"Uptonian Hunker"

[Marauder06]

So in the Tom Ricks article I linked to earlier, it mentioned a concept called "Uptonian Hunker." Not knowing what the hell that was, I followed the embedded link, which took me to a paper published in 1995 by a professor out of Johns Hopkins. The "Hunker" is explained in Page 6:

First, Upton believed that the history of American military policy was a history of the
irresponsibility of legislative authority and of feckless democratic neglect of the armed forces. Second, he believed that the basis of civil-military relations in the United States consisted of irrational antimilitary prejudice. Third, he contended that the military routinely suffered throughout American history from enormous and unnecessary losses because of civilian interference in–we might call it "micromanagement"–of military operations.

What I found interesting was not the argument itself- much of which I think many of our members would echo- but when it was written. Upton was a veteran of the Civil War.

So, what do you think? Are we going to enter into a "Uptonian Hunker" as explained above, or have we as a nation progressed past that?

 

[AWP]

I first read that as a "Utopian Hunker" which I'll probably do in 2 hours when my chili is done processing....

Anyway, I think that those observations are valid and I think we'll enter another period like that if for no other reason than it is the only response we know.

 

[Chopstick]

I had rain on my glasses when I read the title and thought it said "Uptown Hooker". Sorry. :-/