Brilliant article. I would add that Tom Ricks's book The Generals is an excellent complement to this piece (I wrote more about it here: http://jseliger.wordpress.com/2012/12/18/the-generals-tom-ri... ). Since Korea we have developed the habit of lauding generals who lose wars, instead of finding other duties to them.
A general or Secretary of Defense who screws up gets sweet six-figure "retirement" and widespread respect. He is at little if any risk of personal harm. A private who screws up, or just gets screwed by the system, dies.
It is worth contemplating what that asymmetry means.
A general or Secretary of Defense who screws up gets sweet six-figure "retirement" and widespread respect. He is at little if any risk of personal harm. A private who screws up, or just gets screwed by the system, dies.
It is worth contemplating what that asymmetry means.