U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Greg Deane (left) from the Fleet Anti-Terrorism Support Team Europe takes position after fast roping from a Spanish navy SH-3 Sea King helicopter in preparation for exercise Phoenix Express 2009 on April 2, 2009. Phoenix Express is a semi-annual exercise that includes European and African nations and helps to increase interoperability by developing individual and collective maritime proficiencies of participating nations, as well as promoting friendship, mutual understanding and cooperation.
Georgian Chief of Defense Maj. Gen. Devi Tchonkotadze, left, and U.S. Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Marine Gen. James E. Cartwright salute during a wreath laying ceremony in Gori, Georgia, March 30, 2009. The ceremony was held in honor of Georgian soldiers who died during the Aug. 2008 war with Russia.Early Bird summary
Wednesday’s Early Bird leads with the Public Broadcasting Service’s interview with Defense Secretary Robert Gates. For a full transcript of the Gates interview, click this link.
President Obama’s unannounced trip to Iraq receives coverage from the New York Times, Boston Globe and Washington Post. President Obama declared Tuesday that Iraqis "must take responsibility for their country" and predicted that the next 18 months will be trying as U.S. troops start to leave a country stymied by security threats and political problems.During his maiden visit to Iraq as commander in chief, Obama elicited cheers and thunderous applause from American troops inside a palace built by Saddam Hussein as he thanked them for their service."Under enormous strain and under enormous sacrifice, through controversy and difficulty and politics, you've kept your eyes focused on just doing your jobs," Obama told the troops shortly after landing in Baghdad for a visit that had not been disclosed. "You have given Iraq the opportunity to stand on its own as a democratic country."Obama, in Iraq after an eight-day trip through Europe and Turkey, said he was heartened that Iraqis were increasingly fighting their battles in the political arena rather than on the street. But he cautioned that Iraq's upcoming national election is likely to bring many of the country's unresolved political issues "to a head."
The proposed defense budget receives coverage across the spectrum of American media, with the Philadelphia Inquirer reporting that the budget may be a “hard sell.” Defense Secretary Robert Gates' proposed budget, which axes some multibillion-dollar weapons projects, the Inquirer reports, is meeting strong resistance from lawmakers whose districts could lose thousands of jobs during a recession.Members of Congress and military analysts said yesterday that the potential loss of jobs is by far the biggest hurdle the administration's plan must overcome as it looks to build support on Capitol Hill, and they expect some concessions.Part of Gates' proposed $534 billion military budget represents a shift from outdated weapon systems conceived in the Cold War toward futuristic programs aimed at unconventional foes. Analysts say his challenge is to build support in Congress on those larger issues instead of the parochial interests of individual lawmakers.
A summary of broadcast news reports about the budget (from Fox News Channel, CNN, and the Public Broadcasting Service) can be read at this link.
The fate of the Marine Corps' Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle remains to be decided in the Quadrennial Defense Review, according to Inside Defense. The EFV program, which began in 1996, has yet to produce reliable vehicles the Marines can use in operations. General Dynamics is the prime contractor. Some industry sources recently speculated that Gates would kill the program. But for now the program will continue, according to the defense secretary.“I didn't make any decisions on the EFV, so that program is continuing as is,” Gates said during a roundtable with reporters. “But clearly that would be a part of the [QDR's] amphibious review, it seems to me.”The EFV is an armored and tracked amphibious vehicle, designed to carry Marines from forward-deployed naval ships to foreign shores. In recent years, the program has suffered major developmental delays and cost growth, making it a poster child for acquisition woes. Program officials predict they will improve the EFV's reliability, but the results remain to be seen.A recent Government Accountability Office report noted the EFV’s design is stable. Officials reassessed the vehicle’s design and held a critical design review three months ago, the report notes. Last week, General Dynamics touted the GAO report as good news for the program.
Two senior American officials came under withering public criticism from Pakistan on Tuesday, the New York Times reports, with the Pakistani foreign minister saying that “trust” between the countries was in question, particularly over the issue of American missile attacks in Pakistan’s tribal areas.With the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Mike Mullen, and the special envoy to the region, Richard C. Holbrooke, at his side, the minister, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, said: “We did talk about drones, and let me be very frank: there is a gap between us.”He added, “The bottom line is the question of trust.”
