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Charles Jaco has written opinion and commentary pieces for dozens of magazines and newspapers. Each week, read and comment on a fresh on-line version. The discussion page enables you to share your view points world wide. If you would like to make a comment go to the " Join the discussion" link below. If you would like to view past editorials visit the Editorial Archive. Editorial: 11/5/99
The mission, from the start, was FUBAR--Fouled (a euphemism) Up Beyond All
Recognition. Five Navy SEALS died in the mud at low tide near Panama City's downtown
airport in a mission to disable or destroy Gen. Manuel Noriega's private jet. The
mission changed halfway through. The radios didn't work right. The genius who
planned it failed to look at tidal times. At the end, though, the mission was
accomplished. Noriega's jet was destroyed, and an escape route for the hunted dictator
was shut off.
But the well-armed and U.S. trained Panamanian Defense Forces at the airport caught
the SEALS in a crossfire, the slugs making nasty plopplopplop sounds in the polluted
mud. They and their families deserved better. So I devoted six months of my life
finding out what happened, and why, and who ordered what. At the end, as it always
does, it came down to a political decision.
Noriega was a U.S. intelligence asset who went bad and decided that dealing cocaine
and selling information to the Cubans was at least as profitable as selling information
to the CIA. He had become an embarrasment. So almost everything about Operation Just
Cause -- the invasion of Panama -- became political, down to the decision to change
the SEALs orders after the mission had started.
Fast forward a few years to images of the bloated and bloody bodies of U.S. Army
Rangers being dragged through the streets of Mogadishu. What happened and why is
outlined in one of the most brilliant books about the military I've ever read--
"Blackhawk Down" by Philadelphia Inquirer reporter Mark Bowden. The short story is that
it was, once again, political, from deciding to intervene in vicious tribal warfare to
not sending in armored vehicles to try and rescue the downed chopper.
This is part of the price we pay for having fewer and fewer people in the civilian
command authority who have ever served in the military. The gulf between those in
uniform and civilians has become the size of the Grand Canyon. Fewer than 15 per-cent of
Americans have ever served. And almost none of the brahmin ruling class of political
and corporate life have ever put on a uniform. They're glad to leave the potential
fighting and dying to poor or lower middle class kids from farms, small towns, barrios,
and inner cities.
But of course, come Veteran's Day, the bleating starts from the left and the right
about honoring the military. Only military discipline can supress the gag reflex among
many vets and current service people when they hear President Clinton spouting empty
bromides about honoring those who serve. From his advisor who told reporters they
"loathe the military" to mindless deployments across the planet, the administration
has never shown any seriousness of purpose when it comes to military affairs or
national security.
Then there are the conservative isolationists in Congress. Senate Majority Leader
Trent Lott receives a classified briefing from the chairman of the Joint Chiefs and the
National Security Council while American pilots are in harm's way over Kosovo and
Serbia. Senator Lott immediately tells reporters he "doesn't believe" anything he's
just been told. Lott's distaste for Clinton allowed him to chuck any concerns about
a unified front while American troops are in combat for partisan gain.
But that's what we've come to. Even flying anti-aircraft shells can't stop the
"what's in it for me?" syndrome. Both sides are equally guilty. The administration
proposes mindless cuts in readiness and training. Congress orders pork barrel
weapons systems the Pentagon doesn't want just so they can generate jobs back home.
So meantime, lower-ranking military personnel posted in high-cost areas in the
United States are forced to draw food stamps. Food stamps! It's not quite like
the Russian military having to sell its uniforms and weapons for food, but it's close
enough for the only remaining superpower. The USS Eisenhower cruises to the
Adriatic to launch Kosovo air strikes with 15 per-cent of its bunks empty because of
a shortage of sailors. Fighter squadrons are half-operational because of a lack of
spare parts. Pilots are leaving the services at warp speed. U.S. troops are being
committed for longer and longer periods everyplace from kosovo to East Timor.
And while all this goes on, civilian leaders mouth platitudes. But then, we
elected them, and maybe we're getting a reflection of ourselves. We'd rather see
news about tips on child care than on military readiness. We'd rather concentrate on
the pop from a dot com IPO than on how we defend our country.
Forty per-cent of the homless skulking through America's alleys are veterans.
VA hospitals often offer the least, not the best, in care. VFW posts fade away until
there are no longer any vets to place small flags on graves. But never mind, just
pass the Wall Street Journal and tune in Jerry Springer. These are the best of
times.
Maybe the most surreal Veteran's Day observance takes place in St. Louis this
year. Organizers of the Veteran's Day parade, sickened by the indifference of the
general public, got radio scorched-earther Rush Limbaugh to be their grand marshal
this year. Whatever gets attention and draws crowds, they decided, and they were
right. It politicized the event, but that had already probably happened long ago
anyway.
Given America's attitude toward it's vets, it's surprising they weren't forced
to get Howard Stern. Maybe next year.
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