There have been several points in American history when "The New and Improved Version" of something or other, promoted by experts in some field or other, has become all the rage. My own field of research psychology is rife with self-styled "experts" in some aspect of human behavior. History has always proven them wrong, but that never stops the next wave of eager, demanding, "experts" from insisting that they have achieved full understanding of the newest topic, or problem, or issue, to make its way into the public consciousness.
Most of you are far to young to remember when chlorophyll was folded into every product available in your local market. From toothpaste to laundry detergent to underarm deodorant, "experts" promised that it would act as a freshener of breath, clothes, rooms, and cars. Oh, and by the way it was the magic bullet that would get you a boyfriend, make you rich, and win a war. When was the last time you saw a product advertising chlorophyll as the answer to all that ails you?
Some of you will remember when Queen Bee Jelly was the magic elixir that would restore your aging skin, protect you from pollutant and sun damage, and provide eternal youth. Supposedly it was something or other that was extracted in tiny amounts from bee hives and carefully blended by experts into creams and lotions that were sold for outrageous prices to those who trusted the experts to make their fantasies of eternal youth real.
All of us are too young to recall the various expert advise rampant at the turn of the 20th Century, passed out by people with an economic, or ego, issue to address. They insisted they knew better than anyone else, including 600,000 years of primate history, how you must raise your children.
They insisted that a child must be handled as little as possible, and then only when fed, or changed. They must be left to cry, uncomforted, as a way to build character. To fail to do this was to encourage, wanton behavior, masturbation, and drunkenness. The famous Dr. Spock was a reaction to this harsh and isolationist method, and he was, for a time, a target of all of the experts because he insisted that the experts were completely and absolutely wrong. They fought back hard, and it took about a decade for Spock to become the handbook for young parents.
Spock, of course, challenged the earlier experts by going a bit overboard in permissiveness. But, that is the way experts go to war.
Generals are a peculiar class of expert. They rise to their rank through a long and torturous path composed of specialized education, strict indoctrination into an ethos of masculine dominance, a great deal of intuitive political skill, and, in most cases, a lot of brain power.
They specialize. And, their primary area of specialization is the drive to win. Win rank. Win discussions. Win recognition. Win popularity. And, of course, win military engagements.
In a nation that has little appetite for war, we citizens tend to involve ourselves very little with the hierarchical structure of a male dominated military who's only goal is winning.
We all have friends and family who have "served" in the military but, perhaps the most striking thing about that service is the refusal, or complete inability, to relate to those outside of the military exactly what that experience of service was all about. We hear about "Bands of Brothers", and "bonding" rituals, we learn bits and pieces of the code of behavior and the training and trials that build a military man. But, truth be told, we mostly rely on fragments of phrase and films of explosions to create our understanding. We don't really know what it's like to be in the military, and even those who serve have only a limited knowledge of what is involved in rising to the highest ranks.
The General has only one goal. When charged with a military task, he's goal is to win. He rarely asks, "Win what?" He only knows that anything short of the total, humiliation and defeat of the appointed enemy is a personal failure, a career ending blow, and a betrayal of 30 to 40 years of indoctrination and socialization into a closed society with a poorly understood skill set by those outside of the system.
This inevitably leads to tunnel vision.
Dedication to winning at all costs, led our forefathers to place the military of the United States of America under civilian control. They clearly understood that strategy must be developed in a larger context than the military experts could hope to achieve given their narrow view of mission and goal.
And now, our young President is being challenged by the military. They have determined that "winning" in Afganistan is the only goal worthy of pursuit. Failure to take their advise, failure to act within the time table they decree, all are reason to question the wisdom and judgment of Barack Obama. After all, if he would just take the advise of the military "experts", do as he is told, and quickly, they will "win". To try and force his hand they have "leaked" the "expert" opinion of the commanding general in theater.
Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) jumped on the band wagon, instantly. begging the President from the floor of the Senate Chamber to not hesitate.. Increase the troop deployment, at once. Don't think. Don't question. Obey the "experts".
We've been there, and done that, before. and, as with all "experts", the rules they apply, the advise they provide, the tactics they espouse, arise from their limited view of their own needs and specialization. They are frequently wrong.
Please Mr. President, remind yourself daily, every "expert" is only as good as the breadth and width of their vision and understanding of a complex and interactive world. Things change moment to moment. And, every "expert" has their own agenda.
It is not necessarily the agenda of the country, the people, or history. It is frequently based on a view of the past that discounts the future and the changing dynamic of world affairs. It is "expert" opinion that has a half life of less than a decade, if history is to provide any guide
Hang in there Mr. President. We've got your back.