Meanwhile, the Washington Times reports that Pakistani Ambassador Husain Haqqani called Tuesday for a $30 billion "Marshall Plan" for Pakistan and Afghanistan over the next five years to fight al Qaeda, blunt anti-American sentiment and secure Pakistan from extremists bent on destabilizing its civilian government.Mr. Haqqani, who plans to attend an international donors meeting for Pakistan in Tokyo next week, told editors and reporters of The Washington Times that the cost to the West of an aid program like the one provided to Europe after World War II would be negligible compared with that of rescuing failing banks and corporations.
The Taliban threat is growing, according to a report from CNN. Correspondent Barbara Starr says that as Marines step up combat operations across southern Afghanistan, U.S. commanders are reviewing significant new intelligence about the insurgent threat. For a full transcript, follow this link.
Reconciliation between followers of Saddam Hussein’s Baath Party and the Iraqi government seemed less likely than ever on Tuesday after harsh rhetoric from both sides, according to the New York Times.In an audiotape, a former deputy of Mr. Hussein, who is the last high-ranking fugitive from the American forces, called for Iraqis to topple their government and return the Baath Party to power.At the same time, Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki angrily blamed Baathists for a series of car bomb attacks in the capital.Both developments may stall efforts by Mr. Maliki’s government to reach out to former Baathists as part of his country’s reconciliation process.The audiotape by the Hussein ally, Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri, who was deputy chairman of Mr. Hussein’s Revolutionary Command Council, was broadcast on Al Jazeera on Tuesday, and an e-mailed transcript was provided separately to The New York Times by a Baath Party representative in Syria.Mr. Douri, 65, is a member of the “deck of cards” of 52 Iraqi officials that American troops distributed after the invasion in 2003. American intelligence officials say he is active in financing and organizing insurgents, including Baathists.The United States has posted a $10 million reward for his capture; American and Iraqi officials have accused the Syrian government of giving him refuge.
The Los Angeles Times reports on the growing threat of cyberwarfare. The Pentagon spent more than $100 million in the last six months responding to and repairing damage from cyber attacks and other computer network problems, military leaders said Tuesday, according to the Times.Air Force Gen. Kevin P. Chilton, who heads U.S. Strategic Command, said the military was only beginning to track the costs, which are triggered by daily attacks against networks at the Pentagon and military bases around the country.
The Wall Street Journal, meanwhile, reports that cyberspies have penetrated the U.S. electrical grid and left behind software programs that could be used to disrupt the system, according to current and former national-security officials. The spies came from China, Russia and other countries, these officials said, and were believed to be on a mission to navigate the U.S. electrical system and its controls. The intruders haven't sought to damage the power grid or other key infrastructure, but officials warned they could try during a crisis or war."The Chinese have attempted to map our infrastructure, such as the electrical grid," said a senior intelligence official. "So have the Russians."The espionage appeared pervasive across the U.S. and doesn't target a particular company or region, said a former Department of Homeland Security official. "There are intrusions, and they are growing," the former official said, referring to electrical systems. "There were a lot last year."Many of the intrusions were detected not by the companies in charge of the infrastructure but by U.S. intelligence agencies, officials said. Intelligence officials worry about cyber attackers taking control of electrical facilities, a nuclear power plant or financial networks via the Internet.
Media summary
1. Leading newspaper headlines: The Los Angeles Times and the Wall Street Journal's world-wide newsbox lead with, while everyone fronts, President Obama's surprise visit to Baghdad yesterday, where he urged Iraq's leaders to step up their efforts to unite the country's factions. (Slate Magazine)
2. S. Asia foes face common threat: US envoy Richard Holbrooke has called for India, Pakistan and the US to work together to defeat Islamic militants. (BBC)
3. Somali pirates hijack Danish ship: Somali pirates have hijacked a ship with a 21-strong US crew, after what maritime officials described as a sustained night-time attack. (BBC)
4. Harvard and the Marines: Why not give our officers the best education? (Wall Street Journal)
Leading newspaper headlines
Wednesday’s Early Bird leads with the Public Broadcasting Service’s interview with Defense Secretary Robert Gates. For a full transcript of the Gates interview, click this link.
