Civilian control of the military means that the president is accountable t

[rodeodance]

http://www.commondreams.org/views06/0905-20.htm

Published on Tuesday, September 5, 2006 by CommonDreams.org
Spinning the Troop Levels in Iraq
by Norman Solomon


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Bush likes to tell reporters that U.S. troop levels in Iraq hinge on the assessments from top military commanders. This explanation is so familiar that it's hardly newsworthy. But journalists -- and the public -- should take a hard look at that rhetorical scam.

Civilian control of the military means that the president is accountable to citizens, not generals. But -- despite the growing opposition to the Iraq war, as reflected in national opinion polls -- the president fervently declares his commitment to the U.S. war effort. Rather than directly proclaim that he will ignore public opinion, Bush prefers to shift the discussion from domestic political accountability to ostensible military necessity.

That's where the it's-up-to-the-generals gambit comes in. As soon as the question is re-framed around what multi-star generals say, a closed loop turns into a tightening noose. And a fraud. After all, until the moment of retirement, the generals are in a chain of command -- with the president, as commander in chief, at the top.

The president's claim that key deployment decisions rest in the hands of military chiefs is not only a dodge. It's also manipulative -- shoving public discourse toward the mindset of assessing military tactics instead of ethical choices. And the claim dangerously encourages the idea that military leaders should have a major say in U.S. foreign-policy decisions.