Everyone has ideas on what the legacy military should become. Part conventional war fighting force. Part FEMA. Part UN peacekeeping force. Part counter-insurgency force. Part intelligence agency. The list goes on...
"Clearly, in the case of a terrorist attack, that would be the case, but is there a natural disaster -- of a certain size -- that would then enable the Defense Department to become the lead agency in coordinating and leading the response effort?" Bush said after a briefing from military leaders at Randolph Air Force Base here. "That's going to be a very important consideration for Congress to think about."Total confusion. The only thing the US military can do well is fight conventional wars and that role is quickly becoming a historical legacy. So, the natural inclination is to see the men and women in uniform as a panacea to all of the other problems that we are facing. An organization that can be remade into a universal tool (a swiss army knife) for mitigating state failures. It's a fools errand.
> It's a fools errand.
Then we have the right people on it.
Posted by: Jeremy Hatch | September 26, 2005 at 10:53 AM
I always wonder where there is the difference of a natural or industrial catastrophy and a big scale terror event.
In any case you need fast first responders, a second wave of trained men and more material support after 24 hours and then lots of helping hands and logistics after 48 hours. The military can do the third role but is not and should be equipped for the first and second role.
And for "catching the terrorists" after an event -if they are still alive- you have the FBI.
So this just looks like a plot to get more "control" for Bush and the military.
Posted by: b | September 26, 2005 at 12:15 PM