tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18232353.post5538662150199457462..comments2023-12-27T13:35:09.431-07:00Comments on Exile in Portales: All Over the Map...Buckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05319116022465066060noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18232353.post-82612116843530235282007-09-17T23:20:00.000-06:002007-09-17T23:20:00.000-06:00I don't think a solitary [strike]sole[/strike] sou...<I>I don't think a solitary [strike]sole[/strike] soul is a thorn in the side of others.</I><BR/><BR/>Thanks for that, Lou. Somehow I didn't think you <I>would</I>.<BR/><BR/>Triple E: On wishing you were invited... You and me <I>both!!</I><BR/><BR/>Shelly: You live in Colorado Springs? I was just by your place in May. I have two observations: (a) There are danged few places in the US that are more beautiful than your town. (b) And danged few with worse traffic, too! It took me more than an hour to transit CS on I-25, due in part to bad timing on my part (rush hour), but mostly because of the god-awful construction chaos. And I was on the bike, too, which made it doubly miserable. I got a lot of time to look around, though. <I><B>;-)</I></B><BR/><BR/>Morgan: That chickenhawk thing just doesn't fly with me. That said, I'm <I>much</I> more comfortable with a president who's been in the military...Jimmuh being the exception that proves the rule, of course. He danged near destroyed the military as I knew it. You could hear a VERY audible sigh of relief all over the Air Force when Reagan won in 1980...and I'm sure it was the same in the other services, as well.Buckhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05319116022465066060noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18232353.post-58464235365683554392007-09-17T18:07:00.000-06:002007-09-17T18:07:00.000-06:00Buck,With my son now in the Navy, I know that has ...Buck,<BR/>With my son now in the Navy, I know that has dramatically changed my views, I think if it doesn't effect you directly then it is the head in the sand concept. I also live near the Air Force Academy, but never really appreciated what it stood for. I finally had to admit that my head has been in the sand.<BR/><BR/>Shelly <BR/><BR/>ShellyShellyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07615081729942748130noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18232353.post-21662424793494109782007-09-17T14:30:00.000-06:002007-09-17T14:30:00.000-06:00I'd like a national referendum on this: Do we want...I'd like a national referendum on this: Do we want our military to be placed under civilian command? YES or NO.<BR/><BR/>It seems a lot of folks, the author of your first link included, have lost sight of this. If the military is to be commanded by civilians, very often you're going to have executive decisions about that military made by people who have not personally served, either in or out of combat. This is not a False Dilemma. You allow things to be managed by civilians who lack military experience, now and then, or you don't allow civilian command at all. There is no in-between.<BR/><BR/>All who doubt that, let them host a different national referendum: Should prior military service be a hard pre-requisite to eligibility for the Presidency? I know that sounds like a great idea to some at first blush...let that idea rattle around for a year or so, and I think folks would catch on to what's wrong with it.<BR/><BR/>As to my first referendum, I don't think there's any substantial disagreement. Most people do not want an independent military, serving at the pleasure of its own commanders, free from oversight. I think most people find that horrifying. Instead, what I think we have is a disparity insofar as the quality with which folks are noodling this out. You want the civilians to direct the military, that will have to include non-military-experienced civilians...and from time to time, they're going to have to send the military into harm's way.<BR/><BR/>It may make for a wonderful talking-point for the anti-war folks, but that is all it is. The decisions that are needed most urgently, are the ones that set up the "decider" for the greatest criticism down the road. That's life.mkfreeberghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13265933747192068934noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18232353.post-51059074485439615862007-09-17T10:09:00.000-06:002007-09-17T10:09:00.000-06:00So much to comment on...but I'll just say that I t...So much to comment on...but I'll just say that I think that's the only performance art that I would like...wish I was invited.Susanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00529235125681847574noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18232353.post-55443227258269940512007-09-17T09:48:00.000-06:002007-09-17T09:48:00.000-06:00Soul - Iknew that.Soul - Iknew that.Bag Bloghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01885412195900280096noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18232353.post-35866871982302528212007-09-17T09:47:00.000-06:002007-09-17T09:47:00.000-06:00Toby and I read and discussed the recent Israeli s...Toby and I read and discussed the recent Israeli strike - very interesting. Thanks for the links. I had been wanting to read more on the subject.<BR/><BR/>Being in small town America with an Air Force base and Army base nearby probably skews my views, too. Then again, it makes me wonder just whose view is really skewed. <BR/><BR/>I don't think a solitary sole is a thorn in the side of others.Bag Bloghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01885412195900280096noreply@blogger.com