CJCS had a chat this AM with Fareed Zakariya. How did this guy get to be Chairman? It must be Panetta. He must have experienced a "Road to Damascus" moment like that in which FDR decided that George Marshall would be Army Chief of Staff. I had hardly heard of Dempsey over the years. The view and sound of him was obscured by the dust and noise thrown up by the self promotion campaigns of people like McChrystal, Petraeus, Rodriquez and Odierno.
Wow! He can walk and speak English properly at the same time. He speaks in whole sentences instead of the chopped up lingo that a lot of generals use as a defence against possible future blame. He sees the world with a remarkable depth of knowledge as a base. He is not afraid of the Israeli/AIPAC menace. He is properly deferential to elected government. He isn't looking for a fight with anyone.
My! My! Hallelujah! Zakariya looked relieved to have an adult as interlocutor. Thank you. Thank you, whoever you were who chose him. pl
http://globalpublicsquare.blogs.cnn.com/2012/02/17/watch-gps-martin-dempsey-on-syria-iran-and-china/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Dempsey
I'm an unsophisticated outsider looking from afar.
But could it be, that just like President Lincoln, it has taken President Obama a few years to find the right Generals?
Posted by: Farmer Don | 19 February 2012 at 12:53 PM
Shocking, he uses the word "prudent" and seems to understand its meaning. Responsible, adult thinking.
Now if we could only get the guys in the banking and financial community to start using such words and acting on them.
Posted by: jtjt | 19 February 2012 at 01:01 PM
To the casual observer, he reminds
one of another General in appearance
and tenor of thought, Gen. Brent
Scowcroft.
Posted by: steve g | 19 February 2012 at 01:14 PM
I could understand the first part of what you were saying but I got a bit lost towards the end. This is a difficult subject to understand
Posted by: تبلیغات در گوگل | 19 February 2012 at 01:24 PM
Well, it finally happened - public television news finally interviewed LTC Daniel L. Davis, who I believe is providing the most significant revelation of the sad “yes sir” and “can do” misinformation on Afghanistan which has come from military “leaders” in the face of seriously negative reality. LTC Davis is likely to become a sacrifice in the bureaucratic process but I wish him good luck. To me he is a hero. It appears that GEN Dempsey represents a change for the better at the highest level and hopefully we will see a distancing from simplistic views such as “successful surges” and COIN concepts that we have experienced in Iraq and Afghanistan. Things are looking up.
Posted by: stanleyhenning | 19 February 2012 at 02:23 PM
thank you for this post, Colonel. It made my day. It's nice to have some good news.
btw, Zakaria has an excellent piece in WP you might enjoy:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/history-could-be-a-deterrent-to-iranian-aggression/2012/02/15/gIQA6UVcGR_story.html
Posted by: brenda | 19 February 2012 at 02:42 PM
If Iranian leadership is considered to be a rational actor what would that make the Israeli leadership?
Posted by: Dioa | 19 February 2012 at 03:43 PM
Stan
Unfortunately, Margaret did not seem to treat him with much respect. pl
Posted by: turcopolier | 19 February 2012 at 03:51 PM
tablighat dar kawkal
Is that correct? Some sort of Islamist? We are no more monolithic than you are. I was rejoicing in this mercy shown us at last. pl
Posted by: turcopolier | 19 February 2012 at 03:57 PM
A rational actor with nuclear weapons?
Posted by: Cameron | 19 February 2012 at 04:49 PM
Know a guy, top of his class at West Point, who worked at a the same duty station once where Dempsey, of whom he knew in passing, was also assigned...I can't remember what his rank was supposed to be then. While there, circumstances brought them into an opportunity to have a long chat... apparently one of those hurry up and wait situations. He was so impressed that he's always remembered that conversation. He's out of the Army now, but he's totally relieved that Dempsey was appointed.
Posted by: PhoneyBaloney | 19 February 2012 at 05:16 PM
Dear Col. Lang:
IMHO Obama wanted LTG Cartwright as his first choice. It would've been a tough confirmation fight due to his position during the Afghan surge policy deliberation. When the charges of sexual misconduct arose that probably doomed his candidacy. I think both generals would've served the republic well.
Posted by: Neil Richardson | 19 February 2012 at 05:55 PM
If America is lucky a new narrative has started and maybe americans including the raptor wing of the republican party can be walked of the ledge cause as things stood the only thing that seemed likely to deter their raptor-like actions would be a straight jacket.
Education is an amazing thing and the american press is in charge.
Posted by: samuelburke | 19 February 2012 at 06:12 PM
Pat
Only caught a part of the interview but he seems very impressive. Perhaps there is hope....
Regards,
Russ
Posted by: Russ | 19 February 2012 at 06:15 PM
This was Dempsey's talk last year a month after he was made Army Chief of Staff. Enjoyble to listen to for his cast of mind, although there's a lot of shop talk. Does that mean the unsufferable Rumsfeld-Military-Strategist Thomas Barnett is FINALLY GONE...ohh please, Lord.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmH-jkMKjMM
Posted by: MRW | 19 February 2012 at 06:43 PM
Perhaps times are changing...
http://www.stripes.com/news/midlevel-officers-weigh-risk-reward-of-criticizing-army-leadership-1.168020
Posted by: Neil Richardson | 19 February 2012 at 06:51 PM
Col Lang
I always try to catch GPS on Sundays - I generally learn something. Now that General Dempsey is CJCS does that mean we are lot less likely to go after the Persian Big Adventure ? Every thing I have read about Gen Dempsey seems to indicate that the he can & will stand up to the neo cons and the Likud , Was it not Gen Dempsey that went to see BiBi and shortly thereafter the joint military IDF exercise in the Eastern Med was cancelled ?
Posted by: alinaustex | 19 February 2012 at 08:51 PM
alinaustex
yes. it was. pl
Posted by: turcopolier | 19 February 2012 at 10:04 PM
MRW
Well, he is in charge of "the shop." pl
Posted by: turcopolier | 19 February 2012 at 10:05 PM
NR
Yes. Either would have been a blessing. pl
Posted by: turcopolier | 19 February 2012 at 10:06 PM
Col. Lang, do you think there are enough like minded of high rank left to help Dempsey turn the thing around? The Bush/Rummy years took a toll. I think of others of good intentions. Fallon comes to mind. I have always felt that the full truth of his "Not on my watch" statement will never be fully told or appreciated. And Gen. Byrnes, I always thought the official story was total BS.
I sincerely hope that Dempsey receives the help he will need. What a breath of fresh air.
Posted by: Agincajun | 19 February 2012 at 11:27 PM
And he's got a good singing voice too.....but I'll hold my judgment till the year is up.
Posted by: jonst | 20 February 2012 at 06:56 AM
alinaustex
Col Lang is it more likely or less likely we will go to war with Iran now ? It seems to me the atmospherics at least for now-are such that we are no longer on the glide path to war with the Persians. One hope I hold is that even the sheeple are begining to see AIPAC & the rest of the Likudniks as not having our best interest at heart.
The tragic lessons from the pain and suffering still ongoing from "George and Dicks excellent adventure in Mespotamia" might actually have caused the sheeple pause in believing this next "slam dunk " in the ME.
Posted by: alinaustex | 20 February 2012 at 07:25 AM
Neil; Cartwright was a General. . .more over according to a story in the Washington Post he may have had some personnel issues that could have been messy.
Posted by: Townie76 | 20 February 2012 at 08:11 AM
You're right. I had a brain cramp confusing his rank with Douglas Lute's.
Posted by: Neil Richardson | 20 February 2012 at 08:54 AM