Senior Military Need To Know When It Is Inappropriate To Speak Out
During the last few weeks, we have seen two separate cases where senior military personnel are giving their personal opinions to the press.
Canadian military head, General Rick Hillier, felt bold enough to attack the former federal government and attack what he perceives to be underfunding of the military.
US Marine General, Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, got himself into hot water this week giving his personal opinion on the morality of gay persons.
I find it very disturbing that these senior military staffers do not understand that it is totally inappropriate for them to speak out as they have.
They are NOT elected. Period.
While they are entitled to hold personal opinions, the fact that they wear the uniforms of their nation, puts them into national service where their personal beliefs are best kept to themselves.
In our collective democracies, Canada and the United States, we cannot tolerate our military leaders using their high profile positions to advance their own agendas. It is correct to speak out against their behaviour.
-Washington Post
-Buckdog politics
Canadian military head, General Rick Hillier, felt bold enough to attack the former federal government and attack what he perceives to be underfunding of the military.
US Marine General, Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, got himself into hot water this week giving his personal opinion on the morality of gay persons.
I find it very disturbing that these senior military staffers do not understand that it is totally inappropriate for them to speak out as they have.
They are NOT elected. Period.
While they are entitled to hold personal opinions, the fact that they wear the uniforms of their nation, puts them into national service where their personal beliefs are best kept to themselves.
In our collective democracies, Canada and the United States, we cannot tolerate our military leaders using their high profile positions to advance their own agendas. It is correct to speak out against their behaviour.
-Washington Post
-Buckdog politics
Someone, possibly in the Grope and Flail compared Hillier to Douglas MacArthur. I thought that it was a bit of exaggeration, but now I don't think so. Hillier really thinks that the military should dictate defence policy.
Posted by
Dan |
4:25 pm, March 14, 2007
Dawg, on Pace, he certainly has a right to speak his opinion as a private citizen, but as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, his statement of his religious piety code violates the establishment clause of the First Amendment to our Constitution.
Posted by
TomCat |
8:40 pm, March 14, 2007
His reply statements that he 'regrets' that he spoke out simply baffles me ... did he not think there would be a huge reaction to his comments?
Posted by
leftdog |
8:54 pm, March 14, 2007
Hope he was ready for retirement.
Posted by
Not Your Mama |
3:07 am, March 15, 2007
All those folks are insulated by a heavy contingency of "yes-men" ... you've got to remember... dissenting opinions are3 not encouraged. He's just as "out of touch" as the rest of that sorry lot of uptight old men.
E
Posted by
Women on the Verge |
7:32 am, March 15, 2007
Dawg, the only reason that he regrets that he spoke out is that he has no legitimate answers for the criticism he has received over it.
Posted by
TomCat |
3:11 pm, March 15, 2007