Ethics and Military Contractors: Examining the Public-Private Partnership
Submitted by cstalberg on Fri, 10/23/2009 - 7:11am
"Anyone interested in the problem with Blackwater, and particularly those of you who are interested in the underlying ethical issues should view the talks at this conference hosted by the Stockdale Center for Ethical Leadership, United States Naval Academy -- I think we can agree not the bastion of liberal wackos. Finally, we see our military establishment starting to think about this! (Talk by Erik Prince was redacted.)" - Ray Lutz
- cstalberg's blog
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As a Naval Academy graduate myself
I'm glad to see this discussion ... and I really appreciate the links to the 10 hours of video. A quick sampling confirms my own view of mercenaries: they are a scourge to any civilized society. I'll look forward to viewing them all.
It's interesting that the Dark Prince was redacted. Or maybe he's just exhibiting the qualities of any vampire ... you can't capture them in mirrors or on film.
Also a proud USNA alum...
Back in the day when plebes were plebes, wooden ships and iron sailors..etc. etc....
We had a series of lectures for all hands called the Forrestal Lectures, with several luminaries invited to speak to the Brigade and answer questions. While Annapolis is not the bastion of "liberal whackos," I found during my time there a refreshing pragmatism and a real focus in the instruction on Constitutional roles and responsibilities of a military establishment that was under civilian control. I particularly remember a political science elective I took on Constitutional government, with a professor who would have fit in well at Berkley or other "liberal" institutions. I also remember sitting in a Shakespeare seminar class one semester (another wonderful elective in my Marine Engineering curriculum), 12 of us around a table reading "Troilus and Cressida" and "Coriolanus" and other less celebrated works by the Bard. One of the students was current European Supreme Allied Commander ADM Jim Stavridis '76 discussing the finer points of Elizabethan drama.
But I digress...
One of the lecturers in the Forrestal series was the late Sen. William Proxmire of Wisconsin, no friend of the military with his Golden Fleece Awards more often than not awarded for wasteful military spending. Many went in to that lecture openly hostile toward the good Senator, but left with an incredible respect for his intellect and political savvy.
We should applaud USNA's Stockdale Center for Ethical Leadership and its role in bringing ethical leadership to the forefront of training our future military leaders.
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Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted. -- sign on Einstein's office wall.
I remember those Forrestal Lectures as well
The Academy was a remarkably open place for debate on the issues of the day.
In my first military law class, my favorite book was entitled, "Military Justice is to Justice as Military Music is to Music." I'm still amazed that we talked honestly and critically about the views expressed in the book.
This spring...
...is the 50th year of the Naval Academy Foreign Affairs Conference
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Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted. -- sign on Einstein's office wall.
Question for you military vets
What is your take on the impending trial of the 9/11 perp being held in civilian court in NYC vs. being tried by a military tribunal?
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“Discussion is an exchange of knowledge; argument is an exchange of ignorance" __ Robert Quillen
The tribunals are ineffective
they have almost no record of convicting detainees for anything. I have enormous confidence in our nation's judicial system to handle this just fine.
The right-wing fear about this issue belies a cultural cowardice that I find offensive. Our democracy cannot thrive when covering up our mistakes and hiding from the light of honest inquiry. That won't happen in a military tribunal.
Transparency is a good thing.
Retired Military Leaders weigh in....
Retired Military Leaders Say Stop Fear-Mongering, Close Guantanamo to Ensure National Security
from the article...