Like so many CanCan dancers strutting their shapely legs before a lustful audience, the Clinton generals seem to be auditioning for the next Democrat administration. Joe Wilson and Richard Clarke are old Clintonistas, about as truthful as their boss Sandy Burglar (hat tip to Rush). When he was leading his Bush—hating charge, Joe Wilson was also auditioning for another NSC job in the next Democrat White House. Wilson and Clarke signed on with Kerry and Gore, and when they didn't win, took out their hatred on Bush with the willing connivance of the New York Times and Washington Post. The Joe and Val fan dance was perfectly in character with the sleaziest administration in living memory.

But seeing retired general officers pick up the pompoms and cheerleading for the Democrats is really over the top: it shows nothing but contempt for military honor and tradition.  This is not the first time that wartime generals have disagreed with US presidents. General George McClelland ran against Abraham Lincoln in the middle of the Civil War. Patton, Bradley and Montgomery fought each other like yowling cats — but out of the public eye.  And Colin Powell is the subtle political general, constantly leaking self—serving stories to the press.

But historically, most of the time general officers have saluted in public and keep their criticisms to themselves. They have done so in good part to protect the military itself. You can't lead men in battle if you badmouth their elected commander in public.

Today US military values are being turned upside—down; flag officers are raging at SecDef and POTUS through the public media, sometimes by hidden leaks, and more recently by public assaults after retirement. 
Curiously, our freak media are not reminding us today about the long tradition of US civilian control over the armed forces; it's fine for soldiers to assault the elected leadership as long as it serves our socialists. FDR and Truman knew better: FDR fired General Patton and Truman fired General MacArthur in good part for their constant insubordination in the press. Today, insubordinate generals are whooped on by the baying media mob. Even Colin Powell's Chief of Staff has paraded his apoplectic outrage in public. It's become a predictable ritual.

It's a degrading spectacle for the military. If the general officers are back—stabbing their civilian leaders in public, what is to keep the grunts and NCO from doing it to the generals? The answer is: Nothing. The political generals are risking a return to Vietnam, when "fragging" became a term of art. This is not good for the country, and it's terrible for the military.

James Lewis    4 15 06