Military under Pressure

Here's a link to the Register's editorial today on the pressure the military is under due mainly to the war in Iraq. The Pentagon is having to pay bonuses of up to $35,000 to retain Captain-level officers and the Marines want out of Iraq. Meanwhile SecDef Robert Gates wants to completely reconfigure the Army in the midst of a war -- even if he had time enough left in office to begin the job. The military is still among the most respected organizations in American society, but it's in serious trouble.

By the way, I would have more respect for retired Gen. Ricardo Sanchez's criticism of the way the politicoes have conducted the war if he had resigned and gone public when he was one of the top U.S. generals in Iraq. That would have had much more impact than yet another retired general criticizing the war. All too many military people with concerns stay quiet until they're safely retired and living on their healthy pensions.