Posted on Jul 30, 2015
Has the military been undermined under the current administration?
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I hesitated in posting this but it is a powerful article, it just needs to be taken in context:
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/jul/29/james-lyons-military-undermined-by-budget-reductio/
Do you think the military has truly been undermined and that our allies no longer trust us and our enemies no longer fear us?
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/jul/29/james-lyons-military-undermined-by-budget-reductio/
Do you think the military has truly been undermined and that our allies no longer trust us and our enemies no longer fear us?
Politics
Foreign Affairs
Sequestration
Foreign Policy
Iran
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 13
No, I don't agree with his perspective. Our military is still a very effective combat force, and both our allies and enemies know that. The budget reductions have been a bipartisan impact, since both parties helped with implementing the Budget Control Act of 2011, both parties failed to reach a consensus on how to reduce the deficit (which led to the sequestration), both parties passed the temporary 2-year budget under the Ryan-Murray plan, and both parties are unwilling to reach a bipartisan solution to the budget moving forward. The book is still out on how/if the "social engineering" will impact the military. I have seen no evidence that shows it has positively or negatively impacted morale, readiness, and/or combat power. Some people are unhappy about it, that's for sure. However, individual unhappiness is not evidence of reduced morale, readiness, and/or combat power.
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LCDR (Join to see)
LTC Kevin B. Agreed and I tried to find an article that focused a little less on the social engineering part because unfortunately I think that was the author's main point, but not the part of the article I found valuable.
The long term affects of sequestration are still an unknown, but to be honest we have dealt with them pretty well. Are they sustainable as is? No. Were they meant to be permanent? No. The verdict is out.
The long term affects of sequestration are still an unknown, but to be honest we have dealt with them pretty well. Are they sustainable as is? No. Were they meant to be permanent? No. The verdict is out.
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LTC Kevin B.
LCDR (Join to see) - As with many issues in our Federal government, I think the politicians tend to agree on most of the important issues that need to be addressed (defense spending, investments in infrastructure, care for veterans, etc.). However, they disagree on how to pay for them, and that's where the breakdown always occurs. Money drives just about everything.
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By definition the military cannot be undermined by the government in that it is a tool of the Government. This is a cart before the horse issue.
The government, through its policies may make it a less effective tool, that is true, but the same can be said of the People and the Government. It's when we reverse the order there is a problem.
I hate to phrase it this way, but it doesn't matter if the government "undermines" the military. It only matters if the military fully supports the policies of the government. It's when we don't, that is when our system is broken beyond repair.
If SecDef says "We're going to start enlisting Lions tomorrow. Figure out integration." the answer is "Aye, Aye Sir" We don't have to like. That's not a requirement for what we do. Historical data shows that an extremely "regimented" (pun intended) society, like the military, is just adverse to change. Change has to be forced upon us. Racial integration had to be forced upon us. Gender integration had to be forced upon us. Orientation integration had to be forced upon us. And guess what, in every single one of those, we adapted and overcame, because that's what we do.
As for allies & enemies. That is a separate issue, and falls more on the political spectrum, than the military side. Again, the military being a tool of diplomacy (the government).
The government, through its policies may make it a less effective tool, that is true, but the same can be said of the People and the Government. It's when we reverse the order there is a problem.
I hate to phrase it this way, but it doesn't matter if the government "undermines" the military. It only matters if the military fully supports the policies of the government. It's when we don't, that is when our system is broken beyond repair.
If SecDef says "We're going to start enlisting Lions tomorrow. Figure out integration." the answer is "Aye, Aye Sir" We don't have to like. That's not a requirement for what we do. Historical data shows that an extremely "regimented" (pun intended) society, like the military, is just adverse to change. Change has to be forced upon us. Racial integration had to be forced upon us. Gender integration had to be forced upon us. Orientation integration had to be forced upon us. And guess what, in every single one of those, we adapted and overcame, because that's what we do.
As for allies & enemies. That is a separate issue, and falls more on the political spectrum, than the military side. Again, the military being a tool of diplomacy (the government).
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LCDR (Join to see)
Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS Very good response and spot on!
You're right, and I was guilty of looking at it from the other angle as well. We don't exist to be supported by the government. The military exists to support our nation (through the government).
I do think our effectiveness will be impacted, but I don't quite take the dire picture in the article. I wanted to cut about half of it out before posting it, but that's unfair and a little too representative of what I hate about the media, so I didn't.
You're right, and I was guilty of looking at it from the other angle as well. We don't exist to be supported by the government. The military exists to support our nation (through the government).
I do think our effectiveness will be impacted, but I don't quite take the dire picture in the article. I wanted to cut about half of it out before posting it, but that's unfair and a little too representative of what I hate about the media, so I didn't.
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Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS
LCDR (Join to see) I almost got caught too. I read it twice before responding. I definitely think we are being impacted, but I think "undermined" isn't the MOST correct word.
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