Thursday January 9, 2025
| |||
SNc Channels: HomeNews by DateSportsVideo ReportsWeatherBusiness NewsMilitary NewsRoad ReportCannabis NewsCommentsADVERTISEStaffCompany StoreCONTACT USRSS Subscribe Search About Salem-News.com
Salem-News.com is an Independent Online Newsgroup in the United States, setting the standard for the future of News. Publisher: Bonnie King CONTACT: Newsroom@Salem-news.com Advertising: Adsales@Salem-news.com ~Truth~ ~Justice~ ~Peace~ TJP |
Feb-20-2008 10:30TweetFollow @OregonNews The U.S. Military IndexSalem-News.comGroundbreaking Survey of More Than 3,400 U.S. Military Officers Shows a Force Stretched Dangerously Thin and a Country Ill-Prepared for the Next Fight Army and Marine Corps in Most Peril; Majority of Officers say Morale is High and Iraq Surge is Working.
(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - The U.S. military is weaker today than it was at the start of the Iraq war five years ago, according to the results of a new survey produced by FOREIGN POLICY magazine and the Center for a New American Security. The FOREIGN POLICY/Center for a New American Security U.S. Military Index is one of the most comprehensive surveys to be conducted of the military community in the last 50 years. It is published in the March/April 2008 issue of FOREIGN POLICY magazine and is available online today at ForeignPolicy.com and CNAS.org. Of the more than 3,400 active and retired officers surveyed, 60 percent say the U.S. military is weaker today than it was five years ago. Asked the reason why, more than half cite the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and the pace of troop deployments those conflicts require. Nearly 90 percent of the officers—all of whom hold the rank of major or lieutenant commander and above—say that the war in Iraq has “stretched the U.S. military dangerously thin.” Asked to grade the health of each military service on scale of 1 to 10, with 1 meaning the officers have no concern about the health of the service and 10 meaning they are extremely concerned, the officers reported an average score of 7.9 for the Army and 7.0 for the Marine Corps. However, asked if they believe the war in Iraq has broken the U.S. military, 56 percent of the officers say they disagree. At the same time, 80 percent of the officers say it is unreasonable to expect the U.S. military to successfully wage another major war at this time. Asked to grade the military’s preparedness to go to war in four specific hot spots—Iran, North Korea, Syria, and the Taiwan Strait—the officers say America’s average preparedness in those four hot spots is 4.8 on a 10-point scale, with 10 meaning that the United States is fully prepared and 1 meaning the United States is currently unable to execute such a mission. Asked about officials in the U.S. government, 66 percent of the officers say they believe America’s elected leaders are either somewhat or very uninformed about the U.S. military. Nearly 9 in 10 officers say that, all other things being equal, the military will respect a president of the United States who has served in uniform more than one who has not. When it comes to the use of torture, and what constitutes it, opinions were split. Asked if they agree or disagree with the statement “Torture is never acceptable,” 53 percent of the officers agree and 44 percent disagree. Nearly 1 in 5 officers said they “strongly disagree” with the idea that torture is never acceptable. On the issue of waterboarding, about 46 percent of officers agree with the statement, “Waterboarding is torture,” and about 43 percent disagree. The officers do not necessarily believe victory is beyond reach in the war on terror. Sixty-four percent of the officers report that they believe morale in the military is high, and nearly 90 percent say that the surge of additional troops into Baghdad is raising the military’s chances for success there. For complete survey results and experts available for comment, visit ForeignPolicy.com and CNAS.org. About the FOREIGN POLICY/Center for a New American Security U.S. Military Index The U.S. Military Index is based on a survey of more than 3,400 officers holding the rank of major or lieutenant commander and above from across the services, active duty and retired, general officers and field-grade officers. About 35 percent of the participants hailed from the Army, 33 percent from the Air Force, 23 percent from the Navy, and 8 percent from the Marine Corps. Several hundred are flag officers, elite generals and admirals who have served at the highest levels of command. Approximately one third are colonels or captains, while 37 percent hold the rank of lieutenant colonel or commander. Eighty-one percent have more than 20 years of service in the military. Twelve percent graduated from one of America’s exclusive military academies. And more than two thirds have combat experience, with roughly 10 percent having served in Iraq, Afghanistan, or both. Participants in the survey were selected by FOREIGN POLICY and the Center for a New American Security. The nonscientific survey was administered online from December 7th, 2007, to January 15th, 2008. About FOREIGN POLICY Founded in 1970, FOREIGN POLICY is the premier, award-winning magazine of global politics, economics, and ideas. Published by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, CarnegieEndowment.org, in Washington, D.C., FP is a 2007 winner of the National Magazine Award for General Excellence. The magazine’s readers include some of the most influential leaders in business, government, and other professional arenas throughout the United States and more than 160 other countries. In addition to our flagship English-language edition and award-winning Web site, ForeignPolicy.com, FP is also published in Arabic, Bulgarian, French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Romanian, and Spanish editions. About the Center for a New American Security The Center for a New American Security (CNAS) develops strong, pragmatic, and principled national security and defense policies that promote and protect American interests and values. Building on the deep expertise and broad experience of its staff and advisors, CNAS engages policymakers, experts, and the public with innovative fact-based research, ideas, and analysis to shape and elevate the national-security debate. As an independent and nonpartisan research institution, CNAS leads efforts to help inform and prepare the national-security leaders of today and tomorrow. CNAS is led by Dr. Kurt Campbell, CEO and cofounder, and Michèle Flournoy, president and cofounder. CNAS is located in Washington, D.C. and was established in February 2007. Source: Press release from FPM Articles for February 19, 2008 | Articles for February 20, 2008 | Articles for February 21, 2008 | Support Salem-News.com: Quick Links
DININGWillamette UniversityGoudy Commons Cafe Dine on the Queen Willamette Queen Sternwheeler MUST SEE SALEMOregon Capitol ToursCapitol History Gateway Willamette River Ride Willamette Queen Sternwheeler Historic Home Tours: Deepwood Museum The Bush House Gaiety Hollow Garden AUCTIONS - APPRAISALSAuction Masters & AppraisalsCONSTRUCTION SERVICESRoofing and ContractingSheridan, Ore. ONLINE SHOPPINGSpecial Occasion DressesAdvertise with Salem-NewsContact:AdSales@Salem-News.com | |
Contact: adsales@salem-news.com | Copyright © 2025 Salem-News.com | news tips & press releases: newsroom@salem-news.com.
Terms of Service | Privacy Policy |
All comments and messages are approved by people and self promotional links or unacceptable comments are denied.
[Return to Top]
©2025 Salem-News.com. All opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Salem-News.com.