Apparently two flower children have infiltrated the military, become members of Joints of Staff, and are now using that prominent perch to disseminate peace-and-love propaganda.
The piece was written by two senior members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in a "personal" capacity, but it is clear that it would not have seen the light of day without a measure of official approval...Courageously, the authors make the case that America continues to rely far too heavily on its military as the primary tool for how it engages the world.
The Pentagon report -- "A National Strategic Narrative" -- questions the wisdom of pumping trillions into the military budget, which accounts for almost half of military spending worldwide and which has almost doubled in the last decade. Schools, not bombs? Is that really what you're saying, you traitorous doves? Why, yes.
By investing energy, talent, and dollars now in the education and training of young Americans -- the scientists, statesmen, industrialists, farmers, inventors, educators, clergy, artists, service members, and parents, of tomorrow -- we are truly investing in our ability to successfully compete in, and influence, the strategic environment of the future. Our first investment priority, then, is intellectual capital and a sustainable infrastructure of education, health and social services to provide for the continuing development and growth of America's youth.
It's telling that the wisdom of the generals is to the left of the conventional wisdom in DC.
The generals don't merely criticize spending priorities; they take a none-too-veiled swipe at conservative politicians and pundits who demonize Islam.
The authors point out that the tendency over the last decade by some Americans to view all Muslims as terrorists has made it more difficult to marginalize genuine extremism, while alienating vast swaths of the global Muslim community. In a world where credibility is so central to America's national interest and reach around the globe, the overheated domestic debate about the war on terror has never served it very well.
So smearing a billion people doesn't serve the county's interests. Go figure.