Quote:
Originally Posted by JAD_333
Personal note: I am always uneasy shooting my mouth off about things that involve people dying when my life is not on the line. We have guys over there facing violent death everyday. I wonder what I would think about it all if I had to join them tomorrow. What do the military pros here think about it from their perspective--how the pols act and when public opinion is against what you're doing, so on?
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JAD,
Questioning strategy is the duty of the citizenry, as civilians are in charge of strategy (i.e., the CINC), and it is the voters who elect the CINC into office.
However, I find that much of the debate is not rational, but instead, emotional. The following blog post is interesting about the potential moral hazard problem of the all volunteer force, but as an econ 101 type blog that is using the issue to illustrate moral hazard, it doesn't delve into flip side, either. What reason do many cite as the issue with OIF? Too many American soldiers dying. While their sentiments are to be commended as American citizens, this is not a rational approach. Instead, it should be a calculation of costs and benefits, not just costs.
Aplia Econ Blog: News for Economics Students
So, as a military professional, I want my elected leaders to make rational decisions detached from emotion. I would not have it otherwise.