OPINION:
“Biden’s recurring Afghanistan nightmare” (Web, Feb. 22) notes that instead of doing their duty and resigning, our nation’s admirals and generals merely did what they were told to do — knowing that team Biden’s Afghanistan withdrawal plan would result in disaster.
What may not be well known is that nearly every flag-rank officer on active duty today was promoted into and rose up through the ranks of that “exclusive club” during the eight-year term of Barack Obama. As such, individuals who may have demonstrated the intestinal fortitude to question the administration were weeded out, leaving a cabal of “yes men” who would do what they were told to do.
All servicemen and -women take an oath when they join our nation’s armed forces: the Oath of Enlistment. That oath requires them to obey the orders of the president of the United States and officers appointed over them. Officers take an additional oath when they are commissioned: the Oath of Office. That oath requires them to well and faithfully discharge the duties of their office. One oath requires that you obey; the other requires that you think.
Sadly, few flag-rank officers seem to be doing much thinking these days. They merely obey.
PATRICK MCGINN
U.S. Marine Corps (retired)
California, Maryland
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