View From West Point: We Are Not The Enemy

(CBS)  Ben Salvito is a cadet at West Point and is majoring in International Law. He will graduate in May 2010 as an aviator. This piece originally appeared in The New Ledger.

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On Tuesday night, President Obama addressed the world and announced his decision regarding the conflict in Afghanistan. The New York Times, preempting his remarks, declared that his speech here "may be one of the most defining decisions of his presidency." Soon soldiers will be deployed overseas in pursuance of his new strategy, and the debate has begun throughout the media and political arenas as to whether this decision was the right one.

The President chose the United States Military Academy at West Point as his backdrop carefully and deliberately. As one of America's great bastions of military power and a crucible for teaching leadership, the cadets and those who work to teach them are among the most affected by his words.

Unfortunately, the President's decision to place his podium at West Point and the reaction of the Corps of Cadets to his speech has been criticized by the media almost as much as the new strategy itself.

Many members of the media condemned the audience for its lack of enthusiasm or emotion in response to what was said, though it is unclear what alternative reaction was expected. To applaud or to boo at the announcements made last night would have both been equally inappropriate for the Corps of Cadets. In fact, the stoic reaction by all ought to leave the world confident in the Corps' and the military's ability to be apolitical and execute the policies of the President and Congress with fervor and duty. In an interview posted on Politico, Arron Conley, the President of the Class of 2010, said, "My role is not to advocate policy but to execute it." No words more accurately describe the mission of the officers in the US Army and those whom they lead.

In the most polemical of criticisms, TV pundit Chris Matthews stated that in coming to West Point, the President made an "interesting" decision speaking at the "the enemy camp." He said that the crowd exhibited "if not resentment, skepticism" and that it lacked "warmth." Later acknowledging the potential ramifications of such a controversial statement, he attempted to assuage critics by stating that "maybe earlier tonight I used the wrong phrase, `enemy camp,' but the fact of the matter is that he went up there to a place that's obviously 'military.'"

This is perhaps the most vapid response one could muster, especially in an attempt to retract such a scathing statement. The President came to West Point because he desired to address those whom his decision would affect the most. From my experience, West Point cadets are one of the most polite audiences in America. A letter published at National Review Online says it best:

Whether out of professionalism (the vast majority of cadets) or fear of punishment (the rest of them), the Corps of Cadets would never be disrespectful to the Commander-in-Chief. In fact, West Point may be the only place in America where President Obama can simultaneously trash George W. Bush and announce an increase in troop levels in Afghanistan and not be booed from the right or the left.

Indeed, the President came to West Point because of the non-partisan nature of the institution, which truly exemplifies the beauty and finesse of the civil-military relationship. The Corps was reminded to be reserved, restrained, and respectful, as any military audience ought to be.

"Presidents often use the Oval Office or a joint session of Congress for major announcements, but some speeches call for more creative scene-setting. Often, presidential stagecraft is subliminally used to answer critics," wrote the New York Times in the aftermath of the speech. Past Presidents from Eisenhower to Bush have understood this distinction and chose military instead of political forums to give an address. By coming to West Point, both implicitly in choosing this location and explicitly in his remarks, the President demonstrated his respect for the profession of arms and the sacrifice required of all who serve.

Cadets are trained in acceptance of orders, and the Commander-in-Chief was effectively issuing an order to all who were present. No cadet will be spared from the effects of President Obama's remarks - his message has been received and internalized by all who were present in Eisenhower Hall. I am humbled by the President's decision to announce his new strategy at my school and completely reject the notion of any who suggest that West Point is in any way "the enemy camp." The enemy camps are in Helmand province, where soldiers are currently engaged in the President's mission.

As a member of the Class of 2010, I am preparing to graduate and utilize the skills and lessons that West Point has taught me to join those deployed and contribute to the Afghanistan conflict. I am confident that my classmates all feel similarly, and it will be an honor to serve beside them.



By Ben Salvito:
Reprinted with permission from The New Ledger.

