Originally posted by poncho:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr /> Our military is completely consumed, so were there a real threat - thankfully, there is no real threat to the U.S. in the world, but were there one, we couldn't confront it. Right now, that may not be a bad thing, because that keeps Bush from trying something with Iran or with Venezuela.
Eric Haney, founding member of Delta Force.
SOURCE </font>[/QUOTE]Thanks for sharing this story, Poncho!
CSM Haney is a former professional soldier who provided a life time of service to this nation and some of those years were during some very difficult and evolutionary times for the military. He's completely entitled to his opinions as is any one else. He can certainly speak with credibility about those things he experienced as could many others. There's a whole lot of history behind his story! I respect men like this a great deal.
Present USSOCOM leaders - who aren't writing books or starting television series - have fully accepted the challenges given them and will carry them out as a part of the total military force just like CSM Haney, and his fellow soldier of his time, did. USSOCOM, and it's subordinate commands are not an army - meaning, in this case, all the services - within an army but an integral part of the whole that puts forth its resources in ways that support the missions given it. They are active right now in the war on terrorism doing the things they do best but they can't do it all by themselves. They, like every other component, support one another for the total mission.
The military doesn't decide national policy - it's executes it. The military's duty is often to do the "impossible". They figure out how to get done what the President wants done. The President is the Commander in Chief and he represents the will of the people.
Many believe the military is stretched and from my own armchair view it sure seems that way at times. A lot of troops are on their third deployment. Yet, in every way that's been the case. We've always been caught short, surprised, and failed some before we succeeded. Some past deployments were for the duration of the war and lasted longer than this one has. One thing - one of many - that makes America's fighting forces the best is their resourcefulness to innovate, adapt, preserver, etc. when the challenge is difficult and seemingly impossible. They've always managed to meet those challenges even if after some temporary set backs. This trait is extant in all areas of all services and not something possessed merely by one small group of it.
There's no such thing as one solution for every fight. Forces are tailored to the fight based on what's needed and what's available. Right now the mission on Iraq seems heavily focused on training and supporting the Iraqi police and military forces as they assume the primary role for security and defense of their country. This isn't easy work for a fighting force but they're doing a great job of it from top to bottom. All this is what senior leaders - far above even men like CSM Haney - get paid to do figure out how to do and, when exceptions here and there, they've done a fine job of it over the course of our nation's history. Others talk about it while they get the job done. I respect men and women like this a great deal.
Events in Iraq has there ups and downs but, overall, there's been a lot of very positive progress made in that country. No one can say for certain exactly how it will all end up. I hope and pray the predictions of some that it will disintegrate to civil war do not come true. A big part of what happens will depend, not on us, but on what Iraqis do with the opportunity given to them by our efforts and theirs combined thus far. It's a difficult time for them yet, potentially, the beginning of a much better era than they've known for generations. Many of them want representative government and civil order to prevail over tyranny and terrorism. Despite the daily bad news a lot of good things are happening in Iraq. We can thank a lot of people for that not the least of whom are our own troops and their leaders.
We just need to hang with the challenge just like we expect - and demand - that our military do.
