Strained US Army relaxes new officer requirements

Reuters AlertNet - Strained US Army relaxes new officer requirements: "The U.S. Army, facing recruiting woes and a reorganized force, will relax requirements for new officers, welcoming older candidates and allowing more tolerance of past minor crimes, officials said on Thursday"

I mentioned the other day that this entire recruiting thing would have a long-term and significant impact on the quality of the Army. So now minor criminals can join the ranks of the morally decrepit officer corps.

Why is this important? Officers are the leaders of the force. The army already suffers under the strains of affirmative action programs forced upon it in recruiting. We do not recruit the best and brightest if quotas are not met and have not for some years.

Already the organizational culture dismisses men of real character and conviction. It is the officer appointed by Congress that is supposed to be the last bulwark between right and wrong. It is the officer that through their moral courage ought to be standing for what is right.

Without such men the Army becomes nothing more than a tool that politicians might use as they will to wage war no matter how immoral or wrong. It is a weak officer corps that allows prisoner abuses, and violation of the Laws of War as well as common human decent behavior.

Oh yeah, this is big. Turn the leadership into a bunch of moral cowards, fill it with folks that have already demonstrated wrong behavior and you have the recipe for an Army that would march in any direction and fight anyone.

A republic is ought to be restrained by separation of powers in the federal government, sovereignty in the composite states so that nullification might occur and a solid, dedicated and morally incorruptible officer corps leading the armed forces. Such a Republic could never engage in blatant wrong because too many people would have the ability to say "no".

We have lost the sovereignty of the states so nullification is not longer a practical option. Separation of powers is an illusion as evidenced by Bush making war without a Congressional declaration. Now the last straw, the officer corps is being weakened beyond repair. Very soon, as this new crop of criminals rises to real leadership positions the Army will be lead by thugs willing to apply force anywhere, anytime one the mere orders of a man in the White House without regard to the Constitution or moral right.