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I have not liked our CJCS for quite a while - since, at least 2014. I see him as an icon of the bureaucratized GOs (for me - the Army) in our armed forces - hyperpolitical, risk averse, arrogant in our (and their) superiority.

Consider that Mark Milley grew up on small country "swat downs" like Haiti, "video game" wars like Iraqi Freedom, and really came of age in the anti-terrorist war(s) of the 2000s. He's never faced a peer or near peer, nor has he ever needed to make the hard decisions of winning a losable war.

I would never discount the efforts of our military in these conflicts. But I don't think they were ever going to provide the right lessons for leaders. Now those leaders are more interested in happy talk for budgets, "war" games that follow the same path or reach the conclusion desired, and political/bureaucratic clout.

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"nor has he ever needed to make the hard decisions of winning a losable war." Bravo. I am adding this quote to my signature block. That is one of the highest accolades I can provide in our garrison/bureaucratic/peacetime Army. Just behind the ultimate compliment, "this is a really good slide."

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