The Pacifier
Through a great deal of research these days, I find myself frustrated on those agencies gravitating to the doing just the obvious. In this business, I think that those agencies guilty of the obvious move are doing so likely in tune with the unofficial motto of the Infantry school, “Do something- even if its wrong.”
I can’t help but think this when I see all of those troops at the Capitol. The obvious move was to seek out the “more”, as in more troops that you maybe don’t need; is a great deal better than not having troops and needing them. I also have no issue at all with making the perimeter more solid. I am wondering towards a few things, and when one wonders about those few things, one begins on this path to frustration.
The largest of these questions, is “do these troops have cartridges in their weapons?” Seriously. If not- then having the weapon as a demonstration, or as a club, or as some kind of movie prop, well- I have some real issues with this, as I think that displays troops as a target, and not a tool.
If so- if they are locked and loaded, with that number of troops in such a condensed location; well, it makes me glad that I don’t have responsibility for that job- like my friend General Walker does. Odds are, that that one guy, that E3 with coke-bottle glasses who didn’t have an NCO standing right over him, is going to ‘show his behind’. That is- discharge that rifle either intentionally or accidently. All of those guns- such a thing could get infectious. “What are you shooting at?” “The same thing those guys are shooting at!” (Spielberg, 1941). Again, I’m glad that I’m not Will Walker.
A further example is one of my own during the Kabul years. I was there as a civilian advisor, and as such required a special waiver to carry a sidearm. In Kabul. Afghanistan. I went two months without one, and would likely have been without for the extent of my tour had a friend of mine that I served with at the Pentagon in a prior life hadn’t hooked me up.
Before he did- my day took me through downtown Kabul, normally in an unarmored Toyota van, to the Ministry, which was hardened- and then outside the wall of the ministry to one of the outer offices. So, not at all uncommon for me to walk the streets of Kabul without a sidearm, in the center of the populace when Americans were still subject to get ambushed or abducted. In Kabul. Afghanistan. This bothered my interpreter a great deal, and he was a great deal more satisfied when Cedric hooked me up with a Beretta.
I felt so much better. Even though it occurred to me is that the Beretta pistol on my hip in that town did not make an ace of difference in terms of real security. What it did allow me to do was to find a more dignified end, and instead of having to run from a gunman/ potential abductor screaming “Please don’t shoot me”- I was at the very least able to make some rebellious noise in reply. Likely still as dead, but at least more dignified.
My interpreter’s morale improved, and I have to say that mine did as well, but again it wasn’t anything but a pacifier- a minor improvement in security, but a major improvement in morale. Still, I was glad about the help.
I think that this is the thing, what are we doing as a pacifier, and what are we doing because the stuff really works? Or that is just the way we’ve always done it. Or be content with “Send me more!”
Being able to tell the difference, well- it just seems pretty important to me.