Perhaps This General Should Be Secretary of Defense

 

Gen. Mike Minihan, Commander of Air Mobility Command, Scott Air Force Base, IL.

As I watched the Chinese intelligence gathering balloon float (unimpeded) across the American sky, I remembered a story that caused a minor sensation last week. Perhaps the Pentagon should have paid closer attention to it.

The Commander of the Air Force Mobility Command (AMC), General Mike Minihan issued a letter to his troops telling them that this country would be at war with China in 2025.  The letter, more or less, told his troops to buckle up their helmet straps and be ready to fight. (A link to the letter is below.)

Reactions to the letter were mixed.  In most of the MSM, the letter was forgotten after a day.  Within the Department of Defense, there was some indignation followed by disdain. The official DOD response was that Minihan’s remarks were “not representative of the department’s view on China…The National Defense Strategy makes it clear that China is the pacing challenge (?) for the Department of Defense…”.  Many in Washington’s civilian intelligentsia were derisive, saying that Minihan’s letter “…confuses and stokes tensions with  China unnecessarily” and “there’s no benefit in saying a conflict could occur.” 

Within the hallowed halls of Congress, reactions were predictably split along party lines.  Most Republicans were supportive of Minihan’s remarks.  The Democrats recoiled in horror.  Most interesting to me were the remarks of Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA), “…when anyone starts talking about war with China being inevitable, Generals need to be very cautious about saying we’re going to war.”

Actually, Smith gave away the game during his remarks on FOX when he admitted that U.S. military readiness was a “huge problem”: “…we don’t have the industrial base…and we don’t have the ability to ramp up the industrial base.”  He went on to explain that without a “demand signal,” manufacturers don’t want to make a “major investment” in increasing production and that American taxpayers “don’t want to spend a ton of money on weapons that we don’t need.”  Hmmm.

Even within his own command, Minihan’s letter was met with concern.  One officer (rank, name, and job not given) huffed that the letter was “inappropriate.”  Others groused that airmen shouldn’t be tasked with requirements such as weapons qualification and warfighting.  Many felt their job was to haul material from place to place and nothing more.

So that’s where we’re at today.  Our generals are expected to be careful and not alarm our largest and most belligerent enemy.  Our Congressional leaders appear to be saying that America doesn’t have the wherewithal to fight a war and never will have.  And, some in the ranks of our military seem to believe that their jobs don’t involve defending themselves and the nation.

How did we get into such a sorry state?  The reasons are too many to be covered in this post.  (In fact, I believe I’ve dealt with most of them in other posts.)

But just to reply to some of General Minihan’s detractors.  For his superiors in DOD, I would suggest that they give careful thought to his words.  Do you really believe that China is a “Pacing Challenge” (whatever that is), or should you begin to think about China as a mortal enemy?  To those defeatists in Congress and think tanks who believe it is useless to even try to get on an immediate war footing; What is the alternative to building up our national defenses?  To those of you in the ranks of AMC who believe that it is not your job to fight the enemy:  What did you expect when you raised your right hand and swore an oath?  Perhaps it is not your job to be a trigger puller; however, that does not mean that you shouldn’t be able to pull a trigger.  Maybe the General’s aiming point was 18 inches too high but that does not mean that you shouldn’t be able to hit a target with some proficiency.

Perhaps I’m too old.  Perhaps everything I learned in 27 years of military service is now passe.  Or, perhaps, our country’s leaders simply don’t care.

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  1. Django Member
    Django
    @Django

    I realized that the country was screwed during the second Gulf War. I was working in a defense company and a co-worker in the reserves was activated. He wasn’t a kid, but rather a Marine Lt. Colonel. When he was overseas a few of us were sending care packages to him and the others who had gone with him. One SFB about twenty years younger than I asked if the colonel and I were really close, and when I said that I hardly knew him, he asked why I was helping send the care packages. I said, “The guy is off putting his a$$ on the line for us. We owe him.” I was told that “he volunteered” and that it was his job. As if that mattered. To this fool and many of his generation, the military was just another job. Getting blown away was just part of the task description, I guess. They could just opt out. 

    • #1
  2. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    I’m as disappointed as you are. What a sad commentary on our military. They are an embarrassment. 

    • #2
  3. Hang On Member
    Hang On
    @HangOn

    It’s been only too obvious since the beginning of the war in the Ukraine how unprepared we are for a war with a peer competitor. It’s a major reason I am opposed to sending weapons, escalating, avoiding serious negotiation and all the rest of what the neocons are trying to do. Our Ukraine/Eastern European policy has been a disaster since 1991. 

