Stop loss undermines the voluntary nature of the military

Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) and Congresswoman Betty Sutton (D-Ohio) announce a bill, the Stop-Loss Compensation Act in the Senate (S. 3060) and the House (H.R. 6205), which requires the Pentagon to pay troops affected by stop-loss an additional $1,500 for each month their service is extended.

Stop-loss is a policy that involuntarily extends military service beyond soldiers enlistment contracts. 58,300 soldiers have been affected by stop loss since 2002, according to the Army. The bill will apply to service members who are forced to continue service after their enlistment is up and after their eligibility for retirement has been extended. There is a provision included that would be retroactive to October 2001 to compensate soldiers who had been stop-lossed since the start of the Afghanistan and Iraq wars.

Lautenberg calls for the Senate to recognize and hold a hearing for the legislation because, he said “we want our men compensated for the continued service.” The bill will additionally ease the burden and pain put on families of those service men stop-lossed. Sutton said that stop loss put an “unjust burden on soldiers and their families” and undermines the voluntary nature of the military.

Shinn demands Chinese transparency

In a hearing from the House Armed Services Committee, James Shinn, assistant secretary for Defense for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs, urged the Chinese government to become more transparent in their governmental and military dealings. Shinn said that the Chinese people know as much as the American public about what is happening in Congress and with U.S. military, but the United States does not have a clear picture of China because they are more opaque in their actions.

Shinn outlined some things that the United States know the Chinese government is doing. The official Chinese budget is 60 billion dollars, possibly twice that, but the United States can’t be sure, the Chinese are executing a comprehensive build up of their military forces, as well as improving the training and recruitment of military personnel and their actions reflect a deliberate attempt to invest in asymmetric warfare, Shinn said. The military balance in the region is shifting to the mainland power of China, which increasingly put U.S. forces in the region at risk, Shinn said. He was also concerned that the increasing capabilities may alter their intent in their actions with other nations.

The Department of Defense and the United States government are continuing their intelligence collection on the Chinese force build up and intent. Shinn also said that the U.S. military are training, equipping and posturing forces in the Pacific, in a way that responds to shifting capabilities of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). The United States is continuing to work closely with alliance partners in the region and helping them to build their military capabilities, so they won’t be swayed by the growing power of the PLA. Additionally, Shinn said that the U.S. government will engage the Chinese government at a number of levels to learn more about them, as well as signal U.S. resolve which will reduce miscalculation and build communication links in the region.

Speaking about the situation in the Taiwan Straights, Shinn said that the near-term focus for the PLA continues to be on preparing for military contingencies in the Straights and that the region has “materially increased in danger.” He also said that acting in the terms of the Taiwan Relations Act, the U.S. military will be maintaining their commitment to providing weapons systems as may be required to “oppose military coercion from China and the PLA. When asked about the safety and security of American athletes and spectators, Shinn said that the Chinese government hasn’t asked for U.S. military help in securing the Games, but that the Chinese government has made significant steps to make sure the Olympics will be safe for everyone.

Ex-military men think it’s best to hold hands with China

Today a group of retired military officials met to discuss their experiences, activities, and interactions with Chinese military leaders. Known as the “Sanya Initiative”, the intention of visiting China was to foster better communication and understanding between the United States and China without necessarily promoting a political agenda.

Only three members of the group were present at the briefing: Gen. Ronald R. Fogelman, Adm. William A. Owens, and Gen. John M. Keane. Gen. Fogelman, former chief of staff of the U.S. Air Force, explained that the idea behind Sanya was to have an open dialogue with China because it will be the single most important international relationship the U.S. will have in the 21st century.
The retirees were struck by the commonalities they found among their Chinese military counterparts. Adm. William A. Owens, former vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, recalled “open, friendly” conversations with other military professionals that had also travelled the world, fought for a cause, and trained for most of their lives. Adm. Owens said that although the other men came from different cultures, they had a bond because of their experiences in the military.

