Barack Obama: Commander-in-Chief
Colin Powell, honored soldier, respected leader, and much-loved American, will have helped ease the minds of those who still wonder whether Barack Obama has the makings of a commander-in-chief. By his endorsement, General Powell has said: "I would follow President Obama." It is not a thing said lightly by those who know what it means to hold the lives of others in their hands, as Colin Powell does know.
It is a conclusion many of us, veterans and active duty personnel, and military families, have reached by different routes in the past year, and it is a good thing to have our judgment affirmed by a man of General Powell's experience and seasoned judgment.
For judgment is all we have to go on as we reason toward such decisions. History teaches us that biography itself is an unreliable guide to behavior in ultimate command. Of all our presidents, only Dwight Eisenhower could have been expected, on the basis of his demonstrated abilities and behavior over the course of his life and military career to be a great commander-in-chief. He did not fail, but rather exceeded that expectation. We were lucky.
More commonly, American history has shown that perceived experience gives no indication how a man will perform as commander-in-chief. Ulysses S. Grant was a great general, but a failed commander-in-chief. Abraham Lincoln, of undistinguished lineage, with one term in the US Congress under his belt, and sneered at by many as a man of limited ability, would prove to be America's greatest commander-in-chief.
Election of a leader is, by definition, a choosing, and choosing involves comparisons and the categories of comparison each of us brings to the task are various and discrete. But there are three we may all agree upon and these include temperament; judgment; and, value consistency, or integrity.
Chief Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes famously said of Franklin Roosevelt that he had a second class intellect, but a first class temperament. Demonstrably, Barack Obama has a first class intellect, and there is widespread agreement that he has also an excellent temperament: steady, self-assured, inviting. Obama is not belligerent, not rattled in confrontation. It is a quality to be desired in a person with the ability to take a nation to war.
The approach of an anniversary burned into the memories of many Americans, my own not least, is a proper time for considering the virtues of judgment. October 23 will mark 25 years since the bombing of the quarters of the Marine Battalion Landing Team in Beirut. The year before, 1982, President Ronald Reagan sent US forces into Lebanon in what began as a humanitarian mission following an Israeli invasion that resulted in atrocities against Palestinian refugees. As the caskets landed at Dover AFB, President Reagan was under great pressure to send more forces into Lebanon to avenge the lives of 241 Americans lost. All that stood between senior members of his government who counseled widening the war, and the expansion of the catastrophe in Lebanon, was Reagan's own cool judgment.
Angry and heartsick though he was, his instincts resisted the arguments for sending more Americans to Lebanon, and he had the confidence to do it. He saw, as others were unable to see, that America's national security interests were not engaged in that place. He resisted the gambler's impulse to try to recoup our losses by risking further losses. Thus, there would be no "surge," no bombastic commitment to "stay the course," no promises to bring our troops home "in victory." It is interesting today to consider whether Ronald Reagan would have chosen to take the US to war in Iraq or whether, like Barack Obama, he would have rejected that course.
Finally, Barack Obama has attracted to his campaign many who have grown weary with the downward course of politics in American. He has drawn to himself men and women who have believed, because a faith in their nation and a fresh hope in their hearts compelled them to believe, that a man might yet reach for our nation's highest office without staining himself, without compromising his integrity along the way.
Obama has not failed their faith; he has not wilted nor wavered in the face of attacks that would at other times, in other campaigns, have been answered in kind. He has demanded that those who follow him follow his principles, and they have not shamed him. It should come as no surprise that so many of those who support Barack Obama are veterans and active members of the nation's armed forces, men and women sworn by oath to standards of behavior codified in our nation's Constitution. Senator Obama may not have worn the uniform, but he has the allegiance and confidence of hundreds of thousands who have.
Noel Koch is a member of the steering committee of Vets For Obama. Visit their official site or join them on Facebook.
Loading comments…
Want to reply to a comment? Hint: Click "Reply" at the bottom of the comment; after being approved your comment will appear directly underneath the comment you replied to
I think my last comment was censured in appropriately as it only expressed opinion:
This comment is pending approval and won't be displayed until it is approved.
Uh, hate to tell you but your heading is not correct. Barack Obama is not a Commander in Chief.
George Bush is Commander in Chief of our United States Military.
Sarah Palin is Commander in Chief of the Alaska National Guard.
Barack Obama is not a Commander in Chief. Barack Obama has had NO executive experience whatsoever or experience supervising people. He has simply been a minimum wage community activist, an attorney and an Illinois State Senator (who voted mostly present because he couldn't make up his mind between yes or no) and has had 23 months active experience as a Senator for the U.S. Senate.
Sarah Palin, as the Vice Presidential Candidate has far more experience than Barack Obama in respect to executive experience and military experience, as well as is an expert in the field of energy.
