Joint Chiefs Staffers Issue Paper Saying America Has Overreacted To Islamic Extremism
Hmm. As I was just saying recently, imagine if we as a country defined national security as the health, well-being, education and gainful employment of our citizens, and not as the ability to deliver bombs on targets.
I'm not surprised that someone else came to the same obvious conclusion -- only that it's two members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff saying so:
On Friday, April 8, as members of the U.S. Congress engaged in a last-minute game of chicken over the federal budget, the Pentagon quietly issued a report that received little initial attention: "A National Strategic Narrative." The report was issued under the pseudonym of "Mr. Y," a takeoff on George Kennan's 1946 "Long Telegram" from Moscow (published under the name "X" the following year in Foreign Affairs) that helped set containment as the cornerstone of U.S. strategy for dealing with the Soviet Union.
The piece was written by two senior members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CAPT Wayne Porter, USN and Col Mark "Puck" Mykleby) in a "personal" capacity, but it is clear that it would not have seen the light of day without a measure of official approval. Its findings are revelatory, and they deserve to be read and appreciated not only by every lawmaker in Congress, but by every American citizen.
The narrative argues that the United States is fundamentally getting it wrong when it comes to setting its priorities, particularly with regard to the budget and how Americans as a nation use their resources more broadly. The report says Americans are overreacting to Islamic extremism, underinvesting in their youth, and failing to embrace the sense of competition and opportunity that made America a world power. The United States has been increasingly consumed by seeing the world through the lens of threat, while failing to understand that influence, competitiveness, and innovation are the key to advancing American interests in the modern world.
Courageously, the authors make the case that America continues to rely far too heavily on its military as the primary tool for how it engages the world. Instead of simply pumping more and more dollars into defense, the narrative argues:
By investing energy, talent, and dollars now in the education and training of young Americans -- the scientists, statesmen, industrialists, farmers, inventors, educators, clergy, artists, service members, and parents, of tomorrow -- we are truly investing in our ability to successfully compete in, and influence, the strategic environment of the future. Our first investment priority, then, is intellectual capital and a sustainable infrastructure of education, health and social services to provide for the continuing development and growth of America's youth.
Please don't forget about our donation drive.
The Pentagon has also offered papers on Climate Change and Peak Oil. Is the Pentagon the last bastion of free thinking in America? Perhaps we should get them working on the Abortion question?
The Pentagon tends to thrive on contingency plans. They spend a lot of money on it.
Source of good news! Of course this report not only makes sense but it is remarkable that it came from the Pentagon, where I would have expected just the opposite analysis.
Thank you Capt. Porter and Col. Mykleby!
...a captaincy is still a fairly low rank, so it's extremely unlikely that Porter will be taken seriously by anyone of significance. The fact that he has a colonel to back him up is a plus -- but especially since their report basically questions the entire Military Industrial Complex as well as the defense budget, my guess is that this will be interpreted as a conflict of interest (or worse) which means that Porter and Mykleby can probably say goodbye to any hopes they might have had for further advancement. In fact, I will not be at all surprised if it turns out that Porter and Mykleby are urged to consider early retirement after this. I think this is one case in which Goliath is guaranteed to beat David, because the Pentagon have a good deal going and won't give it up willingly. To quote Chancellor Palpatine from the "Star Wars" franchise, "all who gain power are afraid to lose it" -- and I would add that most of them are not only afraid, but extremely reluctant to lose it.
Never trust anyone who insists that patriotism requires you to blindfold yourself with the flag.
A captain in the navy is an O-6, equivalent to a full colonel in the other services.
Though it's still a little silly that the author described this as a report by two members of the JCS - it's by two staffers of JCS members, not two members of the JCS.
But really, who has money to spend on things like health care and education when there's so many non-white, non-Christians in the world to blow up?
Republicans against the military! Can't wait to start seeing symptoms of this.
I'm waiting for the head of the Joint Chiefs to yell at Glenn Beck: "Have you no decency sir?!"
I don't believe in God. Teach a man to be a good citizen and you have solved the problem of life.
-Andrew Carnegie
for these two officers to seek to reframe the debate.
National security requires an informed population, so investment in the youth in the form of good education is required; national security requires a solid yet flexible infrastructure, so investment in modern power grids, water systems and roads is required; national security in a global, multilateral environment requires us to cooperate rather than confront our fellow nations, so investment in competition, business and diplomacy is required.
Bravo.
Getting the racist horse of white nationalism back in the barn labelled "reality."
When Pete King, a man who is proud of the fact that he provided material support to the IRA for decades, can hold hearings on "radicalization," and not get laughed out of the room you know shit's out of hand.
Kind of like Greenspan so "bravely" admitting the bush tax cuts have to go- both trains have left the station and are currently without conductors steaming at high speed towards who the fuck knows.
apparently all these people (greenspan, joint chiefs, etc.) were sick the day "the boy who cried wolf," was read in Kindergarten.
it's a bummer man.
if only someone would take their advice. i'm going to commence holding my breath.
Always in search of the next "-ism" to fight. The problem is that America is loosing the world-wide battle of the "-ism's.
Because of:
-Jingoism
-Isolationism and
-American exceptionalism
It's these three that Americans ought to be fighting, tooth, nail, and claw. But because our elected "leadership" is always pointing the Nation towards it's next "-ism" being practiced by someone else, Americans don't see or don't want to see the -ism's creeping around our own back doors.Oh, and let me add another one to the list, for the people in charge of the five sided, brass-hatted, money pit and loony bin.
