Endless War, A Recipe For Four-Star Arrogance -- Andrew J. Bacevich, Washington Post
Long wars are antithetical to democracy. Protracted conflict introduces toxins that inexorably corrode the values of popular government. Not least among those values is a code of military conduct that honors the principle of civilian control while keeping the officer corps free from the taint of politics. Events of the past week -- notably the Rolling Stone profile that led to Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal's dismissal -- hint at the toll that nearly a decade of continuous conflict has exacted on the U.S. armed forces. The fate of any one general qualifies as small beer: Wearing four stars does not signify indispensability. But indications that the military's professional ethic is eroding, evident in the disrespect for senior civilians expressed by McChrystal and his inner circle, should set off alarms.
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Commentaries, Opinions, And Editorials
Reasons to be hopeful about U.S. strategy in Afghanistan -- Michael O'Hanlon, Washington Post
Worse Than a Nightmare (Afghanistan) -- Bob Herbert, New York Times
Afghanistan: The battle behind the frontline -- Con Coughlin, The Telegraph
Ghosts from the past: Syria's 30 years of fear -- Robert Fisk, The Independent
Humiliation from Yemen to Times Square -- Rami G. Khouri, The Daily Star
Getting real with Iran: New sanctions target surprisingly vulnerable gas supply -- New York Daily News
The Truth About U.N.'s Iran Sanctions -- Claudia Rosett, Forbes
Russia’s Expensive Friendship -- Owen Matthews, Newsweek
They’re Supposed to Lead (G-8 and G-20) -- New York Times editorial
Is there life after debt? -- The Economist
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