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30 Issues: Commander-In-Chief
Graham Allison, professor of government at Harvard's Kennedy School, talks about the military crises JFK faced at the beginning of his term. Prof. Allison is director of the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, and advised Presidents Reagan and Clinton. He is the author of the classic book on the Cuban missile crisis, Essence of Decision: Explaining the Cuban Missile Crisis.
Then
Clifford Alexander Jr., secretary of the Army during the Carter administration, discusses why he thinks Obama would make a good commander-in-chief; Gary Berntsen, chairman of New York Veterans for McCain, former CIA field commander during the war in Afghanistan in 2001, and author of Jawbreaker: The Attack on Bin Laden and Al-Qaeda: A Personal Account by the CIA's Key Field Commander, talks about why he thinks McCain is the right man for the job.
Then
Anthony Swofford, former Marine and author of Jarhead, talks about military culture and how members of the military view their commander-in-chief. And Rick Maze, congressional editor of the Army Times Publishing Company, discusses what type of military our next president will inherit.
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Seems to me someone who crashed 3 jets is uniquely UNqualified to be commander-in-chief.
Please ask your guest if he is an Obama supporter. Missing from the so-called "experts" is their predisposition toward a candidate. Professors always seem to favior Obama for his intellect.
Joe Lieberman said the exact same thing about McCain. And Biden finished by saying Obama was sure to pass the test.
(in my mind this is in all caps.)
BTW, saw (don't remember where, so I can't link; maybe politico) that Obama, if elected, will announce his cabinet on November 7.
Having no military experience has obvious disadvantages, but having military experience comes with its own pitfalls. If you have military experience and believe you know how to conduct a war, it makes you more inclined to meddle. Meddling where its not wanted or needed can have negative consequences on the battlefield, and you could also accidentally become sucked into upper-level military bureaucratic politics that you might have otherwise been able to stay above.
With such a well-trained, professional force as we have today, the greatest impact the President can have is where and when to commit military forces and when to end such a commitment. That comes down to diplomacy and knowing when the time for diplomacy is over.
Years ago, a professor teaching a War in Western Society class I took in college, a Korean War veteran, said "Only pilots want new wars because they never see the faces of their dead friends or the people they kill." But I would imagine that this would probably be as true for someone who never fought in a war at all...
If you checked you'd see that the media has not correctly quoted Biden...They have been cutting it off before the end of his statement when he said that we will see that Obama has nerves of steel or steel in his back or something like that..He's saying there is no worry about Obama
Actually, the quote that the media keeps playing does not contain the "spine of steel" statement. He made that statement the day before at another event: http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/830/
Not that it matters, but did McCain crash his plane or did it actually get shot down. Getting shot down (if it happened) seems to play more into the hero worship of McCain because it shows him risking his life for America versus him possibly being reckless and crashing.
I look for a day when the Commander in Chief is just that only in time of war. It seems we have built up this pseudo empire with military bases around the world giving countries and groups excuses and opportunities to take a shot at us. In this realm it seems to me that Commander in Chief is a permanent state of affairs since we seem to be constantly at war.
And, Brian. I would like you to do a show on "Are we getting our money's worth when it comes to defense spending" Meaning are we getting the best defense money can buy?
Another show I would like to listen to is "How is our military dominance linked to our economic prosperity"
Is all of this stuff interconnected in some way?
shelley,
Sad, isn’t it?
If this election is so important why do the media deal in selective and incomplete “quoting” of the candidates?
Unfortunately it is a pattern for the media to separate segments of a comment from the actual comment and contrive a controversy from that segment. It is disappointing that Brian relies on this as well. Anyone who reads the “Bitter” comment in its entirety and is honest knows that it was blown way out of proportion. If you couple the entire “bitter” comment with Obama’s race speech you see that “views“on white working class Americans were misrepresented for the sake of sensationalism.
