Being a General

I used to fantasize about being a 4-star General in the U.S. Army and all the things I could do for my country. I thought if I had stayed in, I could serve my country so well. Nowadays, I am a little bit smarter and realize that is a fantasy. You don't get to do what's right. You have to do what the President tells you to do, no matter how corrupt or dumb he is. It's not about doing the right thing. Unfortunately, those are the politics of Presidency and the U.S. military.

Are there military advisors who are experts at counterinsurgency? Yes. Are they being listened to? Obviously not. Just take a look at how things are being run in Iraq. Do the Generals know who to go to for advice? Probably. Would it change their handling of the war? Probably not. How do you get the job? By agreeing in private what the President asks. What if you do later do the right thing and ignore the President? You get replaced with a possibility of court-martial on false charges. There will be a list of corrupt people who never liked you falsely testifying against you with the promise of a promotion. Their dog tags will likely read one of the Christian denominations.