by Frank James
One of the glories of the U.S. is the way the Founding Fathers provided for civilian control of the military, at least that's what most school children are taught.
That's the ideal, of course. Then you have the reality that often differs from the textbooks.
An example of that was found today with Defense Secretary Robert Gates complaining publicly that the Air Force is not doing enough for the war effort in Iraq and Afghanistan War.
He didn't quite go as far as asking "Why does the Air Force hate America?" but he's obviously fairly upset with them to call them put publicly in a speech he made at, in of all places, Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama. (At least no one can accuse him of engaging in that Washington practice of back-stabbing. This was right up front.)
Specifically Gates, an old Air Force man himself, said the Air Force won't send more unmanned surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft to Iraq and Afghanistan, according to an Associated Press report by Robert Burns:
"In my view we can do and we should do more to meet the needs of men and women fighting in the current conflicts while their outcome may still be in doubt," he said. "My concern is that our services are still not moving aggressively in wartime to provide resources needed now on the battlefield."
He cited the example of drone aircraft that can watch, hunt and sometimes kill insurgents without risking the life of a pilot. He said the number of such aircraft has grown 25-fold since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.
He said he has been trying for months to get the Air Force to send more surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft, like the Predator drone that provides real-time surveillance video, to the battlefield.
"Because people were stuck in old ways of doing business, it's been like pulling teeth," Gates said. "While we've doubled this capability in recent months, it is still not good enough."
Gates, being the old Washington hand he is (he once ran the Central Intelligence Agency) understands better than most the inertia that can take hold in what is called the permanent government in Washington. It gets particularly strong when a presidential administration is in its last months. The generals, like other bureaucrats, know they just have to wait long enough and then a new administration will be in charge.
But it's truly remarkable that Gates, and by extension, President Bush are apparently bumping against the iron will of the Air Force generals. It's not a new problem, of course.
It was of a different dimension, of course, but President Lincoln encountered difficulties with Gen. George McClellan who refused to engage the Confederate Army as early as Lincoln wanted, with the general always requesting more time to build up his forces.
It got so bad, Lincoln once famously quipped: "If Gen. McClellan does not want to use the army, I would like to borrow it for a time."
Maybe Gates should ask the Air Force if he can borrow the aircraft.
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Comments
When John McCain is President we won't have to worry abpout plane shortages. He will slash domestic spending to support the Military Industrial Complex and the Wars in Iraq and Iran. The air force will have as many planes as Airbus can churn out when he makes Tom Loeffler Secretary of Defense (He'll keep on EADS payroll at the same time). He'll draft as many of your childrens as it takes to maintain 100 years of war.
Posted by: Victor | April 21, 2008 2:03 PM
Hand out more flag pins.
Posted by: bill r. | April 21, 2008 2:06 PM
Just another excuse for more defense spending.
Posted by: JT | April 21, 2008 2:33 PM
There was an even better example of the notion that "civilian control of the military ", was just that, a notion!! The story surfaced that the Pentagon was sending out " military analysts ", retired officers, to the various networks, to spin favorable perspectives on the disaster over in Iraq. That certainly is not "civilian control ", that sounds like military manipulation!! Beware of the " Military-Industrial Complex! ".
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, BRING THEM HOME, ALIVE. NOW.
Posted by: Don Fitzgerald, Chicago | April 21, 2008 2:41 PM
I thought we had a strong 'commander guy' running the show?
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Reality puts in a brief showing again.
You mean to tell me the DefSec can't put in a call to the USAF and get those resources deployed, and GWB can't either?
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Maybe GWB doesn't talk to Gates?
Posted by: C.Morris | April 21, 2008 3:09 PM
The down fall of a great nation begins when its military goes amock and leadership becomes the game of idiots. McCain, should he become President, will prolong the agony of defeat until he can shake off his own defeat in some never- never land of his own making.
Frankly, I don't believe that Gates, had he been the Sec. of Defense. in 2002, would have plunged us into this Iraqi quagmire and would have pursued Bin Laden more aggressively.
In 2009, Rumsfeld, Cheney and Wolfowitz should be brought up on charges of war crimes and treason for their complicity in their attempted destruction of our Constitution and in their covert activities to line their pockets and those of the military/industrial/oil complex at the cost of the lives over 4,000 of our bravest young people and hundreds of thousands of innocent Iraqis.
Posted by: the truth | April 21, 2008 7:50 PM
Wow, these past comments are unbelievably vitriolic and spiteful. Gates has a valid point--there is a large demand from servicemen and women on the ground asking for more of these eyes in the sky to patrol for road-side bombs and those who set them. Even better would be armed UAVs capable of attacking these ambushes before they strike our people. Many power brokers in the DOD have been rather sluggish in meeting this demand. I work on these systems every day and am also frustrated at the lack of support we see from both top brass and beltway bureaucrats (which I'll generously extend to Pax River, MD) more concerned about preserving their power base than giving soldiers the tools they need.
Posted by: Joe, California | April 22, 2008 12:01 AM