Tom’s Tidbits- The ultimate warfighting machine

Greetings,

The recent Memorial Day weekend made me return to a thought that’s been on my mind since last year. On the surface, Conan The Hero Dog and the trial of Navy SEAL Eddie Gallagher may not seem connected, but I think they combine to represent a disturbing idea that plays a big part in the problems we face now.

Navy SEAL Chief Eddie Gallagher was tried for first-degree murder of a prisoner, attempted murder of Iraqi civilians, and posing for photos with a corpse. He was tried in a military court on charges brought by military peers who understand the blurry realities of war. They know what appropriate combat behavior is and they know when someone’s crossed a line. According to the SEALs who served with him Gallagher wasn’t a battle-hardened veteran fighting terrorism and the forces of political correctness, but a barely-restrained psychopath in a soldiers’ uniform. His soldiers testified against him. His peers weighed the evidence and judged him guilty. The president pardoned and celebrated him.

One of our Feature articles this month focuses on how the personal integrity of General Smedley Butler changed history. If you’d like a copy of “War Is A Racket”, his anti-war classic, email Charles@TomDwyer.com and we’ll send you a FREE copy! (It’s not a contest… just call and we’ll send you one!)

Conan was less controversial, helping to kill an ISIS leader and kicking off a days-long media circus. And who could blame them… who wouldn’t love a dog like that? Few of anyone’s comments had serious content, but one of Trump’s random phrases stuck with me anyway. At the end of a rambling stream of semi-relevant blather he called Conan “the ultimate warfighting machine”.

The vast majority of military people serve from a sense of mission to protect the lives and liberties of Americans. There’s a false stereotype of soldiers blindly doing what they’re told, but America’s modern military also prizes independence and initiative; in fact they require it. “I was only following orders” hasn’t worked since the My Lai Massacre; soldiers are obligated to disobey illegal orders. The sense of initiative and ethics are beyond a dog; the purpose and values don’t matter much to a psychopath. These things only matter to people, and then only to people of integrity, which is why celebrating Gallagher or Conan as ideal soldiers is so dangerous.

‘The Military’ doesn’t determine the military’s mission, civilian politicians do, and I think the attitude on display with Gallagher and Conan is one fundamental reason our military is so grossly abused. This mindset of disposability pervades our leadership, and it’s spreading among us. When our leaders see soldiers as dehumanized and expendable, it’s easier to send them to die for increasingly smaller reasons. If we see our protection as coming from servile dogs or dangerous killers instead of the real people who actually provide it, it’s easier for us as well. But we all know our family and friends in the military are better than that. They deserve our respect and that demands they only see combat when necessary, not when expedient.

The “ultimate warfighting machine” is not an obedient dog or a psychopathic thug to be used and thrown away. It’s an independent, well-trained, well-equipped citizen fighting for ideals supported at home by the people and by the government abroad. The ultimate warfighting machine is made up of our fathers and mothers, daughters and sons, spouses and friends. The ultimate warfighting machine should be treasured… and therefore, never used.

Make a great day,

aaazTomSignature