So, your heading is way off and way wrong.
Uh, hate to tell you but your heading is not correct. Barack Obama is not a Commander in Chief.
George Bush is Commander in Chief of our United States Military.
Sarah Palin is Commander in Chief of the Alaska National Guard.
Barack Obama is not a Commander in Chief. Barack Obama has had NO executive experience whatsoever or experience supervising people. He has simply been a minimum wage community activist, an attorney and an Illinois State Senator (who voted mostly present because he couldn't make up his mind between yes or no) and has had 23 months active experience as a Senator for the U.S. Senate.
Sarah Palin, as the Vice Presidential Candidate has far more experience than Barack Obama in respect to executive experience and military experience, as well as is an expert in the field of energy.
So, your heading is way off and way wrong.
This may be a bit off topic, but it is regarding the troops -- I really hope I see President Obama at some soldiers' funerals - Bush-brain has never attended one in this whole mess. I totally back Obama, but I think it would really reinforce other's feelings about him if he would attend. It's the right thing to do.
The five former secretaries of state who endorsed McCain--Henry Kissinger, James Baker, George Shultz, Alexander Haig, and Lawrence Eagleburger--declared their endorsement back in January 2008, seven months before McCain selected Sarah Palin as his running mate. So the question arises: Would these reputable statesmen have endorsed McCain had they known who his running mate would be? Have they made public their opinion of Sarah Palin? Can we assume, if they were asked today, that they would say she's qualified to serve as VP?
C. Navarro
There is no doubt Obama will win. There is no doubt the Reps will try to steal it away. What I don't know and fear is will they succeed.
Obama is somewhat of an unknown.
McCain, however, is a known quantity and what I know scares the crap out of me. I would expect a McCain administration to be even more hawkish than the current one.
McCain's approach to foreign policy is best summed up by "If all you have is a hammer everything starts to look like a nail".
I am a Viet Nam veteran. As a soldier, I would not have qualms about serving under President Obama in time of war. I would comfort myself with the knowledge that he would not send me into harm's way unless our cause was just.
It would help if Obama could remember what state he is in:
The 58th state? New Pennsylvania.
Maybe he's a neo-con and we're planning to "liberate" a few more?
I'm a veteran of Desert Storm, activated as an Army reservist. The words you have written resonate to the citizen that I am, and the soldier that I was. The hand of command must be steady and sure. Former Sec. Powell knew that first hand, and didn't let partisan politics prevent him from supporting a man he saw those qualities echoed in. He also knows that, like many soldiers, sailors and airmen, past and present, one does not require a uniform to lead with courage and vision. You hit the nail squarely on the head.
Very insightful post. Great read.
While I agree with Obama that the central war on terrorism is in Afghanistan, I don't believe he's going to allow Al quaeda to lure him into Iraq the sequel.
Obama must show a hard line to counter any McCain attack suggesting weakness, but Obama will listen to his military leaders if they warn against an unwinnable guerilla warfare conflict in the mountains of Afghanistan.
That is a major difference, I believe, from a McCain presidency. I worry that McCain will repeat Bush's disaterous policies, not only with Al quaeda, but with other nations he deems to be "evil."
I support our troops, and that means I don't want them involved in any conflict in which there is no clear strategy for winning, and no clear exit strategy. I truly believe Senator Obama feels the same way.
I'm a die-hard democrat! Voted for Dems since 1987!! I would have broke tradition and voted for Gen. Powell if he ran and was the nominee for the GOP! This man is beyond respectable! For him to 'cross' Bush and the GOP and endorse Obama is paramount! I voted Obama last week, well before this, but urge my 'undecided' or 'confused' friends, which isn't many, to heed Gen. Powell's opinion. Yeah, McCain has 5 republican former sec.y's of state endorsing him, where are the democrat endorsements? Oh, Lieberman? The disgruntled "FORMER" democrat, who brough down VP Gore? I hope, and urge, Mr. Lieberman to fully and officially switch to the GOP. Powell's endorsement vs. Lieberman's endorsement????? Puh-lees!!
Yes, it appears obvious that Obama has won. Now we will see the way the others will steal it.
"gambler's impulse" - excellent characterization and so apt.
As someone who is active duty and currently in Afghanistan I am looking forward to an Obama presidency. His record has made it clear he supports the military and military families as well as Michelle making Military Famililes one of her foci (Hello Blue Star Families for Obama). Unlike the Senator from Arizona who consistenly fails to support the troops or vote for us in a meaningful fashion (New GI Bill anyone? Check out IAVA's congressional report card).
Proud to Serve America...but especially under Mr. Obama.
Donate Obama/Biden 08: http://my.barackobama.com/page/dashboard/public/xqD9W4B
Siobhan
You must be logged in to comment. Log in or connect with
