Obama sets out to woo military chiefs By Karen DeYoung The Washington Post

Obama sets out to woo military chiefs By Karen DeYoung The Washington Post

November 30, 2008

Karen Young may very well be a mind reader as exactly what the relationship of President-elect Barack Obama and the military will look like is greatly on the minds of many; especially those of us who have a great interest in the military and national security issues.

It was certainly no secret that many in the military had grave reservations about Democrat presidential candidate Obama’s articulated positions and proposed military and foreign policies.

Although now that the president-elect is, well – the president-elect; the military protects democracy, does not practice it and gauging the military’s true feelings about an President Obama administration will be difficult at best.

Although I’m not sure that I can easily and readily accept a Washington Post analysis, Ms. DeYoung’s piece does give us certain insights with which we may start our analysis of this all too relationship. Kevin Dayhoff

Obama sets out to woo military chiefs By Karen DeYoung The Washington Post

President-elect tries reassure top brass that he will listen, do nothing rash

updated 6:07 a.m. ET, Sun., Nov. 30, 2008

[…]

As Obama prepares to announce his national security team tomorrow, he faces a military that has long mistrusted Democrats and is particularly wary of a young, intellectual leader with no experience in uniform, who once called Iraq a "dumb" war. Military leaders have all heard his pledge to withdraw most combat forces from Iraq within 16 months -- sooner than commanders on the ground have recommended -- and his implied criticism of the Afghanistan war effort during the Bush administration.

But so far, Obama appears to be going out of his way to reassure them that he will do nothing rash and will seek their advice, even while making clear that he may not always take it.

[…]

Obama has been careful to separate his criticism of Bush policy from his praise of the military's valor and performance, while Michelle Obama's public expressions of concern for military families have gone over well. But most important, according to several senior officers and civilian Pentagon officials who would speak about their incoming leader only on the condition of anonymity…

[…]

Although exit polls did not break out active-duty voters, it is virtually certain that McCain won the military vote.

In an October survey by the Military Times, nearly 70 percent of more than 4,000 officers and enlisted respondents said they favored McCain, while about 23 percent preferred Obama. Only African American service members gave Obama a majority.

In exit polls, those who said they had "ever served in the U.S. military" made up 15 percent of voters and broke 54 percent for McCain to 44 percent for Obama. "As a culture, we are more conservative and Republican," a senior officer said.

Obama has said he will meet with the chairman of the Joint Chiefs as well as the service chiefs during his first week in office.

[…]

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