Another lesson the group took home with them is that miscalculation results from no dialogue. For instance, Gen. John M. Keane, former vice chief of Staff of the U.S. Army, found that although the men had great respect for the U.S., they were ignorant about how earth devastating 9/11 was to Americans. The group was surprised to find that the Chinese leaders did not consider China a “superpower”, Gen. Fogelman said.

The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is deeply respected in China, but the PLA is not as mobile and efficient as the U.S. military, Gen. Fogelman said. The group stressed the importance of understanding what is important to China so that the U.S. does not make poor policy decisions. Gen. Fogelman suggested that the U.S. pay closer attention to events happening in Taiwan.

AFRICOM has diplomatic goals

The status and future of the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) was discussed at The Brookings Institution by Vice Admiral Robert Moeller, deputy to the commander for military operations. AFRICOM, currently a sub-unified command of the United States European Command (EUCOM), will assume control on Oct. 1, 2008. Tasks currently handled by other unified commands, such as presence in the Horn of Africa, will transfer to AFRICOM on this date. Moeller said that AFRICOM will provide a primary focus on Africa for the United States military, a focus that is currently split between three unified commands. Currently, 500 individuals work for AFRICOM with a goal of 1,300 by fiscal year 2009.

According to Moeller, AFRICOM will work to prevent conflicts by engaging African states through an inter-agency partnership. Alongside the Department of Defense, other areas of the US government, such as the Department of State and the Department of Commerce, will work to assist African states in the development of intelligence and infrastructure. AFRICOM will also provide humanitarian assistance when requested. Moeller stressed that AFRICOM means to aid African partners as needed and that the United States military will not involve itself “if not invited” since a military engagement would require a change in US policy.

Currently, the headquarters of AFRICOM is located in Stuttgart, Germany. Moeller said that an African location for AFRICOM may be realized in years to come but that current military representation in African embassies is a sufficient presence. In addition, Moeller said that future discussions with African partners would be the best way to determine if an increased presence on the continent is necessary.

Petraeus: It would be an honor to serve

In his speech addressing Congress before the full committee hearing on his nomination to be reappointed to grade of general and to be commander of the United States Central Command, General David Petraeus said there are four concerns. The first is violent extremism, including but not limited to al Qaida. Second, weapons of mass destruction and lack of transparency by countries such as Iran, which he said is a major cause of concern. Third, lack of sustainable economic development in the Middle East, which is a serious security concern, as poor communities can cause hotbeds of extremism. Fourth, narcotics and arms smuggling which can threaten legitimate operations and can help out terrorists. While this is not an exhaustive list, he said, this is a basic list.

A purely military solution is not the solution, he said, and the approach should be to first seek to strengthen our international partnerships with which to pursue our mutual interests. If he is confirmed, he said, he will search for comprehensive results, by looking for the underlying reasons for issues. I will work tirelessly as a combatant commander and Congress to work that those serving have best equipment, and care for those that have been wounded, Petraeus said. This is a sacred obligation that I take very seriously, he said, and it will mean carrying the heaviest rucksack I’ve ever shouldered, just as our soldiers are carrying heavy rucksacks now. There can be no alternative but to soldier on with them, to help us carry out our assigned mission. It would be an honor, he said, to serve.

Lt. Gen. Raymond Odierno, appearing before the committee to be considered for appointment to the grade of general and to be commander of the Multi-National Force-Iraq, said that as he reflects on his nomination, he’s humbled and honored. He understands the great cost our nation has endured in Iraq, and the responsibility that comes with his position. Integrity, commitment and drive that such a position demands, is something that he hopes to bring with him should he be confirmed to his position.

During the initial speech of Petraeus, Code Pink caused a major disruption by shouting, screaming, and demonstrating their anti-war cause while wearing outfits that were depicting “bloody clothes” and “death.” While the Capitol Police removed them and Senator Carl Levin (D- Mich), Chairman, asked them to be quiet and refrain from demonstrating vocally. The remaining Code Pink members sat silently, holding signs that said “Stop the Killing” and “Endless War,” but not creating further disruptions.