President Obama’s unannounced trip to Iraq receives coverage from the New York Times, Boston Globe and Washington Post. President Obama declared Tuesday that Iraqis "must take responsibility for their country" and predicted that the next 18 months will be trying as U.S. troops start to leave a country stymied by security threats and political problems.During his maiden visit to Iraq as commander in chief, Obama elicited cheers and thunderous applause from American troops inside a palace built by Saddam Hussein as he thanked them for their service."Under enormous strain and under enormous sacrifice, through controversy and difficulty and politics, you've kept your eyes focused on just doing your jobs," Obama told the troops shortly after landing in Baghdad for a visit that had not been disclosed. "You have given Iraq the opportunity to stand on its own as a democratic country."Obama, in Iraq after an eight-day trip through Europe and Turkey, said he was heartened that Iraqis were increasingly fighting their battles in the political arena rather than on the street. But he cautioned that Iraq's upcoming national election is likely to bring many of the country's unresolved political issues "to a head."
The proposed defense budget receives coverage across the spectrum of American media, with the Philadelphia Inquirer reporting that the budget may be a “hard sell.” Defense Secretary Robert Gates' proposed budget, which axes some multibillion-dollar weapons projects, the Inquirer reports, is meeting strong resistance from lawmakers whose districts could lose thousands of jobs during a recession.Members of Congress and military analysts said yesterday that the potential loss of jobs is by far the biggest hurdle the administration's plan must overcome as it looks to build support on Capitol Hill, and they expect some concessions.Part of Gates' proposed $534 billion military budget represents a shift from outdated weapon systems conceived in the Cold War toward futuristic programs aimed at unconventional foes. Analysts say his challenge is to build support in Congress on those larger issues instead of the parochial interests of individual lawmakers.
A summary of broadcast news reports about the budget (from Fox News Channel, CNN, and the Public Broadcasting Service) can be read at this link.
The fate of the Marine Corps' Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle remains to be decided in the Quadrennial Defense Review, according to Inside Defense. The EFV program, which began in 1996, has yet to produce reliable vehicles the Marines can use in operations. General Dynamics is the prime contractor. Some industry sources recently speculated that Gates would kill the program. But for now the program will continue, according to the defense secretary.“I didn't make any decisions on the EFV, so that program is continuing as is,” Gates said during a roundtable with reporters. “But clearly that would be a part of the [QDR's] amphibious review, it seems to me.”The EFV is an armored and tracked amphibious vehicle, designed to carry Marines from forward-deployed naval ships to foreign shores. In recent years, the program has suffered major developmental delays and cost growth, making it a poster child for acquisition woes. Program officials predict they will improve the EFV's reliability, but the results remain to be seen.A recent Government Accountability Office report noted the EFV’s design is stable. Officials reassessed the vehicle’s design and held a critical design review three months ago, the report notes. Last week, General Dynamics touted the GAO report as good news for the program.
Two senior American officials came under withering public criticism from Pakistan on Tuesday, the New York Times reports, with the Pakistani foreign minister saying that “trust” between the countries was in question, particularly over the issue of American missile attacks in Pakistan’s tribal areas.With the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Mike Mullen, and the special envoy to the region, Richard C. Holbrooke, at his side, the minister, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, said: “We did talk about drones, and let me be very frank: there is a gap between us.”He added, “The bottom line is the question of trust.”
Meanwhile, the Washington Times reports that Pakistani Ambassador Husain Haqqani called Tuesday for a $30 billion "Marshall Plan" for Pakistan and Afghanistan over the next five years to fight al Qaeda, blunt anti-American sentiment and secure Pakistan from extremists bent on destabilizing its civilian government.Mr. Haqqani, who plans to attend an international donors meeting for Pakistan in Tokyo next week, told editors and reporters of The Washington Times that the cost to the West of an aid program like the one provided to Europe after World War II would be negligible compared with that of rescuing failing banks and corporations.