-Militarism
When Col John Boyd worked in the Pentagon, he reportedly would ask junior officers that question, "Do you want to get the promotion or do good?" These two officers are doing good and may not get the promotions they deserve because of it. Thanks to them for telling us hard truths. This is bravery not the silly self-serving that Rep Paul Ryan exhibits.
Here's a diary I wrote about Col Boyd on fighting bureaucratic wars:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/05/21/3367...
...when increasingly, professional advancement seems to come at the cost of ethics and integrity. If we were half the people we claim and pretend to be as a nation, the people who truly possess ethics and integrity would be the ones who are getting the promotions instead of the ones who get passed over.
Never trust anyone who insists that patriotism requires you to blindfold yourself with the flag.
The Fighter Pilot Who Changed the Art of War by Coram
Education as a national security issue? We did this in the late 50's after Sputnik. The U.S. produced the brightest, free thinking citizens in our history. These kids turned on both parties. The elites will never allow this country to be educated again!
I agree with the notion that we are overreacting to Radical Islam (I particularly cringe when I read or hear the term "Creeping Sharia").
I don't, however, think that it's going to matter how we engage Radical Islam. Even if we pulled every American troop out of any nation that is even a little bit associated with Radical Islam, it would not make a difference in how Radical Muslims perceive us.
I have doubts that even if by some miracle the United States became an incredibly tolerant and enlightened nation over night that it would change much. At the end of the day, we're not Muslim, and Radical Muslims seek to make the world convert. Granted, they don't speak for all of Islam, and I firmly believe that their interpretation of the Quran is a perverted interpretation, but we're talking about a movement that is largely populated by people who have been purposely undereducated and brainwashed by fundamentalist despots. No amount of reason or tolerance would ever appease them.
Be that as it may, I agree that we need to stop using the military as the solution to every problem. To be honest, I am more afraid of the US being a complete nation of dumbasses than getting blown up. At least if I'm killed by a terrorist, I won't have to live in a place where I'm surrounded by complete idiots.
I'm always down for calls to strengthen our infrastructure and to get our kids to be better educated.
"The greatest threat to freedom of thought is intellectual cowardice." -George Orwell, 1946
http://christianfearinggodman.blogspot.com
I don't think any enlightened Americans care about trying to change the perception of "radical" Muslims toward the U.S., They are a tiny part of the Muslim community; they don't represent the views mainstream Muslims and, like most radicals, are not interested in compromise or mutual understanding. The real issue is that U.S. dealings with the Islamic world have tended to radicalize otherwise mainstream Muslims. Taking a more even-handed and democratic approach to Middle Eastern politics may not win over the radicals, but it would go a long way toward delegitimizing them and undermining their support among the general populace. We'll never please everyone in the world, but we could take much more effective steps to eliminate the conditions that swell the list of ordinary people who dislike America.
They shouldn't have said that. Now watch the military cuts/re-allocations to Blackwater,Z.
The first casualty of republicanism is the truth.
Party politics are not only undemocratic, they are antidemocratic.
I can't wait to hear the discussions on this report tonight on the teevee. It's going to be a drag missing the pundit roundtables that are on at the same time, but different stations...
It's ironic that it's the military here that tells the truth about our national policies. Despite the secrecy and cozy relationships with private corporations, there are some who lead on telling it like it is.
I'm also struck by the fact that it's the military that has quietly begun to take action to address of all things: Global warming. There's no debate at the Pentagon on the theory and why it's happening. They have scientists too.
Unfortunately, the Right-wing just ignores that as well, just like they'll try to ignore this.
I don't believe in God. Teach a man to be a good citizen and you have solved the problem of life.
-Andrew Carnegie
Some service members are political hacks and some want to protect the citizens they swore to protect. Yes, there is a difference there.
An interesting paper that will get lost in the shuffle. It's nice to know not everyone is crazy though.
far left loon >.<
...that the military "bunker" mentality may actually be helping them perceive the reality which the private sector is steadfastly refusing to see...that it's both wiser and more beneficial to prepare for the worst case scenario and risk being pleasantly surprised than to stick your head in the sand and convince yourself that the worst case scenario will never happen or will somehow fix itself without requiring any sacrifices on your part. Since our own government has said that the question of Peak Oil is not one of if but rather when, a large part of corporate America may actually be preparing itself to become a nice pot of potage de grenouille by refusing and resisting the suggestions to start taking steps now rather than later.
Never trust anyone who insists that patriotism requires you to blindfold yourself with the flag.
the key here is support. If we were to back off our military actions, invasions, drone attacks, and meddling in the internal economic affairs of these countries, the material support for radical islam within the muslim community worldwide would evaporate. The radical islamists would be reduced to a bunch of losers instead of being hailed as the front line of resistance to the imperialists.
"Someday somebody related to some of these sufferers, these victims, these collaterally damaged souls, may try to kill you. And I have to tell you, I think you’ll have it coming." - Christopher Cooper
Maybe, but they're not just shoring up against imperialism. At the end of the day, they believe they are supposed to fight to make everyone in the world convert to Islam.
I agree with you, however, that they would have less of a leg to stand on without us being all imperialistic.
"The greatest threat to freedom of thought is intellectual cowardice." -George Orwell, 1946
http://christianfearinggodman.blogspot.com
Overreacted To Islamic Extremism To Islamic"
And it only took a decade for them to notice the blindingly obvious.
I feel safer now.
Yep, duh?
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