American colonel sacked after Afghan rant

American colonel sacked after Afghan rant

www.telegraph.co.uk

Col Lawrence Sellin was sent home after generals read an opinion piece he had written revealing "little of substance" was done at the coalition's joint command in Afghanistan.

He went on to paint a picture of a bloated organisation, swollen by the vanity of commanders, where endless slide show presentations are given to brief "cognitively challenged" generals.

(visit the link for the full news article)

A well written piece in my opinion, judging from the quoted comments in the linked article.

The armed forces are run along the lines of the corporate world, with clueless top brass as the boardroom and execs. All clamouring to upstage each other and get noticed, so they can climb the corporate ladder.
Anyone who has worked for a large corporation will immediately recognise the similarity of the colonels comments to life in the corporate world.

I suspect he is right in what he says and, unlike many others, has the gonads to say it in print and damn the consequences. It's all well and good people saying he has no place to air such opinions, but if people don't, the rot just carries on, eating more and more taxpayer money and achieving absolutely nothing of substance.

Bravo to this realist for saying what needed to be said.

www.telegraph.co.uk
(visit the link for the full news article)

The only part I disagree with you on is the way he showed his contempt, you can't have everybody under you behaving that way because in filters down through the ranks and you just can't have that. When orders are given,you can''t have an atmosphere where people are disregarding them,making fun of them or the people that issue them.

reply to post by Eight


I'll disagree on that point.

If the people further down the ranks don't speak up, it's their arses on the line when the brown stuff hits the rotating blades of the fan....not the politicised brass whose main concern seems to be brown nosing the higher-ups to make themselves look good. In other words, publishing only what the political leadership want to hear.

If the lower ranks feel it's all BS, then they have every right to say so, but of course are conditioned to not do so. If something needs said though, it must be said, no matter how unsavoury it happens to be to the boys at the top.

Originally posted by Eight

Originally posted by Britguy


A well written piece in my opinion, judging from the quoted comments in the linked article.

The armed forces are run along the lines of the corporate world, with clueless top brass as the boardroom and execs. All clamouring to upstage each other and get noticed, so they can climb the corporate ladder.
Anyone who has worked for a large corporation will immediately recognise the similarity of the colonels comments to life in the corporate world.

I suspect he is right in what he says and, unlike many others, has the gonads to say it in print and damn the consequences. It's all well and good people saying he has no place to air such opinions, but if people don't, the rot just carries on, eating more and more taxpayer money and achieving absolutely nothing of substance.

Bravo to this realist for saying what needed to be said.

www.telegraph.co.uk
(visit the link for the full news article)

The only part I disagree with you on is the way he showed his contempt, you can't have everybody under you behaving that way because in filters down through the ranks and you just can't have that. When orders are given,you can''t have an atmosphere where people are disregarding them,making fun of them or the people that issue them.

I understand negative attitudes and a sour perception of the situation is bad for morale, but maybe the Colonel has already spoken his mind in the proper manner and was ignored/bulldozed. So, he then proceeded to take his feelings public to get public approval to maybe get policies changed. Either way the man has an opinion and should be heard, especially if he has some higher authority in rank.

Hitler made the mistake to ignore the advice of his generals and high ranking officers which brought about his fall. Napoleon before him, also made the same mistake.

[edit on 30-8-2010 by AzoriaCorp]

This is probably a good thing regardless of how it came about.

Maybe some of these higher ups will wake up out of their comas from embarassment and actually start doing something.

I wonder if they award brown stars to the best powerpoint presenters.

Originally posted by Eight
The only part I disagree with you on is the way he showed his contempt, you can't have everybody under you behaving that way because in filters down through the ranks and you just can't have that. When orders are given,you can''t have an atmosphere where people are disregarding them,making fun of them or the people that issue them.

To have the integrity to fight against an unjust system is of the highest caliber. Yet the way they show this concern is ultimately ineffectual.

Change is difficult, especially if it is aimed at the top of the pyramid. A single dissenter will be ousted, sacked and the story is over. The people in charge are under no pressure to change the status-quo and can simply exact the power to neutralize those that cause trouble.

Yet political activism is not promoted enough amongst the people. It would be a far better means to communicate rather than just be suppressed.

Originally posted by CAPT PROTON
This is probably a good thing regardless of how it came about.

Maybe some of these higher ups will wake up out of their comas from embarassment and actually start doing something.

I wonder if they award brown stars to the best powerpoint presenters.

Start doing something? They are doing exactly what they want to do, anybody who sways from the plan would obviously be sacked. Can't have advocates for truth in high positions.

Since it's a volunteer force and their constitutional rights should apply, I see no reason for him to have been ousted. But indeed that is how the real world works.

We were never supposed to be involved in occupying a country on the other side of the world in the first place. It all goes to the top. Where's the change that was promised to the people? Even as the US teeters on the verge of economic collapse we're eyeing Iran for the next war of aggression. Meanwhile the one hired to 'change' things is trying to set some sort of record for vacationing while in office.

reply to post by Britguy


Nice to see Privates calling out their chain of command when common sense fails (christian concert-gate), and Field Grade Oficers calling out each other...


Though the integrity of rank must be acknowledged, that does NOT mean at all times...


And check it out - if command continues to make asinine calls and put soliders at unnecessary risks, Friendly Fire rates are going to rise dramatically.


Everything has a way of working itself out...

Unfortunately, the military is similar to a corporation. The higher up the ladder you go your effectiveness to the bottom line is no longer appreciated. Your political clout is where personal success or failure resides. I abandoned a well paying job and profession due to the fact that I don't play politics. I play for keeps.
Get the job done on time and under budget. From experience its the brown nosers, political types, that impede progress and thwart success. I've been in both worlds military and corporate. In the end it is the yes men that will get a bonus yearly and promotions much to the harm of the organization.

Sadly, this is the state of the USA empire. There are no Pattons to save the day. Only yes men that know how to spit shine a report and keep his boss looking good regardless of the facts.

I salute the Colonel!

Originally posted by Britguy

American colonel sacked after Afghan rant

www.telegraph.co.uk

Col Lawrence Sellin was sent home after generals read an opinion piece he had written revealing "little of substance" was done at the coalition's joint command in Afghanistan.

He went on to paint a picture of a bloated organisation, swollen by the vanity of commanders, where endless slide show presentations are given to brief "cognitively challenged" generals.

(visit the link for the full news article)

You mean war is a racket???
But...But...But...that's not what the newspapers told me!