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Title: General Pushing US to Expand Ukraine War Sign Politics & Military Don't Mix
Source: [None]
URL Source: https://www.lewrockwell.com/2015/05 ... only-bad-guys-become-generals/
Published: May 4, 2015
Author: Sputnik News
Post Date: 2015-05-04 08:49:27 by Ada
Keywords: None
Views: 53
Comments: 7

The bellicose and highly politicized commentary of General Philip Breedlove regarding Ukraine is dangerous proof of the consequences of a breakdown of the division between civilian government and the military, says Daniel McAdams of the Ron Paul Institute.

US General Philip Breedlove, who serves as the Commander of US Command Europe, has made a series of loud, bellicose pronouncements regarding what NATO should be doing in Ukraine, including statements that the US should provide offensive weaponry, claims that independence supporters are commanded by the Russian army, and commentary that no tools available to the US should be off the table if it serves US interests.

Daniel McAdams, political analyst and Executive Director of the Ron Paul Institute for Peace and Prosperity, argues that the ‘politicized’ US General “is a good example of what happens when the division between a military and the civilians who in a democratic society should control that military breaks down.”

McAdams notes that “while there have been plenty of ‘political’ general officers in the past, Breedlove has shown a particular predilection for infusing his policy preferences –and even fantasies –into what should be objective assessments of military capabilities and threats.”

The analyst notes that Breedlove has used “every opportunity to report to the media dozens of scare stories of Russian invasions of eastern Ukraine,” all without presenting any evidence, something which has rattled both the US’s NATO partners and its own intelligence community.

McAdams also believes that General Breedlove is being hypocritical, noting that despite his repeated statements on Russian involvement in the war, “he has not provided evidence that Russia is doing covertly what we know the US is doing openly…Does it not seem like double standards for the US to criticize in others what it is openly and enthusiastically doing itself?”

The Military in Politics is a Threat to Peace and Democracy

McAdams argues that “when US generals are allowed to shape policy to the degree that Breedlove has been afforded, there is a particular danger of every problem becoming a nail. The hammers may be thrilled, but the nation under such military rule suffers from limited inputs and often unsophisticated analysis that leads to policy mistakes —in this case potentially catastrophic.”

The analyst ultimately suggests that President Barack Obama should ‘pull a Truman’ and relieve General Breedlove of his command, citing the precedent of President Harry Truman’s sacking of Douglas McArthur during the Korean War after the latter made statements contradicting the administration’s policies, including suggestions that the US use nuclear weapons against China.

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#1. To: Ada (#0)

US General Philip Breedlove, who serves as the Commander of US Command Europe, has made a series of loud, bellicose pronouncements regarding what NATO should be doing in Ukraine, including statements that the US should provide offensive weaponry, claims that independence supporters are commanded by the Russian army, and commentary that no tools available to the US should be off the table if it serves US interests.

The authors should be competent enough to add that all such statements by the General...ARE FIRST CLEARED IN WASHINGTON BY JOINT CHIEFS AND WHITE HOUSE.....

Of course that sort of undercuts the authors efforts to malign the military as being rogue.

Cynicom  posted on  2015-05-04   9:17:03 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


#2. To: Cynicom (#1)

The authors should be competent enough to add that all such statements by the General...ARE FIRST CLEARED IN WASHINGTON BY JOINT CHIEFS AND WHITE HOUSE.....

Perhaps, and then again perhaps not.

He may well be a loose cannon serving the interests of those who would love to see a global thermonuclear war unfold.

Being that his rantings are purely delusional in substance, I am somewhat surprised that neither the administration nor the Joint Chiefs have clipped his wings yet.


"After tomorrow those SOB's will never embarrass me again. That’s not a threat. That’s a promise.” – LBJ to his mistress Madeleine Brown on the eve of JFK assassination

FormerLurker  posted on  2015-05-04   14:13:16 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


#3. To: FormerLurker (#2)

The general is just following orders. Anybody who thinks his comments weren't approved by the shot callers is fooling themselves.

Obnoxicated  posted on  2015-05-04   16:40:18 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


#4. To: Obnoxicated (#3)

Anybody who thinks his comments weren't approved by the shot callers is fooling themselves.

Indeed...

Star people are military politicians, they get there by playing the game, independent players are "retired" and out the door by Colonel rank.

Cynicom  posted on  2015-05-04   16:45:08 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


#5. To: Obnoxicated (#3)

The general is just following orders. Anybody who thinks his comments weren't approved by the shot callers is fooling themselves.

Then the "shot callers" have gone totally insane. It'd be bad enough if it were just a handful of wackjobs steering us towards the end of mankind, where they could be arrested, locked up, and we'd be done with it.

But for the entire upper echelon of our government to be on this path, well, something isn't quite right, more so than usual.

Apparently they really think they could "win" a nuclear war.


"After tomorrow those SOB's will never embarrass me again. That’s not a threat. That’s a promise.” – LBJ to his mistress Madeleine Brown on the eve of JFK assassination

FormerLurker  posted on  2015-05-04   17:32:53 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


#6. To: FormerLurker (#5)

I think they're playing good cop/bad cop, Lurk, with Obama being the good cop this time. Ever notice how he always seems to be bad cop where israel's concerned? Jmho.

Obnoxicated  posted on  2015-05-04   18:57:19 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


#7. To: Obnoxicated (#6)

I suppose the good/bad slant depends on your point of view.


"After tomorrow those SOB's will never embarrass me again. That’s not a threat. That’s a promise.” – LBJ to his mistress Madeleine Brown on the eve of JFK assassination

FormerLurker  posted on  2015-05-04   19:02:09 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


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