    Similarly, our Chinese policy has been a disaster since 1991. While I don’t think war with China is inevitable, our policy gives us the worst of all possible outcomes.  On the one hand, we are being unnecessarily provocative regarding Taiwan (and the South China Sea) while on the other hand we are not preparing the groundwork for any such confrontation- which in itself becomes provocative. 

    One of the duties of the military brass is to prepare for war. That doesn’t mean going to war. It means being prepared. We aren’t. 

     

    • #3
  4. Bunsen Coolidge
    Bunsen
    @Bunsen

    I pray those under his command (and all other military who read his letter) take it to heart.  My nephew is with the 25th out at Scofield.  Yes I am a proud uncle but if just 10% of our forces are like him, we will be in good shape.  Just as Mike Rowe pounds the pulpit for the trades, we need similar voices on the military.  And take out the trash in the Pentagon so we can focus on we need to focus on.

    It’s not just a job, its an adventure!

     

     

    • #4
  5. JoelB Member
    JoelB
    @JoelB

    Hang On (View Comment):
    One of the duties of the military brass is to prepare for war. That doesn’t mean going to war. It means being prepared. 

    Indeed. Else why have them at all?

    • #5
  6. cdor Member
    cdor
    @cdor

    Why is Russia the bad guy and China is not? Isn’t it as plain as the nose on one’s face? The only mortal enemy that we face is China. In population, economics, and militarization, not to mention antagonism, China is a super enemy. Yet China is given a pass by the left on every malevolent thing it does, including dumping carbon into our atmosphere with extreme disregard for the left’s greatest fear…CLIMATE CHANGE!!!!!

    • #6
  7. Skyler Coolidge
    Skyler
    @Skyler

    Not even the Marines are immune from this tendency.  We gave away all of our tanks, a huge chunk of our artillery, even major segments of our infantry units are gone.  Tossed away.  Nothing in return, all done in the hope that someday we might have something better arrive.

    But that something they want better is most definitely not better.   The Marines are about to lose all their traditions and esprit.  And for what?  A strategy that relies on a few staff sergeants on remote islands and missile launchers just in case the Chinese decide to send ships in their direction. It’s stupid and frankly against the law.   Why would the Marines be on tropical islands sipping cocktails waiting for ships to sink?   You know a better way to sink ships?  US navy ships. They move around and can go to where the targets are instead of sitting and waiting for them to come into range.

    Military readiness is not just eroding or slowly decaying.  It’s being bull dozed and blown up purposefully by our own military leaders.

    • #7
  8. Victor Tango Kilo Member
    Victor Tango Kilo
    @VtheK

    China does not have a history of military aggression or of involving itself in military conflicts in distant lands. Not defending China, but just pointing this out. 

    China does not need to defeat us militarily. They have already bought off our academic, corporate, and political establishment including ‘The Big Guy.’ With cooperation from both parties, they’ve used the border crisis to degrade our culture with free flows of fentanyl and methamphetamine.  Also, our national debt is a ticking time bomb. China just needs to wait us out. We’re close to the end of our empire. 

    If the USA is at war with China in 2025, it will be because our political class instigated a war for their own reasons. China doesn’t need a war to defeat us, they just need patience. 

    • #8
  9. Skyler Coolidge
    Skyler
    @Skyler

    Victor Tango Kilo (View Comment):

    China does not have a history of military aggression or of involving itself in military conflicts in distant lands. Not defending China, but just pointing this out.

    China does not need to defeat us militarily. They have already bought off our academic, corporate, and political establishment including ‘The Big Guy.’ With cooperation from both parties, they’ve used the border crisis to degrade our culture with free flows of fentanyl and methamphetamine. Also, our national debt is a ticking time bomb. China just needs to wait us out. We’re close to the end of our empire.

    If the USA is at war with China in 2025, it will be because our political class instigated a war for their own reasons. China doesn’t need a war to defeat us, they just need patience.

    All true, to an extent.  The difference is Xi wants things to happen while he’s still in charge, and he most definitely wants Taiwan.

    • #9
  10. CACrabtree Coolidge
    CACrabtree
    @CACrabtree

    Skyler (View Comment):

    Not even the Marines are immune from this tendency. We gave away all of our tanks, a huge chunk of our artillery, even major segments of our infantry units are gone. Tossed away. Nothing in return, all done in the hope that someday we might have something better arrive.