Voter from Brooklyn at 8:
McCain crashed 2 planes before he got shot down. No one whose father & grandfather were not admirals would have been allowed to continue with that record. IIRC, the circumstances of his getting shot down involved his being in a place he had no business to be. McCain also hot dogged a plane in someplace like Italy, vutting down a power line; luckily no one was killed.
All the details are in the Rolling Stone article. I typed above from memory, so may have gotten some details wrong. I'll find the link & post it in another comment.
From what I've heard, he was pretty reckless. In fact, it's my understanding that had he been more prudent the day he got shot down, he would not have been shot down at all. I'll admit that I'm not sure about the details though. Fighter pilots are reckless by nature overall. The question is whether you find that a charming or endearing quality or if you think it's dangerous. Certainly there is something to be said for taking big risks because they can have big rewards, and no one can fault his personal bravery.
RIDICULOUS!!!!!
Congratulations Brian you've got another conservative HACK.
Instead of debating the issue he goes after obama.
RIDICULOUS!!!!
he came on the show to push the McCain narrative that Obama has no experience.
Brian, stop with the hacks or you've lost a listener
Here's the link for the Rolling Stones article on McCain:
http://www.rollingstone.com/news/coverstory/make_believe_maverick_the_real_john_mccain
I would be very grateful for a fact check from the programm regarding John McCain's flying record. Did he crash more than one plane? I've read between three and seven! And is it known whether he was taken prisoner after being shot down or after crashing? He is an icon of military experience and the facts of the experience seem relevant.
What exactly does John McCain know? It seems to me that he has a cold war mentality. He still is caught up in the threats being that of Nation states when it seems to me that the threats are from small groups of lethal individuals.
Also, Barack Obama may have the right perspective
Analyzing Barack Obama's World View
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=96249248
And Obama did not say invade pakistan. He said that if we have actionable intelligence that we would attack Al Queada leaders in Pakistan.
What about Obama's initial comments on Georgia and the Russian incursion? Can your guests deal with that?
McCain doesn't need aides?
McCain, in the midst of a trip to the Middle East that he hoped would help burnish his foreign policy expertise, incorrectly asserted that Iran is training and supplying al-Qaeda in Iraq, confusing the Sunni insurgent group with the Shiite extremists.
He quickly corrected the mistake after a brief whisper from a colleague... the proceeded to make the mistake again... twice.
Please have your fact check segment spend time on the Afghan civilian allegation.
So “new to the game” Obama supposedly misspeaks and says “invade” Pakistan to get to terrorist in a known location and experienced McCain throws around bombing Iran, but it’s cool?
Hey Eddie, #13
If you get XM Bob Dylan's most excellent show in on channet 2 right now. That's where I'm going. This is absurd.
Peace.
Brian,
I think this conversation would be incomplete without discussion the recent endorsement of John McCain by Al Qaeda, as reported yesterday by Nicholas D. Kristof in the NY Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/26/opinion/26kristof.html?_r=1&em&oref=slogin
How about McCains inital response to the Georgia conflict. "We are all Georgians" would McCain have committed troops to fight the Russian's.
Brian:
I just heard one of you guests, Mr. Bernsten refer to one of Senator Obama's statements regarding american soldiers killing "innocent civilians" in Afghanistan. I was appalled because this same clip was used in an extremely misleading McCain campaign ad which was subsequently scrutinized and the full clip of what Obama said was played and it was clear to see that the tape was edited and so as to make it appear that Senator Obama said something that he did not. He ought to be called out on this. Its shameless.
Is McCain prepared emotionally, psychologically, intellectually, temperamentally to lead hundreds of millions of human beings? Over see a fragile national economy? Command the largest national armed forces on earth? Be a rational guardian of a nuclear arsenal?
McCain’s behavior is erratic, impulsive, reckless and self-destructive. Add McCain's facial tics and body tics, you have got to wonder about his overall mental health.
McCain's mental health condition needs to be known.
