Ebou, I would have loved to pursue you on a number of issues which you raised, but unfortunately I couldn't, because my wife gave birth to a baby boy last night and I am very much occupied by that. Any way thanks for the polemics. >From: Ebou Jallow <[log in to unmask]> >Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list ><[log in to unmask]> >To: [log in to unmask] >Subject: Re: Malik>>Re: call for restraint on abusive adjectives >Date: Mon, 19 Nov 2001 19:56:33 -0800 > >Mr. Kah, > >I have noticed again that you are shifting perspectives. I have also >noted that most of the preliminary positions you raised are issues of >state policy rather than the intrinsic functions of the armed forces. > The military has a mandate, like any other state agency, to >implement policies as directed by the legitimate authorities of the >day; they do not have the option to pick and choose what orders to >follow, and which to reject. The officers have a constitutional >obligation to execute the orders of the Commander-in Chief ( the >elected president). If an officer has genuine and legal grounds >against the execution of his duties, he has the option to tender a >resignation through his chain of command. Since antiquity, the armed >forces has ever been an instrument of the state- a disciplined >profession responsible for the orderly management of violence. A >classic military leadership concept is the maintenance of a triad at >the strategic level i.e. the people's hearts and minds, civilian >authority and military professionalism. These three are like >magnetic pillars that maintain the balance in any successful military >effort. Now if you are telling me that the military should be >responsive to the mob sentiments, then my friend you are asking for >chaos; on the other hand if you tell me that the military commander >should have the latitude to pick and choose a cafeteria of orders, >then you are asking for anarchy- because the armed forces might as >well be labeled another arm of the government with constitutional >powers to check and sanction the executive in their sui generis >terms. Either/or your concept of "peoples army" is wrong and very >dangerous to civilized society. Winning the hearts and minds of the >local community is very different from cavorting with popular >political sentiments. >Now to your last assertions about officer promotions and loyalty >issues..etc, etc. I am yet to see any government on this planet >which does not promote senior officers based on some appreciation of >loyalty- this occurs every where. >Finally, Mr. Kah, you see whenever the armed forces assume a law >enforcement role, it requires serious structural adjustments of the >forces concerned to fit a specific policy objective. Armies don't >issue policies, civilians do! They just obey and complain later. > > >===== >Ebou Jallow >Georgetown University >Washington, DC > >__________________________________________________ >Do You Yahoo!? >Yahoo! GeoCities - quick and easy web site hosting, just $8.95/month. >http://geocities.yahoo.com/ps/info1 > ><<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>> > >To view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface >at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html >To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: >[log in to unmask] > ><<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>> _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp <<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>> To view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: [log in to unmask] <<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>