    But that something they want better is most definitely not better. The Marines are about to lose all their traditions and esprit. And for what? A strategy that relies on a few staff sergeants on remote islands and missile launchers just in case the Chinese decide to send ships in their direction. It’s stupid and frankly against the law. Why would the Marines be on tropical islands sipping cocktails waiting for ships to sink? You know a better way to sink ships? US navy ships. They move around and can go to where the targets are instead of sitting and waiting for them to come into range.

    Military readiness is not just eroding or slowly decaying. It’s being bull dozed and blown up purposefully by our own military leaders.

    I could never understand the Corps getting rid of its tanks.  Going to war without armor is suicide.

    From what I’ve read, the Army and Army Nationa Guard were only too happy to take those tankers who wanted to transfer.

    • #10
  11. CACrabtree Coolidge
    CACrabtree
    @CACrabtree

    Susan Quinn (View Comment):

    I’m as disappointed as you are. What a sad commentary on our military. They are an embarrassment.

    Well, I was utterly mystified by Rep. Smith’s comments.  40-50 years ago we were the greatest industrial power on the planet.  Then came cheap Japanese steel and cars followed by even cheaper Chinese goods.  

    I remember when Megatrends came out (in 1982) and John Naisbitt told how wonderful it was going to be for this country to shift from industrial production to providing “services and information”.  That was B.S. then and it’s B.S. now.  Of course, the USW and UAW had a lot to do with that but that didn’t mean it was inevitable.

    There have been many hands involved in this and all should be ashamed of themselves.

    • #11
  12. Django Member
    Django
    @Django

    CACrabtree (View Comment):

    Susan Quinn (View Comment):

    I’m as disappointed as you are. What a sad commentary on our military. They are an embarrassment.

    Well, I was utterly mystified by Rep. Smith’s comments. 40-50 years ago we were the greatest industrial power on the planet. Then came cheap Japanese steel and cars followed by even cheaper Chinese goods.

    I remember when Megatrends came out (in 1982) and John Naisbitt told how wonderful it was going to be for this country to shift from industrial production to providing “services and information”. That was B.S. then and it’s B.S. now. Of course, the USW and UAW had a lot to do with that but that didn’t mean it was inevitable.

    There have been many hands involved in this and all should be ashamed of themselves.

    Seems like about thirty years ago when we heard the Europeans and academics start babbling about “soft power”. I guess the deep state bought into the idea and forgot that soft power needs to be backed by the ability to use hard force. 

    • #12
  13. Flicker Coolidge
    Flicker
    @Flicker

    CACrabtree (View Comment):

    I remember when Megatrends came out (in 1982) and John Naisbitt told how wonderful it was going to be for this country to shift from industrial production to providing “services and information”.  That was B.S. then and it’s B.S. now.  Of course, the USW and UAW had a lot to do with that but that didn’t mean it was inevitable.

    I’m sort of mystified.  I first heard about moving from an industrial economy to a service economy back in elementary school in 1967.  As a kid I thought it didn’t make sense.  It seemed at the time, a servant never makes as much money as the employer who pays the servant.  If we don’t manufacture anything, that puts us at the mercy of those who do.  Who will we serve?

    • #13
  14. cdor Member
    cdor
    @cdor

    Victor Tango Kilo (View Comment):

    China does not have a history of military aggression or of involving itself in military conflicts in distant lands. Not defending China, but just pointing this out.

    China does not need to defeat us militarily. They have already bought off our academic, corporate, and political establishment including ‘The Big Guy.’ With cooperation from both parties, they’ve used the border crisis to degrade our culture with free flows of fentanyl and methamphetamine. Also, our national debt is a ticking time bomb. China just needs to wait us out. We’re close to the end of our empire.

    If the USA is at war with China in 2025, it will be because our political class instigated a war for their own reasons. China doesn’t need a war to defeat us, they just need patience.

    We are doing everything we can to weaken our country while strengthening China. In that respect, I agree, if they are patient, they most likely won’t need to destroy us militarily. plus it wouldn’t be smart in the long run. However, as far as their history goes, they haven’t been a communist totalitarian country very long. There isn’t that much history to compare.

    • #14
  15. Bob Thompson Member
    Bob Thompson
    @BobThompson

    I think this General sees a move in progress where China is trying to get a grip on the power to control America and this must happen very soon because China demographics are in a downtrend that is not recoverable in the near term or the long term, and the US has an opposite demographic outlook. The recent balloon episode, resulting in the cancellation of a diplomatic meeting, just adds to that. I think we might be close to an event that needs to occur while Biden is still in office that will reveal this Chinese strategy and give added credence to what the General said. 

    • #15
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