Quote Originally Posted by Steve Blair View Post
Very true on both counts, Tom, although I'd possibly contend that parts of Congress are afraid of an effective military because they're told it's a "bad thing," often by those same rats. I don't honestly know how many of them have their own opinion on the issue or simply echo what they're told by their own "experts." It's also interesting to consider that some of our "leadership by management" issues stem in part from Root's reforms.

Still, as you point out there is a need for outside pressure to enact reform in most cases.
The problem there is, as only a handful of members of Congress have any military experience whatsoever, they have little in the way of means even to form an opinion of their own. Their own staffers, not to mention the lobbyists, are the closest thing the overwhelming majority of them have to "professionsl" advice on military matters (unless a few of them read CRS reports...)

It's sad when a lobbysist or even some 20-something staffer may have more say in influencing many a Congressman's or Senator's "opinion" on military matters than the military themselves.