Historical Essay
Introduction
The book by Rachel Maddow brings out a debate about how America has rose to a military power status via her humor and wit similar to her news show on the television. Rachel’s appeal rests in her transition from a comedian to possibly what can be described as a wonk. On the television, she takes us through graphs and charts and lengthy, twisting fact moment, not afraid of getting audiences bored since she has her funniness at hand. The links the small fact to fact dots, simple statistics to reliable policies and along the way a plethora of jokes rise up.
Mylanta, Tis of TheeThe tough decisions that formed the basis of the Gulf war in Iraq are on focus. Colin Powell stood by his decisions to have open American public support prior to participating in war, together with the required machinery to do it well. Powell had spotted some emerging debate within the Whitehouse regarding if to or not commit in the war, and to him the American solders sent to the Persian Gulf War deserved a sincere and actual contemplation by their national leaders CITATION Rac12 p 135 l 1033 (Rachel 135). A section of Powell’s intentions, by seeking up front for many solders and standing on the idea to call up guardsmen and reserves within the Abrams Doctrine Umbrella, was to compel the president to at least be pragmatic regarding the expenses of the war and to factor in the American people into the discussion.
A huge debate was witnessed in the public and the congress at the time when the first group of troops we summoned up. Rachel recounts some debate that involved Ron Dellums, from there forty five House members filed a lawsuit requesting the Washington federal court to compel the president to send an official war declaration to the congress for discussions and members vote prior to sending troops to the battlefield. Ron said that “The Constitution is intended to trouble one person from leading us to war. War is a very somber and sobering and unusual act and should not be entitled to one person.” Some reporter did see that some persons were alleging that Ron was not holding the president captive; you are disheartening his ability to carry out an effectual policy within the Persian Gulf. Ron countered to undertake something rather than what we are proposing here is to breach the United States Constitution. This is not the sole prerogative of the president CITATION Rac12 p 141 l 1033 (Rachel 141).
On this aspect, the White House perception was that the executive was not obligated to consult the congress to get a go ahead for war, they only needed to seek their consent in obtaining support to fund it and convince the public. In a dire mockery of the constitution, the executive who was founded on the principle that the war question did not only lie on the legislature. The expenses of disseminating benefits for American solders families, particularly kids, shifted money away from extravagance, efficient military together with technological material. This lead to the formation of a task force to out source support functions with the wish that it would be efficient and cheaper to privatize. This revolves around the constitution, the prerogatives of the president and the role of the legislature within the US government.
Doing More with Less (Hassle)Much focus here is the huge privatization of military support functions together with missions. LOGCAP a private contractor, had been previously been called upon on smaller invasions within the Bush Senior regime, but then the involvement of the Balkans during Clinton’s regime was the first instance of private contractors full involvement in all support functions thus the LOGCAP drew more attention. But then a misfortune happened while they were disseminating support services which they were contracted for, they witnessed huge expense over dues, poor system and employee oversight, corporate malfeasance and criminal activities such as trafficking of sex which could not be prosecuted within the Bosnian or US laws because of lack of power over employees under private contracts within foreign nations. Furthermore, the bad behaviors of the employees in foreign nations blackened the better actions by the US troops in the Balkans. The shift to private contractor employees also emerged as US Defense Department’s biggest expenditures, with a bill figure of close to $300 billion by the end of Clinton’s regime.
To some extent, this benefited the government, by outsourcing support services and a few missions to contractors from the private sector; it could avoid handling any politically sensitive matters regarding the activation of reserve and guard forces successfully circumventing the public, Abrams Doctrine and the Congress.
Rachel asserts that by 2001 when Clinton left office, an operation aside from the War, as commonly referred to by the Pentagon forces, could go on infinitely with no genuine political expenses or consequences, or even a notice to the civilians. The power of the president to kick start and wage military contests without consultation of the Congress was initiated. Even the US military peacetime budget was past half the total cost of other budgets of the world militaries combined by 2001. The advances of Abrams doctrine that civilian life interference is the cost of admission for war were surely wrecked CITATION Rac12 p 187 l 1033 (Rachel 187). Despite freeing the American people from all the restrains and hassles pinning them down, they still had an imperial presidency to deal with relating military issues.
One Hell of a Killing MachineWe also have the focus on the American intelligence and military lethal training elucidations. Rachel fundamentally showcases the transitions of the spy services of America to brand, non uniformed military branch, applying its drone secret programs. The drones program secrecy, like decisions on who dies who shoots and under what rules, also amounts to secrecy about its costs on the budget.
The fact that Americas CIA still holds briefs on some members of the congress intelligence on its undertakings, the Joint special operations command have unrestricted powers on terror wars, travel anywhere under the president’s command without giving notice to anybody. JSOC has in many times been deployed during the Obama and Bush regimes.
The expenses of all such overwhelming lethality, the budget and the workload to the US military, is splendidly distinct from all times in Americas history one percent or less of Americas adult population have been summoned to serve in the persistent wars since 2009 to 2011. The American population seems not interested anymore in wars. They have resorted into some mechanism of indulging in war that have less political risks and as a substitute of requesting the American population to commit into sacrifices via taxes, they simply prolong the combat days of troops already serving, employ more contractors from the private sector and committing into expenses.
They have manipulated all those in uniform, to their limits, and costs have not been any objects. The validation to persistent combat, some believe that solders must at all times be called upon in combats, not in any peaceable measures. It is clear that the drift between military and civilian life, there are no more solders who are citizens anymore, and the pressure on all American people during war that was witnessed only a few generations back is an unrealistic memory to those alive today.
Suicide, unemployment among other socio-emotional and budget matters among veterans is treated as a military issue, not a civilian issue. When there is a death of a private military contractor, as opposed to a trained military solder who may have been doing that job, the American people mourns literally at the loss. There are no more regular updates about them. For the government, the massive deployment of private contractors shifts the American people from the expenses and war load much more.
What is happening in America today is a superbly trained and military power that is experienced, perhaps the most trained in today’s world. And it is not simply as such to surrender. New recruits want to be involved. Army commanders are in a bid to base on that progress, apply those skills, and sustain that combat standard readiness. Politicians are avoiding being termed non patriotic by suggesting budget adjustments or back scaling overseas military action, despite the requests from pentagon. But then there should be a balance between the expenses and the workload of the Americas military equipment and sustaining readiness and skills.
It is therefore imperative to state that America has gone through some history with regard to the laws on the constitution regarding military personnel deployment, the president’s prerogative and the public interests during war times. Subsequent amendments should therefore be conducted to bring in all stakeholder interests.
Works Cited BIBLIOGRAPHY Rachel, Maddow. Drift – The unmoorng of american military power by Rachel Maddow. New York : Crown, 2012.
