I am not so sure appealing to the generals is the way to go. We need what Jefferson would have called a revolution. In the French and Russian revolutions important results came from the troops refusing to obey their generals. I suggest we tell our troops to shoot their generals in Iraq and come home.

When the Constitution does not work, civil disobedience may be the only answer.

Norman Ravitch

Savannah, GA

While I applaud the US military finally acting to stop illegal attacks on sovereign states, they have left it a bit late.

The illegal attack that alienated me and many millions right across the planet and put the reputation of the United States beyond the pale was the vicious attack on the state of Serbia and the illegal bombimg of a defenceless population for seventy-eight days and nights. An illegal attack that destroyed the infrastructure of that country and killed thousands of its people--all in support of a wahhabi terrorist organization closely associated with Bin Laden himself, the KLA. So much for the "war on terror." Some terrorists are obviously more equal than others.

Not content with that the crazies in the White House now seem intent to grant these same radical Muslims a state of their own--Kosovo--illegally under international law, to use as a base to wage terror against Europe.

Oops, I forget. We must allow "black ops" their conduit for the poppies now thriving in "liberated" Afghanistan. They need the money from Western youth tempted and hooked by heroin.

The rot set in in Yugoslavia and under Hillary and Bill Clinton. That is where the US (and Britain) lost its way.

Coincidentally, the same general who boasted about "bombing Serbia back to the stone age" had already had a trial run, illegally as well, at Waco.

E Sutherland

St Albans, England

This article and its analysis of the valiant efforts of the principled antiwar left to appeal to "the generals" to avoid the next war of Empire in the Middle East is hopeful, but perhaps does not take into account the reality of how the Bush/Cheney global corporate Empire hiding behind the facade of "Vichy America" has already raised defenses against any such failsafe. Unfortunately, the senior military resistance/revolt had been the only force holding Bush back and was the only possible check on the Empire's war plans.

I had long ago concluded that Democrat and US public resistance would be a non-issue against pre-emptive (and nuclear) expansion of the Empire's oil-war from Iraq to Iran. I had long ago concluded that the only hope was in "the generals." But now the global corporate fascist war Empire behind this facade of "Vichy America" has even thrown out the last defense of the generals (including Peter Pace, who aborted the February 2007 war launch plan)--and brought in their own war admiral, "Mad Dog" Mullen.

There is no question that military revolts have been the only thing standing in the way of the Empire's planned nuclear war in Iran. In fact, there have already been several military revolts, starting with Pace's clear instructions to his senior officers that they are "not to carry out illegal and/or immoral orders" in February--which stopped the Empire's first planned war launch, and predictably got him removed by the Empire as Joint Chief's Chairman--right up to the latest military revolt, just recently, to abort Cheney's planned B-52, ACM/W-80 nuclear bomb "accidental strike."

However, notwithstanding Cheney's premature ejaculation of nuke cruise missiles on the aborted B-52 scam, the Empire will not have long to wait in launching their long planned "global strike," pre-emptive, nuclear attack on Iran with the cover of entirely legal means--thanks to the installation by the Empire of their preferred nuclear spear carriers, Admiral Mullen and his spacebot bomber side-kick, StratCom "Ripper" Cartwright. Aided and politically endorsed by the AIPAC-drafted and -greased US Senate passage of the "attack Iran now" vote a few weeks ago.

Note, for those who do not remember (including the MSM from their own reporting) Admiral "Quick Trigger" Mullen is the one, who as CNO during the Iran/British seaman capture dust-up, infamously growled that "if that had happened to my sailors there would have been shots fired--even if it started a war." Perhaps that was the cameo role and performance that earned Admiral "War-Starter" Mullen his new stripes.

Or for those who continue to hold out hope against the next phase of this war, perhaps that hope in the generals will be replaced by hope in a battle of the admirals--as we learn that Admiral William Fallon seems to be willing to take on his subordinate General Petraeus (whom Fallon called an "ass-kissing chickenshit") in reducing the war in the Middle East--this "constant drumbeat of conflict" concerning Iran, said Admiral William Fallon, head of the US Central Command, is "not helpful and not useful." Fallon wants to head off such talk. "There will be no war."

So will it be Admiral Mullen ordering the war, and Admiral Fallon holding back the nuclear holocaust? The only problem here is that Mullen (and Cartwright) out-rank Fallon--by a lot.

Alan MacDonald

Sanford, ME

I think it is about time our military obeyed its sworn duty to uphold our constitution against lunatics like the one who is ruling over the United States of America right now. This is not a political issue. It is a constitutional issue.

Ronnie Wright
SFC, US Army Ret.

St. Petersburg, FL

This is setting a dangerous precedent, probably without realizing it. It is asking the military to collectively make political choices. Whatever the feelings on any one issue, do we really want to have Generals, Admirals and suchlike making policy decisions that belong with elected officials? We do not need a politicized army, and the record of nations that do have themn is not good at all. It is a very dangerous first step that can get badly out of control.

John D. Froelich

Upper Darby, PA