The Taliban threat is growing, according to a report from CNN. Correspondent Barbara Starr says that as Marines step up combat operations across southern Afghanistan, U.S. commanders are reviewing significant new intelligence about the insurgent threat. For a full transcript, follow this link.
Reconciliation between followers of Saddam Hussein’s Baath Party and the Iraqi government seemed less likely than ever on Tuesday after harsh rhetoric from both sides, according to the New York Times.In an audiotape, a former deputy of Mr. Hussein, who is the last high-ranking fugitive from the American forces, called for Iraqis to topple their government and return the Baath Party to power.At the same time, Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki angrily blamed Baathists for a series of car bomb attacks in the capital.Both developments may stall efforts by Mr. Maliki’s government to reach out to former Baathists as part of his country’s reconciliation process.The audiotape by the Hussein ally, Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri, who was deputy chairman of Mr. Hussein’s Revolutionary Command Council, was broadcast on Al Jazeera on Tuesday, and an e-mailed transcript was provided separately to The New York Times by a Baath Party representative in Syria.Mr. Douri, 65, is a member of the “deck of cards” of 52 Iraqi officials that American troops distributed after the invasion in 2003. American intelligence officials say he is active in financing and organizing insurgents, including Baathists.The United States has posted a $10 million reward for his capture; American and Iraqi officials have accused the Syrian government of giving him refuge.
The Los Angeles Times reports on the growing threat of cyberwarfare. The Pentagon spent more than $100 million in the last six months responding to and repairing damage from cyber attacks and other computer network problems, military leaders said Tuesday, according to the Times.Air Force Gen. Kevin P. Chilton, who heads U.S. Strategic Command, said the military was only beginning to track the costs, which are triggered by daily attacks against networks at the Pentagon and military bases around the country.
The Wall Street Journal, meanwhile, reports that cyberspies have penetrated the U.S. electrical grid and left behind software programs that could be used to disrupt the system, according to current and former national-security officials. The spies came from China, Russia and other countries, these officials said, and were believed to be on a mission to navigate the U.S. electrical system and its controls. The intruders haven't sought to damage the power grid or other key infrastructure, but officials warned they could try during a crisis or war."The Chinese have attempted to map our infrastructure, such as the electrical grid," said a senior intelligence official. "So have the Russians."The espionage appeared pervasive across the U.S. and doesn't target a particular company or region, said a former Department of Homeland Security official. "There are intrusions, and they are growing," the former official said, referring to electrical systems. "There were a lot last year."Many of the intrusions were detected not by the companies in charge of the infrastructure but by U.S. intelligence agencies, officials said. Intelligence officials worry about cyber attackers taking control of electrical facilities, a nuclear power plant or financial networks via the Internet.
Media summary
1. Leading newspaper headlines: The Los Angeles Times and the Wall Street Journal's world-wide newsbox lead with, while everyone fronts, President Obama's surprise visit to Baghdad yesterday, where he urged Iraq's leaders to step up their efforts to unite the country's factions. (Slate Magazine)
2. S. Asia foes face common threat: US envoy Richard Holbrooke has called for India, Pakistan and the US to work together to defeat Islamic militants. (BBC)
3. Somali pirates hijack Danish ship: Somali pirates have hijacked a ship with a 21-strong US crew, after what maritime officials described as a sustained night-time attack. (BBC)
4. Harvard and the Marines: Why not give our officers the best education? (Wall Street Journal)
Leading newspaper headlines
The Los Angeles Times and the Wall Street Journal's world-wide newsbox lead with, while everyone fronts, President Obama's surprise visit to Baghdad yesterday, where he urged Iraq's leaders to step up their efforts to unite the country's factions. During the four-hour visit, his first to a combat zone as president, Obama met with U.S. soldiers, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and other Iraqi officials. "It is time for us to transition to the Iraqis," Obama told hundreds of American servicemembers. "They need to take responsibility for their country." The Washington Post leads with a federal judge dismissing the conviction of former Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens. U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan appointed an outside lawyer to investigate the six Justice Department prosecutors who ran the case against Stevens and determine whether they should face criminal contempt charges.
