Comments on: Where Have All the Achesons Gone?

By: Icepick

Icepick — Fri, 30 Sep 2005 21:31:06 +0000

kreiz, militarists serving the higher calling of the public good is great when the militarist is named Cincinattus, not so good when the name is Caesar. We’ve ducked the Caesar’s to this point, but for how much longer?

By: kreiz

kreiz — Fri, 30 Sep 2005 19:11:40 +0000

Callimachus- you’re expressed the reservation about the career military before. From a historical perspective, I understand this. But as a practical one, militarists seem to be the last haven for the higher calling of the Public Good. On the civilian side, there’s seemingly more concern about career advancement and finances.

By: Karl Gallagher

Karl Gallagher — Fri, 30 Sep 2005 18:31:35 +0000

Personally, I’m happier having the ship of state’s course be the average of the voters’ whims, than having it set by some mandarins who might pick a destination the rest of us don’t want to go to.

By: Callimachus

Callimachus — Fri, 30 Sep 2005 06:37:00 +0000

Yep.

“It is not a good sign that in the American republic the officer corps has become the mandarinate by default.”

When I read that I at once thought of Gen. Honore down in New Orleans. Good man doing a great job, but this is not what the military is for, and the want of a civilian capable of stepping up to that plate is disheartening.

By: Joshua

Joshua — Fri, 30 Sep 2005 04:00:09 +0000

I just finished reading the original article in its entirety. A long read, but very thorough, fascinating and definitely worthwhile. For some time now I’ve had the feeling that American democracy was sailing into uncharted waters, but couldn’t quite place the source of my apprehension. Mr. Lind does so very well. The years ahead look to be very interesting for America and Britain, to say the least.