It is sometimes difficult to appreciate how radical change can only really come from catastrophic failures as well as glittering successes, a point well made by John Nagl in his pioneering study of British operations in Malaya and American intervention in Vietnam. The liberties of a people are in danger from a large standing army, not only because the rulers may employ them for the purposes of supporting themselves in any usurpations of power, which they may see proper to exercise, but there is great hazard, that any army will subvert the forms of the . why is it dangerous to have a peacetime army? We are also holding a public launch event at the Atlantic Council that morning at 9:30 AM, which you can attend by registering here or watch as it is livestreamed. 10. In Madisons statement to the Convention, it referred not to the literal notion of armies marching the citizenry through the streets in shackles but to a kind of metaphorical slavery. But as a soldier, it was not my place to decide: our democratically elected civilian government chooses how to employ the military. On the contrary, such treatment is far more likely to destroy than to make an army. With the benefit of hindsight, it would appear that subsequent U.S. administrations were not beyond entering into such pacts, as the 2020 deal between the United States and the Taliban demonstrates. In the Virginia Declaration of Rights, which was written by George Mason (17251792) and adopted by the Virginia Constitutional Convention in 1776, it states: That a well-regulated militia, composed of the body of the people, trained to arms, is the proper, natural, and safe defense of a free state; that standing armies, in time of peace, should be avoided as dangerous to liberty; and that in all cases the military should be under strict subordination to, and governed by, the civil power. Among the Romans it was a standing maxim to excite a war, whenever a revolt was apprehended. Lyndon Johnsons Role in the Kennedy Assassination, Destroying the Switzerland of Central America, Obamas Wasted, Deadly, and Destructive Presidency, The Torture and Execution of Kiki Camarena, What the CIA Is Hiding in the JFK Assassination, Splinter the CIA into a Thousand Pieces and Scatter It to the Winds. The two go together. The Evil of a Standing Army The contemporary historian of the American Revolution, Mercy Otis Warren, in her History of the Rise, Progress, and Termination of the American Revolution (1805), described the true beginning of the American Revolution as when British troops arrived in Boston in 1768: The troops arrived from Halifax. Here are 10 of the most dangerous: 1. If you can't imagine ever having free health care for you, let alone for your wife and kids, then the military is not for you. The places the United States must police are, in . The Scots Dragoon Guards were there in May 2002 to wage simulated battles against a peer opponent a force led and organized in their own image. The immense costs necessary to raise and maintain a standing army (moneys required for pay, uniforms, rations, weapons, pensions, and so forth) would burden the populace with an immense and crippling tax burden that would require the government to confiscate more and more of the citizenrys wealth in order to meet those massive expenses. As militia they may be subjected to fines to any amount, levied in a military manner; they may be subjected to corporal punishments of the most disgraceful and humiliating kind; and to death itself, by the sentence of a court martial. While polls today generally indicate that Americans think of the military in glowing terms (rightly associating terms like sacrifice, honor, valor, and bravery with military service), Americans of the 18th century took a much dimmer view of the institution of a professional army. This military hegemony has brought. Among the Romans it was a standing maxim to excite a war, whenever a revolt was apprehended. Among the works which have focused their interest on Nobel's peace ideas can be cited Robert Chaplen, "Alfred Nobel. He twice refers to standing armies in his first essay: It has ever been held that standing armies in times of peace are dangerous to a free country; and no observation seems to contain more reason in it. Six years later, the final draft of the Declaration of Independence contained numerous references to King Georges militarism (particularly his attempts to render the army independent of civilian authority, his insistence on quartering the troops among the people, and his importation of mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation, and tyranny); by the end of the War of Independence, hatred of a standing army had become a powerful and near-universal tradition among the American people; the professional British army was nothing less than a conspiracy against liberty.. Few, if any, of them is going to question the constitutionality of such orders at the height of a major crisis any more than they did the presidents order to invade Iraq. I understand what he means, but can you give some specific examples of which events Madison was talking about. What, sir, is the use of a militia? Madisons language reflected a common concern that the maintenance of a standing army in the new United States would place [financial] burdens on the young government [of the United States]. The monetary costs that maintained the army were spread out over the entire populace and those who demanded the armys services paid no additional price. (Extra bonus: The Army wouldnt need to pay for many of these opportunities, thanks