The New York Times leads with the Vermont Legislature overriding a veto to a bill that legalizes same-sex marriage. It marked the first time that a state legalized same-sex marriage through its legislature rather than the courts, and made Vermont the fourth state to recognize the unions. It marked the second victory in less than a week for proponents of marriage equality—the Iowa Supreme Court legalized marriage between partners of the same sex last Friday—and many are hoping others states could soon follow suit. USA Today leads with word that $300 million from the stimulus package will go to 61 housing agencies that have been criticized by auditors at least three times since 2004 for mishandling government money. The money is part of a $4 billion effort to fix public housing projects, and the government has vowed to keep close tabs on how the money is spent.
Obama's brief stop in Iraq came at a time when a recent spate of bombings has raised uncomfortable questions about whether the recent drop in violence can be sustained. The day before his visit, six car bombs exploded in Baghdad, killing 36 people, and nine more people were killed by another car bomb mere hours before Obama's arrival. There's a growing fear that unresolved political disputes could spark a new round of intense violence as different groups vie for power ahead of the withdrawal of most American combat troops.
The trip to Baghdad capped Obama's first trip abroad as president. In a front-page piece looking at the trip, the WP notes that Obama "portrayed a proud but flawed United States, using a refrain of humility and partnership" in order to get other countries to work together on a variety of issues that ranged from the economy to climate change. He received a "celebrity reception" wherever he went, but that didn't help him convince European allies to follow the U.S. example on fiscal spending or Afghanistan. In an analysis piece inside, the NYT declares that a grand strategy for the Obama presidency has yet to emerge, "but that may have been the point. Pragmatic, conciliatory, legalistic and incremental, he pushed what might be called, with a notable exception or two, an anti-Bush doctrine." Throughout his trip, Obama emphasized the importance of international institutions and the rule of law to battle terrorism and rogue states, essentially veering "toward a pre-Sept. 11 world order."
Ordinarily, the Justice Department would handle claims of prosecutorial misconduct with its own internal investigation, but the judge made it clear yesterday that after witnessing such "shocking and disturbing" behavior, he couldn't trust the government to properly investigate itself. "In 25 years on the bench, I have never seen anything approaching the mishandling and misconduct that I have seen in this case," Sullivan said. Among the six lawyers that will be investigated are the chief and deputy chief of the Justice Department's public integrity section. Stevens' lawyer didn't hold back on the outrage and said the "government engaged in intentional misconduct" that cost the longest-serving Senate Republican his seat.
At least nine state legislatures are considering allowing marriages between same-sex couples, and the recent victories for gay rights could push them to pass the measures quickly. The WP fronts news that the Washington, D.C., Council gave preliminary approval to a measure that would recognize same-sex marriages performed elsewhere. The vote was unanimous. The final vote could come in early May, and might quickly make its way to the federal government since Congress has the final say in the city's laws. The NYT states that even opponents of marriage equality "recognized the week's developments as a potential watershed moment." But even if all the legislatures currently considering legalizing same-sex marriages approve the measures, there's little chance that it could become a countrywide phenomenon any time soon. Forty-three states have laws prohibiting the unions, of which 29 have constitutional amendments that define marriage as between a man and a woman.
The WSJ fronts a look at how "cyperspies" from Russia and China, as well as other unnamed countries, have managed to get into the U.S. electrical grid and leave behind software tools that, if activated, could destroy several key components of the network. "If we go to war with them, they will try to turn them on," an intelligence official said. The spying has been discovered across the country, and officials warn that other infrastructure systems, including water, are also vulnerable to spies and attacks. Although terrorist groups could also gain the technical know-how to gain access to the networks, officials say the intrusions have been so sophisticated that Russia and China have to be the main culprits. But, of course, that doesn't necessarily mean that the attacks were sponsored by their governments.
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S Asia foes 'face common threat'
Mr. Holbrooke says the US will not mediate in Kashmir
US envoy Richard Holbrooke has called for India, Pakistan and the US to work together to defeat Islamic militants.
Speaking in Delhi, he said all three faced a "common threat".
Mr. Holbrooke and Admiral Mike Mullen, the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, arrived in Delhi after talks with Pakistani leaders in Islamabad.
