[Vision2020] Debate ideas, Not People

[Tom Hansen]

>From the July 10, 2006 edition of the Army Times -

In the not-too-distant past several generals were heavily criticized for
expressing opinions not favorable to the Bush administration.  Copied and
pasted below are two (of several) letters written and submitted to the Army
Times.

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Debate ideas, not people

It is clear that the retired community, including retired flag officers, is
widely split regarding what is proper or improper concerning speaking out.

I would urge my fellow retired officers to not engage in attacking the
motives or the character of those who have chosen to speak out.

Absent clear policy, regulations, standards or ethical guidelines,
individual retired officers must follow their own conscience in these
matters. We undermine the great respect that the public has for the military
when we impugn the motives or the character of our fellow officers. 

It is extremely unfortunate that many of our politicians have chosen to
routinely engage in the politics of personal destruction. We in the military
should not allow ourselves to fall into that abyss. 

Brig. Gen. Alan B. Salisbury (Ret.)
Oakton, Va.

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Retired Brig. Gen. Robert L. Decker's Back Talk column ["Disgruntled
generals' 'whining' is self-serving," May 29] was nothing but a collection
of pejorative words and phrases. 

He did not respond to any of the criticisms the generals made. 

The charges Decker made may or may not be true, but they are certainly
irrelevant. The ad hominem argument carries little weight in legitimate
debate.

Ask yourself, has the Bush administration policy in Iraq gone well? No, it
has been a disaster.

Are the troops on the ground to blame? No.

Who, then, is responsible for the failures? Those leaders who got us into
this mess, that's who. Isn't accepting responsibility one of the basic
principles of leadership?

Decker's character assassination was not limited to the generals he listed;
he included anyone who opposes this imperialist adventure in Iraq. 

Many decent Americans - active-duty military, veterans, military retirees,
military families, civilians, young people, old people - are against this
illegal and immoral war and military occupation of Iraq.

Legitimate dissent has a long and honorable history in our country. We who
engage in it are neither unpatriotic, nor anti-American, nor unsupportive of
the troops.

Those who seek to squelch dissent by saying otherwise flirt with fascism. 

Chief Warrant Officer 3 William Hairston (ret.)
Sulligent, Ala.

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Pro patria,

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho

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"Dissent is the highest form of patriotism"

- Thomas Jefferson

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