[greenlantern1]

Dear Sirs,
A president, of Columbia University, wrote many books.
In one of them, he mentioned prisoners.
On page 386 nof CRUSADE IN EUROPE, he asked "why did't some staff college ever tell us what to do with a quarter of a million prisoners so located at the end of a rickety railroad that it's impossible to move them and where guarding and feeding them are so difficult?
That author was President Dwight David Eisenhower!
By comparison, GITMO holds about 250 inmates.
Clifford Spencer

[loueetwoee]

I couldn't be more impressed with the young man who write this article. He is obviously much more savvy than the ridiculous news people he cited. Who in their right mind would expect a room full of cadets being addressed by their commander in chief to act like partisans? I fear for our country for many reasons, but perhaps the biggest one is that the fourth estate, on whom we rely to keep us an informed democracy, has turned itself into a band of buffoons. But every once in a while I'm reminded that Americans can be the best in the world, and this article did that for me today.

[Empire-George]

by AOCGUY December 4, 2009 2:32 PM EST

The only time this southern boy has been to New York was to visit my wife's family in Southampton.
______________

Southhampton Long Island ? it's nice, I went to the beach there this summer.

Interesting about the NEADS facility, did you visit it as part of the 1st Air Force ? Is it mostly NORAD there, radar and satellite tracking, for air defense ?

[AOCGUY]

I provided training for the NORAD guys in support of Noble Eagle.

My brother in law warned me about some of the folks on L.I. who live along the beach and think they own the sand. We have some folks like that down here has well despite the fact that all the beaches are public property although access sometimes can be difficult.

[noloyalisti]

Now, they are not the enemy. They are only pawns serving the rich American corporations. The corporations write the government policy, we pay our taxes for the armed services who then go and die for corporate profit. Perfect.

[YoureSoWrong10]

High school socialist rubbish. Read something besides the tea leaves in Karl Marx's underwear.

[elliesamericana]

We are certainly not the enemy. During my 28 years of service, I saw many presidents. We had to follow their directives as good Army officers. Although I did privately disagree with some republican presidents' misuse of our military power. I'm certain the President has quiet supporters within the corps. My own son would have been among them, just missing the starting class by a medical waiver coming in 4 days too late. He's an ROTC cadet instead, and a solid Obama supporter.

[Empire-George]

AOCGUY, Have you ever had the opportunity to visit West Point? I think you would enjoy it.....I live very close to the Academy in the beautiful Hudson Valley....the historical collection in their museum (Weaponry, etc.) is one of the best I've seen.

[AOCGUY]

Empire - I have not, although I am sure it is beautiful. I almost made itthere when my father retired from the service and was offered a teaching post there but he chose to go with industry. However if I ever find my way up North again I will check it out.

The only time this southern boy has been to New York was to visit my wife's family in Southampton. Well that's not true either as I got to spend a month at the NEADS facility in Rome immediately after 911. But I was pretty much working 16 hour days seven days a week so I didn't get any time to play tourist.

[slownewsday-5]

I know West Point verrrry well, Joe... nice to know you live near that corner of the Hudson. Hope you're well today.

[pedcard50]

Ben Salvito's piece is well written and measured in its tone. I am proud of him, his fellow cadets, and our president. I am not proud of sniping whether it be from the right or the left. I find myself,like I believe most Americans, in the middle of the political spectrum. The middle ground is the anchor in the great political debate whether now or in the past, it is the strength of this country.

[Empire-George]

AOCGUY, as a military man yourself, how do you feel about Chris Matthew's comments ? the guy who also commented that he felt a "tingle going up his leg" when Obama gave a speech.

Doesn't this give a example of how the left views the military, as some right-wing enemy ?

[AOCGUY]

First of all I think the terms left and right are fairly meaningless since they only represent general directions over a very broad spectrum. I have many friends who would like to paint me as a left leaning liberal and others who swear that I'm a right wing NAZI. Obviously I can't be both and neither description is correct. Like most people where I sit on the political spectrum depends upon the issue.

That said I find Mattthews' comment to be demeaning and insulting. Clearly he has not spent any time with military personnel. But I don't think he is representative of anyone other than himself. I know plenty of military personel that consider themselves liberal who I have no doubt would be furious at Matthews' comment.

[Empire-George]

by AOCGUY December 4, 2009 1:23 PM EST

Thank you for your response...I can respect that and agree.

I believe we are in a political battle for the soul of America, so I apologize for using the political descriptive terms, but I personally feel it's necessary to define what they are, and what they do.

[Empire-George]

Is this a perfect example of how anti-American liberals such as Chris Matthews can be, when he considers a very historical Military Academy of the United States Army, he considers this "enemy camp"

How sick is that ?

[lloydbest1]

The military and those who serve in it are, in and of themselves, value neutral. What determines good or evil is in how it and the soldiers are used.