Changed National Character through Military

[Dave Roberts]

One of the issues that keeps running through my head is the question of how much our national character has changed over the past forty years as the result of the decision to go to "an all volunteer military." The tradition of American history had been the "citizen soldier" who arose to defend the country or to answer a military emergency only to return to civilian life as soon as the emergency had passed. Such were the armies fielded in the American Revolution, the War of 1812, the Civil War, World War I, World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. One stanza of our National Anthem declares, "Thus be it ever when free men shall stand Between their own homes and the war's desolation." However, we now have a professional army of people who have chosen that direction for a career. In many ways, they are the best military we as a country have ever had, but the military is largely detached from the citizenry. It is also "Washington's Army" to inject readily into world situations for what are perceived as our national interests. Less than 1% of all Americans now serve in the military.

How much has this change in the character of our military become the fuel for our adventuresome foreign policies and the readiness to use force at almost every turn. Indeed, does having such a professional army fuel the adventures of two wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, Kosovo, Lebanon, Grenada, Panama, Somalia, and the desire to get involved in Syria (to name only a few)? Has this professional force become the driver for American foreign policy?

[KeithE]

[KeithE]

Dave, I’m sorry if I’ve derailed your desired discussion. It seems awfully quiet on BL these days.

[Dave Roberts]

In a larger sense, I wonder if policy makers are more ready to involve us in conflicts since there is no draft and there is little backlash to military involvement in our world.

[KeithE]

[William Thornton]

[Ed Pettibone]

[Dave Roberts]

My point in this is not about the people in the military but the ways in which political leadership feels free to use them.

[Haruo]

[KeithE]