Military Leadership...

Posted 7/1/2008 1:07 PM CDT on shreveporttimes.com
"As an officer serving in America’s uniformed services, I maintain a strict personal code of nonpartisan politics. Of course I have my opinions about politics and favorite local, state and national candidates, but only my immediate family knows my thoughts and opinions on politics. I do not openly or publically endorse nor campaign for any particular politician or political party, nor will I ever do so for as long as I wear the uniform. I firmly believe officers serving the nation must remain apolitical in all that we say, write and do. But I feel compelled to share with you gentle readers the simultaneous reaction of hundreds of military personnel yesterday when retired General Wes Clark—Senator Barak Obama’s military advisor—publically questioned Senator John McCain’s ability to make decisions and serve as Commander-in-Chief.
First, I will be upfront and candidly inform you I am equally indifferent toward the two candidates. This post isn't to compare or contrast either in a more or less favorable light; but I absolutely detest retired General Wes Clark. I have loathed him (as I suspect do most of his former subordinates) since I had the unfortunate experience of serving under his command in the Balkans in the 1990s. That being frankly disclosed, allow me to paint a picture for you. Imagine several hundred hungry men and women representing all the armed services, from new privates to crusty old Colonels, sitting in a dining facility about the size of a school gymnasium in hot, dusty Afghanistan. The big screen televisions in the corners are all tuned to CNN and retired General Wesley Clark appears on the screen.The text underneath read in bold red letters “Clark questions McCain’s ability to lead the military” The gist of Clark’s interview was that McCain is a war hero, but "hasn't held executive responsibility, and has no experience making tough military decisions". Surely retired General Clark can’t really expect the American people to buy the load of manure he’s shoveling, but he’s well-known throughout the military as one extremely accomplished and gifted manure-shoveling S.O.B. The only other time I’ve heard a military dining facility suddenly become so eerily quiet was at Camp Comanche, Bosnia on September 11, 2001 when we all watched the live CNN feed of the second airliner crashing into the WTC.
Within seconds the “He really didn’t just say what we all heard him just say, did he?” chuckles of disbelief became a roar of laughter. Even die hard Obama fans in the room were shaking their heads in disbelief someone would be foolish enough to compare John McCain’s military abilities or experience on any level with the first term Senator from Illinois.
McCain and Obama—the first name belongs to a decorated combat veteran with Silver Stars, Distinguished Fl ying Crosses, Purple Hearts, Bronze Stars…a War College graduate with a masters Degree in National Security Strategy…the guy who served 22 years in the military and declined promotion to Rear Admiral to retire as a disabled Navy Captain (Colonel), and who has since served over a quarter century in the U.S. Congress and Senate—including 21 years as a member on the Senate Armed Services Committee. The second name is a man with a sound education, an accomplished lawyer, a community leader and state legislator, and someone who has never served a single day in the U.S. military, and who has absolutely no working concept about how the military or national strategic policy works, and hasn’t even finished his first term as a U.S. Senator. I’m not saying either candidate is “better” than the other based just on those facts. I am merely pointing out that retired General Clark obviously thinks we Americans are either too stupid, or too lazy to bother thinking for ourselves. His vanity and pom posity remains just the same as a civilian as when he wore a uniform.
For retired General Clark to compare these two men using the words “military”, “leadership” and “experience” indicates one of two things: he’s suffering from a traumatic brain embolism and should seek immediate emergency attention by skilled doctors; or he feels toward the American people the same condescension and narcissistic intellectual superiority he did toward his subordinates and peers while he served on active duty. He sure looks healthy—it must be the latter."