Congressional Responsibility
This administration keeps saying congress has no business being generals that control the commanders on the ground. In the next breath it says the generals on the ground should be the determining factor in making governmental policy. This is a dangerous precedent to set for America in the sense that, our constitution has clearly laid out that it is to be the civilian sector of our government that has control over the military.
Section 2 - Civilian Power over Military, Cabinet, Pardon Power, Appointments
The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States, when called into the actual Service of the United States;
Section 8 - Powers of Congress
The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;
To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water;
To raise and support Armies, but no Appropriation of Money to that Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years;
To provide and maintain a Navy;
To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces;
To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union , suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions;
To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining the Militia, and for governing such Part of them as may be employed in the Service of the United States, reserving to the States respectively, the Appointment of the Officers, and the Authority of training the Militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress;
To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof.Imagine what would happen to America if the generals were to be allowed to set policy when it comes to declaring war and undertaking other military actions. Just today on NPR, I listened to a report that LTG Raymond Ordierno wants to let the “surge” go until November before he can offer a comprehensive report on the effectiveness of it.
Make no mistake about it, I know we have some of the best people in uniform and they are very good at what they do, but it would be a very large mistake to let them become the policy makers for America as they serve in their role as soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines.
