President Barack Obama and Brig. Gen. Erik Kurilla view photos of fallen military personnel at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, Sunday, May 25, 2014. Official White House Photo by Pete Souza
Why It’s OK for Obama To Ignore Military Advice -- Lawrence J. Korb, Defense One
Here we go again.
Many critics of President Barack Obama who want us to send thousands of American ground troops to destroy and defeat the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, or ISIL, claim that by pledging not to give a direct combat mission in Iraq and Syria to the troops, Obama is ignoring military advice that the consequences of taking this option off the table will be disastrous for America and the region.
Advocates of this position point to recommendations by Gen. Lloyd Austin, the head of U.S. Central Command, the testimony of Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday, and the remarks of Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ray Odierno the following day to his fellow Army chiefs in Europe, who have all said that conditions on the ground in Iraq and Syria should dictate military strategy. Other retired military officers, like Gen. James Mattis, who preceded Austin at CENTCOM, have also argued that the president should not rule out the possibility of the need for a larger ground force.
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My Comment: The President looks at a situation with the big picture in mind .... Generals look at the military operational aspects on what is necessary to achieve the President's objectives as outlined by his strategy. It is wise (and probably recommended) that at times the advice of the military should only be taken into consideration, but what I find is disconcerting on what needs to be done to contain the Islamic State is the almost universal chorus from the Pentagon that the resources that have been given to them is not enough to achieve the White House's strategic objectives. I know that this could be the Pentagon doing a CYA (covering you ass) .... but when everyone is coming out and saying no .... the strategy will not work .... this is where my concerns rise.