Calls for brass to resign add to debate over Mideast policy

This is the perfect example of the "damned if you do and damned if you don't" situation. As was pointed out earlier, our military is under civilian control and, as such, military leaders are duty bound to follow the orders of those over them, whether they agree with them or not (unless it is an illegal order). If the officer cannot or will not follow the orders, he/she should resign/retire. That is where the quandary comes in... If the officer really has just cause to believe the order is unjust, inadvisable, dangerous, etc. and he/she cannot execute it in good faith, should he/she resign/retire and just allow the next in line to do it at the detriment of the troops or our nation? There simply is no good answer to that question...

Many of us have found ourselves in similar situations over the course of our careers and lives. I have carried out orders I personally disagreed with and, in doing so, did my best to mitigate the impact of those orders on my unit/soldiers. To me, that is much more acceptable than simply folding my tent and allowing my troops to bear the full impact of the "dumb" decision, which would have been carried out by my replacement.

Leaders must have the moral courage to speak up if they think something is unwise or unjust. To remain silent and allow things they know are wrong to go on is unacceptable. To simply walk away, in my opinion, is also wrong. Make your case, get a decision and then decide what you are going to do, based not on selfish reasons but what is best for the country, the unit and the troops. If that is resigning in protest, so be it.

Rather than a mass resignation in protest by our military leaders, those who oppose what is going on should speak out and let the chips fall where they may. I would rather be fired for doing or saying what I believe than remain silent and resign or carry out something I disagree with.

I think that the Marine Colonel Ret. who is calling for this is out of line. As has been called out numerous times, our Military is responsible to civilian authority. Top service members quitting and taking their ball home, does a disservice to those who remain who would then lose the valuable experience and protection.

State your peace and carry on. I like this quote taken from the article, though I do not like that this Marine LtGen. chose to leave rather than take care of the troops through the war, this quote is still powerful.

"“In time of war, we know that our misjudgments — whether through rash actions or timidity — are paid in blood by the most selfless and patriotic of our nation’s youth,” he wrote in an email. “While military leaders almost always should follow the prescription of ‘counsel in private, praise in public,’ there are occasionally and rarely instances, where intelligence used to justify conflict is manipulated or judgments on the use of force are so flawed that an experienced military leader must (as we say) speak truth to power.”

I saw a lot of Admirals disagree with what they were ordered to do in my AD time, but I never, ever heard any that even considered "dropping stars" to make their point. Rather than make that dramatic statement most opt to outlast the standing President and keep their service intact.