The top American military officer lashed out at China on Wednesday for failing to intervene diplomatically with North Korea, as he met with his South Korean counterpart to discuss possible armed responses to future provocations from Pyongyang.
Maybe "lashing out" at China is the correct thing to do, I don't presume to know, but I would certainly suggest that is not our military which should be doing it. Our military is not an instrument of foreign affairs, and should not be speaking for this country. That is the job of elected officials, to speak for the people who elected them.
Even worse, deciding what military reactions will be taken against another nation is the sole responsibility of the Commander in Chief, not of some cocked up Admiral. For him to be discussing American military adventurism with another nation, rather than merely representing the specific instruction of his President is grossly out of line.
The Commander in Chief says publicly and forcefully that he wants a policy for the military implemented by Congress and no fewer than three flag-rank officers sit before Congress and brazenly tell them that they should not comply with the President's wishes.
What role is the military playing in running this nation? Military officers have been increasingly speaking publicly in matters of policy, and they have increasingly spoken in terms that were at odds with positions taken publicly by their Commander in Chief. They have manipulated the President into following their wishes in matters of war policy, and have done so with increasingly brazen openness. Now they are addressing American foreign policy and planning military responses with other nations.
President Obama needs to reign these arrogant officers in and he needs to do it sharply and soon.
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