to the generous educational benefits provided by the Post-9/11 G.I. As the army had not deployed in large formations in some time, this was to be expected, though it inevitably generated leadership and organizational challenges that Akam retells with considerable detail. It is universally agreed, that a militia and a standing body of troops never yet flourished in the same soil. Armies are tribal systems too and none more so than the British Army. After the hell my Squad Leader's been giving me, I respect him less, not more. IHL offers two systems of protection: one for international armed conflict and another for non-international armed conflict. I am sure there are more . He referred to standing armies in his second letter as that grand engine of oppression. The Federal Farmer wrote a series of letters that were published in the Poughkeepsie Country Journal in late 1787 and early 1788. The militia was always regarded as such until the Militia Act of 1903, which created the modern National Guard, and the rise of gun-control advocates, who try to keep guns out of the hands of the citizenry by redefining the Second Amendment as merely affirming the states right to form National Guard-like militias. Scholarship applications for 2022 are now open for active duty and veterans. Yet, on a training exercise in a phony war, it was applauded by his superiors and quickly assumed its place among his regiments tribal myths. After the U.S. maintained a permanent army, however, things changed. But in so doing, although the magnanimity of their minds will be extinguished, yet the meaner passions of resentment and revenge will be increased, and these in turn will be the ready and obedient instruments of despotism to enslave the others; and that with an irritated vengeance. Fitness expert Stew Smith demonstrates the Frankenstein Walk. Throughout all Europe, the armies kept up under the pretext of defending, have enslaved the people.". You would feel way too guilty receiving free medical care for you and your family. The quirks of tribalism are often reproduced by way of a reinvention of past exploits. Anything that provokes such self-awareness is good for institutions, even tribal ones. Both are equally destructive to liberty, for foreign wars demand enormous expenditures of the taxpayers money, require the sacrifice of life or limb of thousands of the countrys young men, and result in the suppression of civil liberties at home. Akams detailed analysis goes some way to proving the old adage that regular armies may have the watches, but irregular adversaries have all the time in the world. With the full support of the Pentagon and the CIA, Pinochet used his troops, which faithfully and obediently followed his orders, to round up tens of thousands of people, torture them, abuse them, and execute and assassinate thousands of them. Everybodys always talking about why you should join the military, so I decided to give you five reasons not to join the military. There are several different kinds of studying methods when it comes to preparing for the Navy-Wide Advancement Exam. In Federalist #25 Alexander Hamilton elaborates on why he believes a standing army is necessary for the United States and responds to arguments against a National Army. |READ MORE, 2018 Created by the Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media at George Mason University with funding from the U.S. Department of Education (Contract Number ED-07-CO-0088)|READ MORE. While its ideal purpose is to create peace, we do not live in a world of ideals. This was sprayed on the inside walls of houses where the Anopheles mosquito rests after feeding. Why was the Roman army important? In other words, it's not the central government's peacetime standing army that is dangerous. The United Nations Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award recognises the dedication and effort of an individual peacekeeper in promoting the principles within the Security Council Resolution 1325. By Lt. Gen. Antonio Aguto Jr. September 8, 2021. Colonists viewed the various revenue-generating acts as necessitated by the staggering costs associated with maintaining a standing army. According to Akam, Shaw left that meeting with the impression that British officials were done with the conflict and that the task in front of him was to get Britain out of Iraq. This foreign policy directive would have serious consequences for the British Armys position in Basra and, perhaps more importantly, for its reputation with its American partners. Without question, there are many positive aspects of the Army culture that should be maintained, including the Army Values, the Warrior Ethos, and an enduring outlook of mission first, troops always, get it done. However, other elements of its culture are becoming substantial liabilities as the Army faces an increasingly dynamic and challenging operating environment. Signing up for this newsletter means you agree to our data policy, safety paperwork required for a weekend pass. As the quote at the beginning of this piece indicates, the Founding Fathers feared a standing army, and for good reason. Finally, they must put tough new systems in place to vet any newly proposed requirements to ensure that these three standards are always met. Will you order them to be punished? The means of defence agst. foreign danger, have been always the instruments of tyranny at home. The tribal dynamics of Iraqi society, not to mention those sub-national identities that cut across them in sectarian terms, soon rose to the surface, catching the