AFSCME 3357-HOF'S BLOG

IRAQ: Revolt of the Generals

For about a year, more and more senior military leaders have been increasing open criticism of the Bush administration's Iraq strategy. This is now turning into an open rebellion. While President Bush seems to be on the verge of asking for more troops in Iraq, his generals might not go along with the idea. According to a new article on Time.com

But the Chiefs finally "have found their manhood," in the words of one military officer. They are beginning to challenge, in private for the most part, the political leadership to a degree unprecedented in this Administration. According to Pentagon sources, the senior officers are demanding that the White House finally come up with a definable and achieveable military strategy for Iraq. "We would not surge without a purpose," Army Chief Gen. Pete Schoomaker said bluntly to reporters last week. "And that purpose should be measurable."

I did a Google search on "revolt of the generals" and came up with about 30,000 hits. Surprisingly, I added "Iraq" to this search, and still came up with 28,000 plus. Open criticism of civilian leadership by senior military officers is not the norm. Historically, it is notable by the exceptions, with the most noteworthy being the Revolt of the Admirals in 1949.

In 1949, senior naval policy-makers objected to a shift in focus and funding away from the Navy and towards the (then-new) Air Force. Specifically, the Navy objected to the cancellation of the supercarrier U.S.S. United States in favor of funding for intercontinental bombers such as the B-36 and the nuclear weapons that they would carry. Ironically, within a year of the revolt of the admirals, the U.S. would be enmeshed in a war in Korea. In that war, the B-36 and much of the Navy's top hardware would not be used.