US President Barack Obama's new strategy combines Afghanistan and Pakistan as part of a new regional push to defeat militants in both nations.
The strategy is high on Mr. Obama's foreign policy agenda.
Mr. Holbrooke, along with Adm Mullen, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, met Indian Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee and foreign secretary Shivshankar Menon.
"For the first time since partition [in 1947] India, Pakistan and the United States face a common threat and a common challenge and we have a common task," Mr. Holbrooke told reporters. "We must work together."
Adm Mullen said a military strategy on its own would fail and only a joint civilian-military approach could yield results.
'Uneasy'
Analysts say India is uneasy with Mr. Obama's strategy in Pakistan and Afghanistan and say it does not address New Delhi's concerns over what it calls Pakistan's backing of militants.
The US has bought the Pakistan military's line that India's presence in Afghanistan is a threat to them
Kanwal Sibal, former Indian foreign secretary
Tensions in Pakistan-US relations
There are concerns that the US is "tilting towards" Pakistan, an old ally, rather than India which has moved closer to the US in recent years.
"The US is more receptive to Pakistan's concerns, which is worrying India," analyst Bharat Karnad told the Reuters news agency.
Some analysts fear that the US may push India to limit its presence in Afghanistan to "please" Pakistan.
India is spending millions of dollars in infrastructure projects in Afghanistan.
"The US has bought the Pakistan military's line that India's presence in Afghanistan is a threat to them," former Indian Foreign Secretary Kanwal Sibal said.
"And they are saying if the US wants Pakistan's full co-operation in fighting al-Qaeda, then something should be done to contain or limit India's presence."
Mr. Holbrooke has denied that Washington wanted to become a mediator between the two neighbours.
"That is not our job," he told reporters in Islamabad.
He said the US was "not going to be involved" in mediating in the dispute over Kashmir.
Rahul Bedi from Jane's Defence Weekly told the BBC that Mr. Holbrooke was unlikely to get any promises from the Indian government.
"The Americans are quite keen that India re-engages Pakistan in peace talks but with elections coming up in the next few weeks I don't think Holbrooke is gong to get any kind of assurance from Delhi."
Mr. Obama has pledged substantial economic assistance for Pakistan - more than $1bn (£684m) annually over the next five years - but the money will depend on the army's performance against the Taleban and al-Qaeda.
Correspondents say there is frustration and resentment in Pakistan about the aid conditions - which reflect American distrust of the Pakistani army.
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Somali pirates hijack Danish ship
The ship was reportedly attacked by up to three pirate skiffs at a time
Somali pirates have hijacked a ship with a 21-strong US crew, after what maritime officials described as a sustained night-time attack.
The US-operated container vessel, named as Maersk Alabama, was seized in the Indian Ocean about 400 miles (645km) east of the capital, Mogadishu.
The Danish-owned ship's crew members are believed to be safe, the European Union's maritime security force said.
It is the sixth seizure in recent days, including a British and Taiwanese ship.
The AP Moller-Maersk Group confirmed its ship had been "attacked by pirates and presumed hijacked" at around 0600 BST on Wednesday.
The Danish shipping line said the 17,000-tonne vessel had been en route to the Kenyan port of Mombasa.
Evasive action
BBC world affairs correspondent Mike Wooldridge says the Maersk Alabama came under a sustained attack from pirates.
Now the weather has improved, they're back in business again
ICG's Rashid Abdi
The lure of easy money
Why are pirates getting away?
The offensive began late at night and apparently lasted for some five hours, according to maritime officials.
The assault is thought to have involved up to three pirate skiffs at any one time.
Maritime officials say the ship took all possible evasive action before it reported that the pirates had boarded.
Our correspondent says it would appear to be the first time a vessel with an all-American crew has been seized by the Somali pirates.
Before Wednesday's attack, pirates had boarded a British-owned ship, the Malaspina Castle, in an area heavily patrolled by a European Union taskforce.
The taskforce, consisting of six ships and two planes, is among almost a dozen anti-piracy patrols in the area.