British Army off-guard. Hungary Calls For Ukraine CeasefireWashington FURIOUS! POLICY BRIEF #54. For example, there was the Pinochet military dictatorship, which the U.S. national-security state helped install into power. Many did not. This is why labor leader Samuel Gompers, a member of the Anti-Imperialist League, formed in 1898 in the midst of the Spanish-American War, could say: I propose stating as succinctly as possible the grounds of our opposition to the so-called policy of imperialism and expansion. The People's Liberation Army (PLA) struggles under the legacy of an obsolete command system, rampant corruption, and training of debatable realism, among other issues. [1] This anti-standing army sentiment motivated colonial opposition to post-French and Indian War British policies, intensified after the Boston Massacre, influenced the writings of most founding fathers, and remained politically relevant well after the Revolutionary War ended. As a result, Akam is particularly revealing about the tribulations of tank crews and of those vehicle mechanics who had to rescue stranded tanks in a hostile warzone owing to the overconfidence and self-assuredness of their crews. There's good news and bad news here. It includes 50 recommendations to help the U.S. Army prepare for the long-term future while still dominating a broad range of current and near-term conflicts. Matt Jennings. In most cases, they probably also desire to see the scope of their power expanded and their pay increased. This power can be exercised not only without violating the Constitution, but in strict conformity with it; it is calculated for this express purpose, and will doubtless be executed accordingly. When Maj. Gen. Jonathan Shaw, the Parachute Regiment officer who had previously led the United Kingdoms special forces, found himself taking over command from Maj. Gen. Richard Shirreff in 2007, he was well attuned to the complexity of the security situation. All too often the standing armies of Europe were regarded as, at best, a rationale for imposing high taxes, and, at worst, a means to control the civilian population and extort its wealth.. Most of the disincentives for war disappeared. They need to mentor the services rising stars to invest in and value educational and broadening pursuits and, even more importantly, ensure that promotion boards recognize, incentivize, and reward these choices as vital contributions to the future of the service. On September 21, the Atlantic Council will publish our major report, The Future of the Army: Today, Tomorrow, and the Day After Tomorrow. Gates's latest book, " Exercise of Power ," offers a stark view of the world. Throughout all Europe, the armies kept up under the pretext of defending, have enslaved the people. Image Credit:PxHere (https://creativecommons.org/choose/zero/), , and he has written on libertarianism, anarchism, and private alternatives to state authority. Their column appears in War on the Rocks every third Tuesday. It found that it was literally impossible for Army officers to meet all the requirements imposed on them by higher headquarters, yet also found that failing to meet those same requirements was professionally unacceptable. Instead, the support and defense of such regimes has always been considered to be part and parcel of working with our partners and allies in the defense of national security. As Williams points out in her op-ed, the soldiers job is to obey the orders of his president, not determine the rightness of them or their constitutionality. More than is generally appreciated, the contact (between Indians and whites) was even friendly, or at least peaceful. As weve argued at War on the Rocks before, the Army is inundated with more regulations and bureaucratic processes than any other military service. Elbridge Gerry, Fifth Vice President of the United States. In June of 1787, James Madison addressed the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia on the dangers of a permanent army. You will advert to the dangerous and oppressive consequences, that may ensue from the introduction of standing armies in times of peace; those baneful engines of ambition, against which free nations have always guarded with the greatest degree of caution. Now that is the bad news -- you won't be really old when you retire from the military. Imagine how bad you would feel accepting the military's world-class health care and not paying a dime for it. In reality, the blame for the British Armys failings in Iraq should be laid in equal measure at the doors of both the political and military hierarchies. But the militia, as it is still defined in Title 10 of the U.S. Code, consists of all able-bodied males at least 17 years of age and, except as provided in section 313 of title 32, under 45 years of age who are, or who have made a declaration of intention to become, citizens of the United States and of female citizens of the United States who are members of the National Guard. A well-regulated and well-armed militia under the control of the several states was viewed by the Anti-Federalists as being essential to secure the liberties of the people. The idea that peacetime corrodes and ossifies armies, making them less combat effective, is a central tenet of Simon Akam's new book, The Changing of the Guard: The British Army Since 9/11, though what also comes across loud and clear is the debilitating effects of tribalism on what some have referred to as "the world's best little army.". This article is republished with permission from the AntiWar blog. The means of defense