[Ailist] Persons have a basically positivedirection-CarlRogers

[Sandy Wells]

Greetings, all.
I usually read the emails here and savor most of what I read, so thank you
regular contributors.

I am compelled to write a response to Roger on the first paragraph of his
email below.  

----Another point of view might be that the military are trained to do what
is best for everyone who happens to share their point of view. By definition
they do not act in the best interests of those they are in opposition to.
Nor do they act to seek alternative solutions other than a military one to
the conflict in which they are engaged.-----
 

Yes, the members of the military are trained to follow the chain of command.
However, there are tremendous changes in the military today.  Young officers
are taught not only about the ethics of legal commands but also encouraged
to speak up and challenge respectfully, offer their perspectives.  This may
be a shock to those in the "brown shoe" Army who were told to "line up" and
that's it...but in certain circumstances, those on the ground definitely
have an opportunity to offer their real-time observations since they know
the terrain and the enemy positioning far better than someone in a command
center far away.  

Further, the military is engaged in enormous civil actions in modern
conflict environments.  One normally doesn't see the schools being rebuilt
by soldiers in the press because it doesn't match up with mental models of
military action.  When my son was inoculating Iraqi children and taking care
of people with maladies that had never received medical attention, that was
definitely in the category of alternative solutions. 

Just wanted to offer another perspective to the view presented. 

Sandy

Sandy Wells 
Northern VA