Tag: us military

McChrystal’s Ultimatum

Gen. Stanley McChrystal’s latest insubordination was an act of sheer petulance. We already know via unnamed reliable sources that McChrystal has threatened to resign if he doesn’t get the next wave of escalation in Afghanistan he wants. The sanctioned leak of his report on Afghanistan to Bob Woodward of the Washington Post and McChrystal’s 60 … Continue reading “McChrystal’s Ultimatum”

Killing America’s Kids

The Web is covered in stink today because of a reporter for the Associated Press, Julie Jacobson, who photographed the death of a Marine whose legs had just been blown off. The kid was Joshua Bernard, a lance corporal of 21 years. When the photo appeared, Robert Gates, the secretary of defense [sic] furiously tried … Continue reading “Killing America’s Kids”

Mission Creepy: The Rise of the ‘Daddy State’

Will recession-induced budget cuts result in the National Guard being deputized as lawmen in Jefferson County, Ala.? While he may be bluffing for effect, Jefferson County Sheriff Randy Christian didn’t seem to be altogether unserious when he suggested that soldiers might be brought in to supplement policing gaps supposedly left by a $4 million budget … Continue reading “Mission Creepy: The Rise of the ‘Daddy State’”

Mullen’s Mulligans

In golf and other sports, a "mulligan" is a second chance to get something right, sometimes referred to as a "do-over." In most sports, one do-over is all you get, and sports are just games. In war, humanity’s deadliest undertaking, the folks in charge of the Pentagon keep asking for another mulligan, and the president, … Continue reading “Mullen’s Mulligans”

Soldiers Who Just Say No

Six months into Barack Obama’s presidency, the U.S. public’s display of antiwar sentiment has faded to barely a whisper. Despite Obama’s vow to withdraw all combat forces from Iraq before September 2011, he plans to leave up to 50,000 troops in "training and advisory" roles. Meanwhile, nearly 130,000 troops remain in that country and more … Continue reading “Soldiers Who Just Say No”

Intervention Begets Insecurity

For years the United States has used military force as a Band-Aid for a wide-range of global problems ranging from the removal of dictators to ensuring access to global trade partners. Yet it’s clear that this has not been successful. For all of the money, time, and lives we have spent to maintain a colossal … Continue reading “Intervention Begets Insecurity”

The Man With the Plan for Bananastan

The Bananastans, the banana republic-style tar pits in Central Asia that we’ve stumbled into, have rapidly become a bigger cluster bomb than Iraq ever was. At his Senate confirmation hearing, Gen. Stanley McChrystal said the "measure of effectiveness" in Afghanistan "will not be enemy killed. It will be the number of Afghans shielded from violence." … Continue reading “The Man With the Plan for Bananastan”

Lost in Military Limbo

[Note for TomDispatch readers: In Chalmers Johnson’s recent piece, “Three Good Reasons to Liquidate Our Empire,” the mission of the Service Women’s Action Network (SWAN) was mischaracterized. It has now been corrected at the piece.] It’s not exactly a secret that the U.S. Army and the U.S. Marine Corps, fighting two wars seemingly without end, … Continue reading “Lost in Military Limbo”