against foreign danger, have been always the instruments of tyranny at home. For those who have little or no contact with the military, many of the customs and traditions Akam describes in his weighty tome might be regarded as exotic. The president never secured a congressional declaration of war against Iraq, and every soldier, including Williams, knew that. The fundamental difference between a peacetime army and a wartime army is that, in . In the decade before the Declaration of Independence, Parliament passed a series of acts intended to raise money within the colonies. The means of defence against foreign danger, have been always the instruments of tyranny at home. Yet on the future battlefield, where communications networks are likely to be degraded, even Army junior leaders will have to be comfortable operating with unparalleled autonomy, guided only by their understanding of mission and intent. Education is very expensive, and $100,000 is actually a very conservative estimate for a four-year degree. Had Akam persevered beyond the end date of major combat operations in these theaters of war, he might have seen how institutions, even tribal-based ones, can reach a tipping point where self-awareness drives forward positive change, at least in terms of the British Armys collective mindset. Seeking out conflicting ideas and encouraging genuine dialogue must be seen as prized components of good leadership, instilled in doctrine and evaluated in fitness reports when assessing leaders future potential. Instead, readers are left with an impression of an institution where long-term peace has rusted much of what is going on.. Such an instrument is a standing army. All rights reserved. Major geopolitical dimensions are also at play, with Russia, the US . Anti-intellectualism in the Army is not new, but it has grown as an unintended consequence of the recent wars. The Anti-Federalists Were Opposed to Federal Control over the Militia The Impartial Examiner, in his first essay, referenced above, explained his preference for a militia over a standing army: It has been urged that they are necessary to provide against sudden attacks. The eleventh one concerns the subject at hand: That the power of organizing, arming and disciplining the militia (the manner of disciplining the militia to be prescribed by Congress) remain with the individual states, and that Congress shall not have authority to call or march any of the militia out of their own state, without the consent of such state, and for such length of time only as such state shall agree. Such sentiments may be understandable during wartime, though they inevitably have harmful long-term consequences. He was born and raised in Laredo, Texas, and received his B.A. There was the Shah of Iran, a brutal dictator who was reinstalled into power by the CIA, and whose national intelligence/police force was trained by the CIA in the art of torture. No one seems to be arguing against an . 1. As long as the army stands, peace is unlikely to be achieved or long-lasting. Tyrants have uniformly depended upon the latter, at the expense of the former. 13. As long as the army stands, peace is unlikely to be achieved or long-lasting. Instead of existing to defend the country, U.S. troops exist to serve as the presidents personal attack force, ready to obey his latest command to deploy to any country for any reason. This is the more remarkable, because even when the distresses of the late war and the evident disaffection of many citizens of that description inflamed our passions, and when every person who was obliged to risk his own life must have been exasperated against such as on any account kept back from the common danger, yet even then, when outrage and violence might have been expected, the rights of conscience were held sacred. This would produce officers with a much broader range of talents, who would be educated and then employed effectively across more than one skill to support the Armys disparate needs. Micromanagement in garrison is also rampant, undermining the very principles of mission command that the Army then expects its soldiers to practice when fighting. Smoking, yelling, and torturing dudes who signed up to fight and possibly die for their country and comrades is not leadership. In 1783, Continental Army officers encamped at Newburgh circulated documents that leveled a vague threat against Congress if the government continued its refusal to pay the soldiers. Thus, as a practical matter the soldiers supreme loyalty is to the president, his commander in chief, not the Constitution. Left unchecked, the Armys camouflaged version of helicopter parenting will inexorably destroy the initiative and judgment of its junior leaders and ultimately debilitate the way the Army fights. Another point to bear in mind is that not all officer fatalities are homicides. In most cases, they probably also desire to see the scope of their power expanded and their pay increased. Instead, we believe the most critical prescriptions involve changing parts of the Armys culture those elements of the Armys self-identity that are problematic, outdated, or both. The advocates at the present day, for a standing army in the New Congress pretend it is necessary for the respectability of government. Cultural standards that value process over substance, muffle the ideas of junior personnel, and disparage education and critical thinking must be eradicated and replaced with new norms that reward willingness to think creatively, innovate, and change.
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