But pirates managed to seize 15 ships last month - a large increase on the two taken in January and February.
One expert believes the weather had a bigger impact on pirates than the patrols.
Rashid Abdi, of the International Crisis Group (ICG), a Brussels-based think tank, said: "It was all down to the fact that the weather did not favour them.
"And now the weather has improved, they're back in business again."
The hijackings usually end in the payment of ransoms.
More than 130 pirate’s attacks, including close to 50 successful hijackings, were reported in 2008, threatening one of the world's busiest shipping lanes.
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Harvard and the Marines
Why not give our officers the best education?
By JOSEPH KRISTOL and DANIEL WEST
'ROTC must go because we oppose the policies of the United States and we oppose the military that perpetrates them. The lines are clearly drawn; the time to take sides is now."
It was the spring of 1969, and the leaders of the Harvard chapter of Students for a Democratic Society were (with the above statement issued to the student newspaper) agitating to cleanse their campus of "imperialist exploitation." To opponents of the Vietnam War, members of the military -- even students in the Reserve Officers Training Corps -- embodied the policies they despised.
Forty years ago tomorrow, April 9, 1969, this sentiment culminated in a mob of students storming University Hall. Eager to be at the forefront of radical activism, they turned to violent protest. Arsonists torched a Marine Corps classroom, and the administration buckled. ROTC was purged from campus, symbolically repudiating the Vietnam War.
Today, America congratulates itself for having overcome the knee-jerk radicalism of that era. "Support the troops, oppose the war" is the modern battle cry of the antiwar movement. Americans seem to recognize that those in uniform shouldn't be blamed for policies set by elected officials.
But not at Harvard, where ROTC remains officially unwelcome.
The students of 1969 have become the faculty of 2009, and today students who wish to participate in ROTC are forced to train at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. We are pawns in a political chess game. The issue is no longer Vietnam, but President Bill Clinton's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy that bars gays from openly serving in the military. Because of that policy, the university classifies ROTC as a discriminatory organization and has severed all remnants of support.
So Harvard today happily pays for future bankers to take accounting courses at MIT, but refuses to pay for aspiring military officers who take ROTC courses. Since 1994, anonymous donors have generously picked up the tab, providing hundreds of thousands of dollars per year for Harvard's ROTC students.
Sadly, the number of Harvard students who choose military service has dwindled. Harvard, where ROTC was founded in 1916 and which once boasted over 1,000 participants, is now home to only 29 cadets and midshipmen, spread over four years and four branches of service. Recruitment opportunities are deliberately limited, and the student handbook cautions students against joining ROTC, remarking that the program is "inconsistent with Harvard's values." And cadets begin every semester seeking to avoid the professors known to exhibit hostility toward students who wear their uniform to class.
Rather than embracing the mutually beneficial relationship Harvard might share with the military, the faculty prefers to stand in the way of progress, abdicating its responsibility to contribute to one of our nation's most important institutions. The same Harvard that once produced 10 recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor, and warrior-scholars such as Teddy Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy, now turns its back on its proud, patriotic history.
But there are reasons to be hopeful that the 40-year exile of ROTC may be drawing to a close. Today, the faculty is out of touch with a student body that is generally supportive of ROTC. The support that both Barack Obama and John McCain expressed during the 2008 presidential campaign for the return of ROTC to elite college campuses showed Harvard's stance to be far from mainstream.
We are also fortunate that Harvard's new president, Drew Faust, has privately praised and met with cadets and midshipmen, and publicly stated her hope that the day ROTC returns to campus is not far off. Though she remains bound by Harvard's discrimination policy, she spoke at last year's commissioning ceremony and expressed her desire to see our numbers grow.
This is encouraging, but it falls short of the appropriate policy: support for the military and those who serve in it, regardless of federal policies. ROTC should be fully and unequivocally welcomed back to Harvard. Accomplishing this would take leadership and courage from President Faust. Perhaps she will be inspired to show this leadership as she joins Gen. David Petraeus in recognizing the ROTC graduates at our commissioning ceremony in June.
Messrs. Kristol and West, seniors at Harvard University, will be commissioned second lieutenants in the United States Marine Corps in June.
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