Military officers enjoy a high level of public trust and respect, but recent flawed decisions to employ active and National Guard troops for civilian law enforcement is eroding public trust and respect for the military.
Did President Donald Trump consult with military leaders and advisers before making such a dangerous decision? If so, did they agree or disagree?
As a dedicated follower of the news and current events, I have not witnessed one senior military leader addressing the questionable use of our armed forces. Why? Why have they remained silent in the face of such abusive action?
In addition to using active and National Guard forces for border enforcement along our border with Mexico, the recent decision to employ the D.C. National Guard on the streets of our nation’s capital demands attention and answers.
Crime stats for the District of Columbia reflect a continuing decline, so crime prevention is not the reason for such a dangerous decision. Why is this president, unlike all before him, so eager to erode the public trust and respect for our armed forces, by questionable deployments for civilian law enforcement?
The senior military leadership needs to be asking some tough questions. If they are not, they need to resign, because they are failing the American people.
I am a Vietnam War veteran, with personal experiences spawned by the corrosive impact of politics on the military culture. During that era, truth became an endangered species. Deception and half-truths became standard operating procedures. Looks like we are returning to that mistake, that breeds contempt and mistrust for our armed forces.
Every senior military officer involved in the Vietnam disaster knew from the outset that Vietnam was not vital to our national interests, but none spoke up. As a result, public support for the war turned to outrage.
The current military leadership has failed to learn from history. The current improper use of our armed forces promises to spawn a similar outcome.
Much of our real military muscle, needed to fight a large land campaign in Europe, has been mothballed. Reserve and National Guard forces must be activated, which requires considerable time to amass, to meet the national security needs overseas. Using these forces for civilian law enforcement means they will not be ready when needed.
Outspokenness, once an American trait, is now considered “insubordination.” As a result, the current senior military leadership has mutated to a heel-clicking, politically expedient group that lacks the courage to speak truthfully to power about questionable use of military power.
Politics and military power equals a virulent mix. The price of honor is truth. Those who defend truth, defend honor.
James Revels is a retired Army colonel and former columnist for the El Paso Times who lives in East El Paso.
The post Opinion: As a Vietnam vet, I know the results of military leaders staying quiet amid presidential mistakes appeared first on El Paso Matters.
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