The weapons in this discreet conflict include budget requests, deployment schedules and, increasingly, speeches and public presentations that veil the true nature of the internal struggle but reveal how the military's top commanders line up.

more...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/11/AR2008041103248.html

[mike_c]

1. no-- it is time to dismantle much of the huge military commitment...

...the U.S. has made. The Pentagon budget should be cut by at least two-thirds, ideally by much more. It's time for Americans to realize that power corrupts from the top of society to the bottom, and we are are all hurt by America's massive commitment to militarism. It is time to stop it.

[Echo In Light]

2. Kudos

[izzie]

3. I am with you on this.

Maybe with the WW2 guys going so fast some of this endless war stuff will show down. Wars do not always produce the results one wants. They are very wasteful and messy. Better we educate our people and re-build our country. Such a the Gulf Coast. What is wrong with these people in DC any how? I am sure that with two Clinton's in the WH or a McCain we will never do this. It is going to be the same old stuff. I am starting to really be turned off by this whole thing. Endless 'royal' Clinton's and Bush's and endless wars. It is starting to be a bad dream. And I live partly on a military pension.