The Turnover Of Senior Commanders At The Top Is Raising Concerns At The Pentagon

Military Disturbed By Rapid Turnover At Top In Afghan, Iraq Wars -- Washington Post

Since 2001, a dozen commanders have cycled through the top jobs in Iraq, Afghanistan and the U.S. Central Command, which oversees both wars. Three of those commanders -- including the recently dismissed Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal -- have been fired or resigned under pressure.

History has judged many others harshly, and only two, Gen. David H. Petraeus and Gen. Ray Odierno, are widely praised as having mastered the complex mixture of skills that running America's wars demands.

For the military, this record of mediocrity raises a vexing question: What is wrong with the system that produces top generals?

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My Comment: The impression that I am getting from this Washington Post article is that in today's wars and occupations .... someone in the mold of a General MacArthur or a General Eisenhower is sorely needed for these conflicts.

The sentence that caught my attention was the following ....

Today's wars demand that top commanders act like modern viceroys, overseeing military operations and major economic development efforts. They play dominant roles in the internal politics of the countries where their troops fight.

.... a job description that describes exactly what General MacArthur did when U.S. occupation forces entered Japan at the end of the Second World War.

But are such Generals possible in today's politicized environment .... hmmm .... General MacArthur was fired when President Truman (correctly) perceived him as a viceroy who was acting independently from Washington. A firing that forever altered the relationship between the military and the civilian leadership .... especially in the area of who is in charge.

In today's environment, the idea that any General would act as a viceroy in Iraq or Afghanistan .... it is simply not going to happen. Washington will never let go of its power to dictate war and occupation strategy, and it will not give any General .... General Petraeus included .... the power to act independently and with this type of full authority. The sad fact is that in today's world the military will never promote such individuals to senior levels of command .... especially with the politicization that we have in the promotion process.

With such a backdrop .... the days of having Generals like Eisenhower and MacArthur in the command structure .... those days are long gone.