OPINION:
Loyalty between a leader and his troops is a two-way street. It is an absolutely necessary part of the command relationship. The men of the combat units facing an enemy do so because loyalty means they will carry out their commander’s orders — even if it means grievous injury or death. These individuals expect their commanders to show them that same high degree of loyalty when the battle situation demands they receive immediate support and reinforcements to accomplish their orders, or be withdrawn to avoid capture, injury or death.
Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton have not show any loyalty to anything beyond their own political careers and goals. President Obama’s delayed and piecemeal sending of reinforcements to Gen. McChrystal in 2009 was unconscionable. The history of warfare teaches the intelligent commander to either fight a war to win or go home. Flouting of this law has generally been catastrophic.
The Benghazi debacle highlights Mrs. Clinton’s lack of loyalty to the men who were killed representing or defending the United States’ interests in Libya. Those men were literally in a life-or-death situation, yet their increasingly desperate calls for help went unanswered multiple times. Four Americans paid with their lives because loyalty in the Clinton State Department was not reciprocated. Later Mrs. Clinton even lied to the families of those dead Americans about the circumstances that led to the murders.
I’m glad I’ll not lead brave men in combat again. I don’t want to look my men in the eyes and tell them they can’t depend on President Obama or a President Clinton to send them the help they need as they fight to stay alive.
MAJ. JAMES M. DORN
Special Forces, U.S. Army Reserves (retired)
Chino Hills, Calif.
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