February 28, 2017
Trump just blamed the military for the botched Yemen raid. That's a disgrace.
Most Americans thought little of President Harry Truman when he ascended to the White House in April 1945. Six months later, they thought even less, as the nation’s economy slowed at the end of World War II and the nation woke up to the dangers of the Cold War. To encourage the new president, and remind him of the awesome responsibility for the nation that rested atop his shoulders, an old friend sent Truman a sign made by federal prisoners in Oklahoma, emblazoned on the back with “I’m from MISSOURI,” and on the front with “The BUCK STOPS here!”
Seventy-two years later, perhaps we should play Taps for the notion that the buck stops on the president’s desk. In an interview with Fox & Friends Tuesday, President Donald Trump refused to accept responsibility for the risky special operations raid in Yemen earlier this month that resulted in the death of Navy SEAL Chief Petty Officer William “Ryan” Owens.
Never mind the fact that Trump personally approved and ordered this flawed raid; never mind the fact that he personally signaled during his campaign that he wanted to order more aggressive counterterrorism actions like this. When things went bad, it was the fault of the military — not Trump.
Read the full article at Vox.
More from CNAS
-
Harnessing Military Talent to Compete in the 21st Century
Commentary
Developments in technology mean that the DoD must update its processes to attract, recruit, and harness talent to apply skill sets where they are most needed....
By Emma Moore
-
If the Military Can't Handle Its Sexual Assault Problem, Congress Needs to Step In
Commentary
Should the DoD continue failing at comprehensively and effectively addressing sexual violence, Congress must intervene more robustly....
By Katie Galgano & Emma Moore
-
What Leaders Can Do Now To Strengthen U.S. Special Operations Forces
Commentary
Improving performance of SOF teams themselves is necessary to fully leverage the attributes and potential of SOF in future missions....
By Lt Col Stewart J. Parker & Emma Moore
-
The All-Volunteer Force: Civil-Military Relations Hit Home—and Abroad
Commentary
Tensions in the civil-military relationship threaten national security from conflicts abroad to cities across the United States....
By Nathalie Grogan
