Stop wasting my time.

Its good that there is one person in the world who takes you seriously. Remember to thank yourself for your support...

No, I hold that I won't accuse the war college of being political toadies simply because they reach a conclusion that I don't agree with.

Of course, that you come to that conclusion even absent there pronouncement on the subject has no bearing on your support of them in this case, right? We both know better. Stop wasting my time.

I agree, it is a creepy concept and I do not support making it mandatory.

I agree. There, take that Bernard! :)

So, Anjin now holds military leadership never errs, and never succombs to political reality.

No, I hold that I won't accuse the war college of being political toadies simply because they reach a conclusion that I don't agree with. As for Peterus, HIS boss was the one who said he was too involved in politics. I guess you missed this part.

In the absence of a coherent argument, you trod your well-traveled path of hyperbole followed by anointing yourself victor in yet another joust. "Fake it till you make it".. right?

Of Peterus, I must say politics aside, that his accomplishments are very impressive, and I give the Bush administration credit for a successful game plan change that we can file under better late than never...

it is hard to imbue this into conscripts outside of life or death situations.

Actually, it's not that hard. The mechanisms for doing this have been known for centuries. However, I agree with you to the extent that I doubt we'll put them in place. Actually, when put them in place is the time to start worrying.

What is the effect of all this 'free' labor on the market place? If the government 'volunteers' are out fixing roads how does my paving company compete?

You'll get the contract to go back and correct the repairs done by unskilled "free labor". It always costs more to go back and re-do a job than it does to do it in the first place. Remember, these are unskilled people doing mandatory time. A person who volunteers out of free will is motivated to do a good job. One who is forced to "volunteer" has little motivation except to avoid the whip. Combat soldiers fight for the guy next to them, it is hard to imbue this into conscripts outside of life or death situations.

Is this the same guy who complained about Bush's generals being motivated by something other than military reality in Iraq, and that Bush's generals were only feeding him what he wanted to hear?

Laughable. You'd better quit while you're behind, hoss.

Personally, I'm not quite so naieve to think that the place is immune to the political.

Right, you "support the troops" when it is politically convenient for you, and if it is not, why you don't hesitate to accuse the men who actually wear the uniform of subordinating their duty to politics.

Disgusting, but hardly surprising. When you political needs require it, you are very quick to take an anti-military position...

The US Army War College disagrees with you.

Somehow, I doubt that were they to have dared to disagree with YOU, you'd have been quite so quick to leap into an appeal to authority.

Personlly, I'm not quite so naieve to think that the place is immune to the political.

What is the effect of all this 'free' labor on the market place? If the government 'volunteers' are out fixing roads how does my paving company compete?

Interesting question. My guess is that a road construction project involving a ton of unskilled labor would require the government to contract for paving companies to provide teaching and supervision. See 1930s Germany for an example of how that works.

And that would decidedly not have been the outcome had we stayed and finished the job.

Covered ground. The US Army War College disagrees with you. I will go with the opinion of experts who are actually willing to put their lives on the line in combat over a blowhard armchair warrior... (that would be you)