presidents should not be allowed to fire a general officer

[pwb]

a general close to retirement should not be subject to intimidation by a president or secretary of defense. threatening to fire a 30 year career general by a appointed politician should be stopped. generals serve many presidents and deserve better treatment.

[Monkeyman]

1. Yep

[babylonsister]

2. 30 years? I don't know who you're talking about, but couldn't he retire

instead of being fired?

[pwb]

5. most generals can retire anytime

they usually have at least 20 years and are eligible. the point is why should a chickenhawk coward be able to fire a general? a general who has served his country for many years should not be subject to removal by a four or eight year president or civilian appointed by the president.

just another way bush keeps moving back the goal line.

i am talking about all generals, not any particular one.

[deadmessengers]

3. bad idea

Civilian control over the military is, generally speaking, a good idea - it's a defense against a South American-style military government. Shrub obviously can't be trusted with that particular responsibility, but there are LOTS of things we'd rather that he didn't have the ability to control. That doesn't make it a bad idea overall, though.

[Solo_in_MD]

4. Which means Truman would not have been able to relieve McAuthor

Officers serve at the pleasure of the President. Something about civilian control of the military.

[pwb]

6. civilian control is good. civilian manipulation to achieve a desired goal is not.

[Traveling_Home]

7. Truman - MacArthur - classic case

MacArthur wanted to nuke Red China north of the Yalu. Great idea to 'protect' generals from Polticians - NOT. Then who is there to protect us from the generals.

I semi-remember a scene (true?) from the movie MacArthur - FDR and MacArthur were meeting in Australia (??) - MacArthur didn't want to return to the states and said to FDR - "Mr. President, I think it important that a Commander be at the front to show support for the troops." FDR responded "General, that's why I am here"

[jody]

9. Nor would Lincoln have been able to remove McClellan. n/t

[malmapus]

10. Hey! McClellan was the best thing for the South!

Heh

[Totallybushed]

8. Fired?

You mean as in kicked out? They can't do that. Takes a court martial.

They can relieve them of their command, however. And as commander-in-chief, they have a perfect right to do so. Whether they should, in any individual case, is a matte for debate.