I want a Commander in Chief who can think strategically, can understand the strategic imperatives of a situation.
You'll laugh, but I like Jimmy Carter. He understood that the right move was patience. He got all of the hostages home, safe. Now THAT's a victory, one that he "paid for", while everyone was calling for "bombs away".
I don't want someone who sees a military opportunity in every situation. In fact, I want someone with a grave and healthy doubt of announced military capabilities.
I want someone who is not going to be "wowed" by the razzel-dazzle that the top brass give to newbies.
I want someone who knows how to diffuse red-lines, even to anticipate how they might arise, not someone who seeks to emphasize them.
The true test of crisis management may be someone who says, "We don't know who did this to us, so we are not going to carpet bomb 'the usual suspects'", even if that costs them, dearly.
I want someone who understands the need to not go it alone.
I want someone who understands the value of the often unbearable delay and dalliance of diplomacy - and when not to wait (check out Joe Biden on Darfur).
I want someone who knows that there may be more lawyers at DoD than foreign service officers at State (and thinks that's wrong).
vid: Atrios
Saturday, March 8, 2008
The Fallacy of the Strong and Fierce Commander In Chief