Some facts:
P.O.W for 5 years.
5 years = 43,800 hours.
5 years = 2,628,000 minutes
5 years = 157,680,000 seconds
- McCain was tortured.
- McCain lived with the threat of torture throughout his imprisonment.
Consider this:
- Did McCain reckless and impulsive behavior lead to his being shot down?
- Did McCain return from such a horrific experience in the same mental health he entered it with?
- How does the residue of such a horrific experience, hidden from view, express itself?
- How does such a horrific experience influence McCain’s world view?
- How does such a horrific experience influence McCain’s thinking process?
- What brain damage occurred?
- What would a McCain brain scan reveal?
McCain has no idea of what the threats are. He doesn't know the difference between Sunni & Shia, Iran & Iraq, has no idea what countries border each other in that region, and thinks that Czechoslovakia still exists. Some CIC! He'd be more of an embarrassment than W.
Why do these people including this caller think that Obama would be slow to pull the trigger on war if needed to defend this country? You guys sound ridiculous with this claim that he will be "soft" on terrorism.
Spine of Steel and two daughters and a wife that I am sure he wants protected just as much as any of us wants for our families. Some people can't see past their own racist views, they would rather follow reckless plane wrecking mccain until he encites someone to blow us all off the face of the planet!
Yes, I've never seen a clip where Obama said "invade" Pakistan. I heard him use the word "strike". But I've heard McCain and his surrogates use the word "invade" to describe Obama's statements. Is there a clip somewhere I might have missed (a link would be nice)? Or is this purely a partisan misrepresentation?
According to a recent poll by the Military Times,
"there is overwhelming support for John McCain among U.S. troops in every branch of the armed forces by a nearly 3-1 margin"
Perhaps their opinion is worth something in this discussion?
Why have Anthony Swofford the author of a widely criticized book? I know Nathan Flick has openly endorsed Obama but I'm sure he would have had a more nuanced view.
@ Manuel #25 - Spot on! Forget birth records! I want to see mccains mental health report. How was he counseled? decompressed? after this torture? I think he has pent up anger issues.
This former US Army officer can attest to this: we do not really care about who is in the White House, we care about the decisons he will make. I like Bush but he has made some HUGE mistakes that I did not agree with.
If Obama does a good job, gives the Army the money it needs for training and doing the job on the ground, I'll be okay
@ #26 I am sure the General on the ground among would be happy to brief him on the the threats you claim he knows nothing about, just as soon as he takes office.
How does having been a prisoner of war qualify McCain to be President?
Did McCain study economics during his imprisonment?
Did McCain study the history of Afganistan, Iraq, Iran during his imprisonment?
Did McCain concieve his political journey during his imprisonment?
@34 Someone who starts with such a deficit is unteachable.
@36 he is a Harvard GRADUATE kiddo, I would say he is pretty capable of learning.
How does having been a prisoner of war qualify McCain to be President?
During his imprisonment did McCain learn economics for the 21st century?
During his imprisonment did McCain learn the history of Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, Russia, China?
During his imprisonment did McCain learn how U.S. policy in Latin America would effect our relationships in the 21st century?
During his imprisonment did McCain study learn about global warming?
Just what did McCain learn from his humiliating imprisonment that would help him be a rational President?
Strike before being struck?
Win at all costs?
Never again, will I be humiliated!
@35 Manuel, spot on again doggone it! I said it before I will say it again, a prisoner of war does not make you a shoe in for the office!
It also does not mean you have leadership experience, quite the opposite. A candidate for bellevue yes, the white house NO!
I am sure mccain could teach us a thing or three on how to suppress anger and swallow your pride while the enemy tortures me for months on end, yep he can tell me a thing or two about that by golly.
Kudos to Brian Lehrer for correcting Rick Maze on the Clinton "no-uniforms-in-the-White-House" myth.
And re: "Professors always seem to favor Obama for his intellect."
Makes sense to me.
