The military can't stay away from politics. They're deeply embedded in the heart of American politics and to paraphrase clausewitz, war itself is politics by other means. Do you think Vietnam and the Iraqi war can be divorced from the political discussions that surrounded them?
The military needs to be acutely aware the delicate politicsl balance their role requires. I don't see how you can do that without open discussions of politics.
> Do you think Vietnam and the Iraqi war can be divorced from the political discussions that surrounded them?
Of course not, and that's not what they meant.
The point is, those very important political discussions are left to civilians, and the military does what civilians decide. That is fundamental to democracy; without it, you have military dictatorship.
You are talking past each other. GP is using politics in the "what is happening right now with specific players sense". You are talking about politics in "everything since Cicero with generality" sense. Both of you are correct. Military needs needs to stay out of the former and be aware of the latter.
The military needs to be acutely aware the delicate politicsl balance their role requires. I don't see how you can do that without open discussions of politics.