Whoever we elect must have demonstrated experiential knowledge and who is not just a tough-talking blabbermouth about American foreign policy and military matters. We need someone who has seen blood flow for needless reasons and regretted it.
If the candidate never served there ought to be a dang good reason. But if none actually served then the superior criteria is experience in making decisions and choices that have to do with life and death, war and peace, the guilty and the innocent.
… someone who is not just a solitary muscle-flexor, saber-rattling cheap-talk personality with god talk, pretend patriotism and no substance
… someone who has understands that blood can flow for needless reasons and carrying a big stick is not by itself a reason for bloodshed
… someone who understands and grieves for villages destroyed or ruined by blind military tactics
… and who understands what really happens when generals and admirals belittle collateral damage
… someone who understands that intellectual advisors within the administration bearing theories based on book-learning, pseudo-academic gurus, think tanks and the notion of historical precedents are kept on a very short leash
One of the American Choices we make periodically and must always have up for review is the one that relates to who is in charge of and manages our military resource.
We ought to be at the end-times of having to pay for our shallow civic behavior as voters who failed to fully consider the qualifications of our elected leaders. But if we stay in the shallow end of the pool we will pay for our stupidity for years to come.
The American Choice is to never again be casual nor shallow about why we support the election of specific leaders.
Personally, although having a concern for the circumstances in America and across its borders that draw those willing to work cheaply to this country, immigration reform is not any predominant reason for casting a ballot in support of the immigration-reforming candidate.
Personally, although concerned about public morality in an ethical sense of the highest good of all concerned, moralizing the population based on literal-minded evangelical Christian shallow theology is the least of my priorities and why I refuse to cast a ballot for a born-again religious stampeder.
Incompetent leadership may have sat in a presidential chair but America has never made a collective choice for absolutely horrific and shameful values. Our leaders can never again be given an electoral approval without passing the muster of social and global responsibility and accountability.
Curmudgeon at Work 