Mar 14 2008
One more comment on Admiral Fallon
It is probably lost on many, if not most, Americans that the U.S. military is not a democratic institution. And IT SHOULDN’T BE.
For centuries and still to this day across the entire face of the globe, military juntas and generals and warlords rule countries and regions. They mash the civilian populace under their thumbs and brutally aggregate power and resources onto themselves. It’s called a dictatorship.
It is the singular achievement and glory of America and the Anglo-Saxon tradition that we have created a system of government where the military serves the people and not the other way around. Dissent in the military to civilian rule, or for military officers to question their civilian masters should not be tolerated in any way, shape or form.
This is what makes Senator Harry Reid’s criticisms of Admiral Fallon’s resignation and other criticisms from Democrats so breathtakingly ignorant and dangerous. For political one-up-manship, Reid and others have ignored the long-standing traditions of absolute civilian rule in this Republic.
Reid called Admiral Fallon’s presumed forced resignation “yet another example that independence and the frank, open airing of experts’ views are not welcomes in this administration.”
An article at the American Chronicle wrote, “So goes the loss of another excellent military expert that did not agree with our “all hat / no cattle” President.”
This article and Senator Reid’s comments have missed the point entirely. They presume that the military has the implicit right to challenge, dissent and contradict their Commander-in-Chief. No, they don’t have that right. PERIOD. To allow it would bring us closer to losing our democracy.
Any politician, Democrat or Republican, should be zealous in maintaining our centuries old tradition of civilian rule.