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Leaving Vietnam vs AFG

nittany03 said:
And when you no longer have stars, you no longer have the ability to directly influence what's going on.
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A lot of otherwise decent folks got chewed up and spit out by the previous administration with that mindset. Whether or not that is an effective strategy will be for the historians to figure out. Sometimes, being the adult in the room just means you have a front seat view to watch the world burn.
 
Brett327 said:
TBH, he doesn't have enough juice for his opinion to matter to a policy maker. When 4 stars start resigning, people will take note. When rando O5 does it, he gets his 15 minutes of social media fame, but ultimately has no impact on the policy he seeks to influence. I'm sure he'll land on his feet, once he gets that 20 year check in the box.
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Brett327 said:
A lot of otherwise decent folks got chewed up and spit out by the previous administration with that mindset. Whether or not that is an effective strategy will be for the historians to figure out. Sometimes, being the adult in the room just means you have a front seat view to watch the world burn.
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The point isn't that it's always the answer to stay, either. I'm just saying it's situational, and it's easy to look back and say "well, so-and-so should have resigned in protest." Maybe, but maybe not.

And passing through all the career wickets to get to that high of rank arguably grooms a person to be totally unincentivized to be the guy that says "no chance, Paddles." Even when that's potentially the right answer. Look at the readiness debacle in C7F and the collisions that happened out there. How many ship COs, and thus possible future flags, were willing to say "no?"
 
jmcquate said:
4 stars don't lose wars, politicians do. The reason 4 stars are 4 stars and get those jobs, is because they don't post career ending rants on Facebook.
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I agree with the second half of your statement, but not the first. If you think the force has any faith in our senior leadership, especially after the last week, I've got some oceanfront property to sell you in Arizona. We lost this war, undeniably. Politicians set the mission, but the generals let it creep.

Every general who led forces in Afghanistan should be looking at what lies or half truths or rose colored projections they told along the way and what that cost us. The ones who offered up advice regarding the evacuation and were summarily overruled...they ought to have cashed in their chips right then. Sticking around for this shitshow makes them a party to the idiocy and only serves to further erode trust and confidence in them from the guys they're supposed to lead.

We are a hollow force...tactically unmatched, but with no guiding strategy.

Overcoming that takes 4 stars willing to make hard decisions, set priorities, and honestly explain what the military can, and probably more importantly, cannot do. The Lt. Col knew he was falling on his sword, but if his questions make it on the news, maybe some generals will actually have to do a carpet dance for their decisions.
 
The current presidential misconduct is clear for all to see. The Marine O-5 that spoke out should get a letter and then be immediately promoted. I predict President Biden will DOR sooner than later, if of course he's instructed to do so.

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I really don’t give a fuck about politics right now.

My heart is hurting for these young Marines, Soldiers, and Sailor. They died trying to save strangers from a future under the heel of a repressive, violent regime.

Looking at the babies in the arms of some of them, pictures taken days before they died. They will have a future because these warriors gave up theirs.

I don’t give a fuck about your politics, all I care about is there are still Americans willing to die for their fellow human, because they do what is right.

We should be so blessed to have ever known someone this grace and caring.

Yes I’m drunk. It’s been a long couple of weeks….
 
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