Pentagon Shake-up
9/11 re-aligned our military priorities in a manner which, while robust, were neither needed nor judicious with assets deployed appropriately. Iraq? A campaign based on disinformation and with scarce strategic necessity was mounted as a vanity project of President George W. Bush. This proved costly for both sides. The later large movement of troops into Afghanistan with hungry flanks of private contractors and corporations was a colossal mistake. The fraud and profiteering was stratospheric in nature.
Special Forces and our highly trained hunt-and-kill military specialists should have been deployed to clean up around the edges. Instead, we chose to submerge two large (national) basements to drown a few rats. Practically everybody but Grandma went to war. And after two decades of war-explore we are left with an Achilles heel. We are weakened, not because of our strength. But we are weakened by dissipation. Pentagon budgetary expenditures have been wasteful and our consumption of national resources from the Treasury not unlike the Schistocerca gregaria. The Pentagon has the ability to quickly respond with highly mobile and massive swarms of troops at a moments notice. But it has come at too high a cost. And that cost has been borne by the taxpaying citizen for too long.
The post WWII and post 9/11 templates are outdated; our contingency plans across the globe in need of re-orientation for accurate prioritization; and our synergism with NATO is no longer a "force multiplier" (I hate that term) but a detriment against our need to develop a more potentiated, yet venomous small footprint within our own hemisphere.
AFRICOM? When a continent is burning and slashing itself into oblivion, the net benefit of reducing this Command falls under the shadow of the greater realities which exist - and continue to exist - where Islam is the intoxicant for tribalism. I believe it is wise to subjugate AFRICOM, and also the US Central Command and European Command under the aegis of a new US International Command. Lean is good. And lean is healthy.
Inside the Beltway, we undoubtedly have too many barrel-chested flag officers in a century that can survive well enough with the greater strength which can be found in the nimble legs of the 05 and 06 officers. The choke point at the top must be addressed. This is a flow issue. And fresh ideas need to be encouraged along the "straits" to replace the political correctness which was standardized under General Mark Milley. SecWar Pete Hegseth continues to address this vital issue.
Will these changes cause the noticeable pain which accompanies adjustment within all avenues of life? I believe these changes will cause greater pain than that felt by the civilian. Because those of us who have taken an oath deeply feel and evaluate even the smallest changes which occur within our detachments. So when the drastic changes begin to impact the various Commands anticipate that our retired Generals and Admirals, with their incessant "analysis" will be lining up to offer their opinions to the greater public.
As a former military officer - I welcome the changes which are about to be made. They seem logical, healthy, and with a view toward strengthening our position at home by reduction of military burdens OCONUS.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15388627/Pete-Hegseth-slash-4-star-generals-Pentagon-shake-pulls-plug-Europe-Middle-East.html
Comments
Post a Comment