Why don't I take military funding? (2004)
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Why don't I take military funding? (2004)
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Re: Why don't I take military funding? (2004)
#2Good for him.
Disclaimer: I'm a recent PhD grad from MIT doing computer vision for military satellite imaging
Re: Why don't I take military funding? (2004)
#3"The goal of the military is to settle international conflict through violence."
That is misleading. The purpose of the military is to safeguard the interests of our country through its presence and--if necessary--decisive violence. No US military leader wants to fight a war; that notion is absurd.
Don't confuse the desires of the military with the occasional desires of its civilian leadership.
Re: Why don't I take military funding? (2004)
#4"The goal of the military is to settle international conflict through violence." That is misleading. The purpose of the military is to safeguard the interests of our country through its presence and--if necessary--decisive violence. No US military leader wants to fight a war; that notion is absurd. Don't confuse the desires of the military with the occasional desires of its civilian leadership.
Well, regardless of what it wants, it’s primary means of achieving those ends is through violence or the threat of violence.
The military is not particularly well suited to nation building and other peaceful tasks, as we’ve repeatedly seen.
Re: Why don't I take military funding? (2004)
#5While I don't come to the same conclusion, I think this is a great example of presenting a well reasoned argument for a position that is not widely held. I would love to see more debate over topics like this they doesn't resort to name calling, straw man arguments and all or nothing conclusions.
Re: Why don't I take military funding? (2004)
#6Many of the reasons he stated can also be applied to VC funding:
> One thing that makes the slope so slippery is that you have accumulated responsibility for a lab full of graduate students, and the consequences of a major drop in funding will be even more painful for them than it is for you.
Re: Why don't I take military funding? (2004)
#7"The goal of the military is to settle international conflict through violence." That is misleading. The purpose of the military is to safeguard the interests of our country through its presence and--if necessary--decisive violence. No US military leader wants to fight a war; that notion is absurd. Don't confuse the desires of the military with the occasional desires of its civilian leadership.
To settle international conflict through violence and the threat of violence.
Re: Why don't I take military funding? (2004)
#8"The goal of the military is to settle international conflict through violence." That is misleading. The purpose of the military is to safeguard the interests of our country through its presence and--if necessary--decisive violence. No US military leader wants to fight a war; that notion is absurd. Don't confuse the desires of the military with the occasional desires of its civilian leadership.
With respect, that amount to much of the same with different words.
Not that I disagree with you or him, just pointing out that to me you two differ in you points of view, not in substance.
Re: Why don't I take military funding? (2004)
#9"The goal of the military is to settle international conflict through violence." That is misleading. The purpose of the military is to safeguard the interests of our country through its presence and--if necessary--decisive violence. No US military leader wants to fight a war; that notion is absurd. Don't confuse the desires of the military with the occasional desires of its civilian leadership.
I'd agree, although I don't think the author is being deliberately misleading, it's probably more an issue of public perception due to Hollywood and anecdotal conversations. DoD members swear to "support and defend the constitution of the United States, against all enemies, foreign and domestic". Sometimes that means brandishing a stick, sometimes that means swinging it, but we're pretty agnostic about the means to achieve that defense.
Re: Why don't I take military funding? (2004)
#10"The goal of the military is to settle international conflict through violence." That is misleading. The purpose of the military is to safeguard the interests of our country through its presence and--if necessary--decisive violence. No US military leader wants to fight a war; that notion is absurd. Don't confuse the desires of the military with the occasional desires of its civilian leadership.
The vast majority of soldiers I know, whom have been blooded in war, do not wish military conflict to occur.
"War is politics by other means", paraphrasing von Clausewitz. Its fundamentally backing up one's political positions by force of arms, to impose upon one's adversary.
While there are some jingoistic people who relish conflict, they tend not to be the ones making decisions. This isn't always the case, but militaries know what happens when adventurism runs amok.
That is, wise generals would prefer (imperfect) political solutions to problems, as compared to imposition of will by force. But simultaneously, they know they may be called upon to impose that force.