The picture of General Mark Milley ’80, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, on the cover of PAW reminded me of Trump’s mug shot, and one can only wonder why the subjects chose such a stern defiant look.
The article emphasizes Milley’s human side, and he appears to be a likable guy. However, his official role suggests a different character. He’s a cog in the machinery of a world empire whose principals have in recent decades committed uncountable war crimes, without accountability. He’s part of a government scheme that demands ~$1.5 trillion a year for the military, its incurred debt, and agencies concerned with so-called “national security,” guaranteeing that animosity and conflict with Russia, China, Iran etc. will keep such funds flowing. Minuscule amounts of this funding are directed toward a remedy for climate change, which presents our most serious threat to national security.
Milley’s commitment to carry out any “legal” order indicates his duty is to play a real-time video game, without concern that real human beings suffer because of it. With Milley and most other U.S. officials involved with the international scene, we want more to see their human side and not the obvious facts that explain the roles they play.
I’m reminded of the quote from C.S. Lewis, “One of the most cowardly things ordinary people do is to shut their eyes to facts.”