Quote:
After Vietnam, the United States abandoned its citizen army tradition, oblivious to the consequences. In its place, it opted for what the Founders once called a "standing army" -- a force consisting of long-serving career professionals.
For a time, the creation of this so-called all-volunteer force, only tenuously linked to American society.....
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This has lead to a lot of cheap, flag waving, sleep in a clean bed, patriots. There is no longer any risk of ones own blood being spilled when you support a war. You just pay your taxes and let somebody else's son go and die and meanwhile you complain fulltime about paying the taxes. Obviously not a fan of the all volunteer army. There should be a provision for mandatory national service of some kind and during protracted wars that should convert to a draft.
I would say that the guy might not be correct about the recent emergence lack of respect between the military and civilian leaders and how far down in the ranks this goes. Things were pretty bad in the closing days of RVN and you were safer out in the bush than in the rear.
Along with his principle discussion goes the warning of Eisenhower (I think) about the growing might of the industrial military complex.