John McCain would be an absolute disaster as commander in chief because he's an out of control HOT HEAD.
McCain has shown that he can't keep his emotions in check.
According to a Military Times article earlier this month, most military personnel support McCain in this election. However, it is clear that they are not aware of McCain's voting record on military issues.
The most recent DAV scorecard rated McCain only 20% and Obama 80% supportive of veteran's issues.
In addition, the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) has given McCain a grade of "D" on veteran and military issues. Yet he is considered to be "pro" military... until you look at his actual voting record. IAVA gave Obama a score of "B".
So there's a huge disparity between what people think of McCain's support of the military and how he has voted in the last 8 years.
I hope this will inspire people to research the voting records of the candidates before the election. McCain may be a former POW, but he has NOT been supportive of our current military personnel deployed, nor our veterans.
Obama may not have the experience, but his voting record indicates he values our military, past and present.
www.VoteSmart.org
LOL!
Bush was a Yale graduate!
Look what it got us!
Some facts:
P.O.W for 5 years.
5 years = 43,800 hours.
5 years = 2,628,000 minutes
5 years = 157,680,000 seconds
- McCain was tortured.
- McCain lived with the threat of torture throughout his imprisonment.
McCain's mental health condition needs to be known.
Consider this:
- Did McCain reckless and impulsive behavior lead to his being shot down?
- Did McCain return from such a horrific experience in the same mental health he entered it with?
- How does the residue of such a horrific experience, hidden from view, express itself?
- How does such a horrific experience influence McCain’s world view?
- How does such a horrific experience influence McCain’s thinking process?
- What brain damage occurred?
- What would a McCain brain scan reveal?
Trickle down economics – an insult to hard working Americans.
The word itself is an outrage – TRICKLE
Trickle is defined as a flow slowly in thin stream.
Synonyms for TRICKLE include; drip; dribble; ooze; seep; drool; leak; slaver.
Imagine pigs at a trough gorging themselves, then whatever spills over is what those not at the trough get to eat.
Nice, huh.
So after the fat cats have had their fill the rest of America can feast on their drool!? Dribble!? Slaver!?
Are you kidding!?
GOP miscreants believe this ‘just’ economic policy!?
It is an insult. A disgrace. A travesty. Hubris of the highest order!
On November 4th vote for Senator Obama.
Let’s rid American politics of GOP miscreants.
Let’s give dignity and fair play a chance.
OK okay Manuel, I am a fan, good gracious you are on fire today! LOL
Vote for Senator Obama, let's move forward!
Peace amigo.
I heard Mr. Berntsen repeat a statement upsets me every time I hear it. That statement was that Mr. Obama said that US troops were “just air raiding villages and killing civilians.” Mr. Obama’s statement is below:
On Monday, August 4, 2007, in Nashua, NH, Obama said that the U.S. has “gotta get the job done” in Afghanistan which “requires us to have enough troops that we're not just air raiding villages and killing civilians which is causing enormous problems there. It means that we have enough civilian support, agricultural specialists, people who are engineers, people who are building schools and so forth to help the Afghani government do a better job of delivering on behalf of its people.”
Its statements like the one above that discourages me from supporting Mr. McCain. I believe that anyone that reads and/or watches the full statement could not honestly come to the conclusion that Mr. Berntsen promoted. Furthermore, I believe Mr. Berntsen knows his conclusion was incorrect or at a minimum disingenuous. I also find it insulting that anyone (Republican or Democrat) honestly believes and promotes that someone running for President of the United States believes our troops are “just air raiding villages and killing civilians.”
Useful Links
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/04/AR2007080400633_pf.html
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/08/20070806.html
Why would you have a washed up author (Swofford), who was never in combat, nor was he in Iraq or Afghanistan, commenting on this important matter? So he wrote a book about being in the Marines...clearly, he had little to nothing to add to this conversation. He was promoting himself rather than answering the question at hand.
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