A retired three-star Marine general has pushed back on the inclusion of critical race theory instruction in the military, saying that it is divisive and diminishes the services’ “warfighting capabilities” while leading to “failure” on the battlefield.
Lt. Gen. Greg Newbold strongly criticized military leaders — and civilian commanders — who “favor social engineering goals” over “meritocracy” and military preparedness.
“The tenets of Critical Race Theory – a cross-disciplinary intellectual and social movement that seeks to examine the intersection of race and law in the United States, but which has the unfortunate effect of dividing people along racial lines – undermine our military’s unity and diminish our warfighting capabilities,” wrote Newbold in the military publication Task & Purpose on Thursday.
“[W]hen we highlight differences or group identity, we undermine cohesion and morale. Failure results,” he added.
The Daily Wire notes:
Newbold, the former director of operations for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the military requires conformity and unity; “group identity is corrosive and … antithetical to the traits that deter a potential enemy and win the wars.”
“Those officeholders who dilute this core truth with civil society’s often appropriate priorities (diversity, gender focus, etc.) undermine the military’s chances of success in combat. Reduced chances for success mean more casualties,” he wrote.
“Combat is the harshest meritocracy that exists,” he added, calling for “ruthless adherence to this principle.”
He added that military leaders risk the nation’s security when they “dilute requirements based purely on merit in favor of predetermined outcomes to favor social engineering goals.”
Newbold added that a desire to place women in combat positions was one such example.
Combat units must reflect “the highest levels of discipline, fitness, cohesion, esprit, and just plain grit.”
Newbold made reference to both President Joe Biden and Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff Mark Milley in criticizing their approach.
America’s leaders who he says are suffering from “warfare dementia” who have forgotten the high casualties of war “most assuredly will be paid in blood.
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“The condition is exacerbated and enabled when the most senior military leaders — those who ought to know better — defer to the idealistic judgments of those whose credentials are either nonexistent or formed entirely by ideology,” he wrote.
The Daily Wire adds:
Milley testified before Congress last year that U.S. soldiers should study CRT, because “I want to understand white rage,” which he alleged fueled the D.C. riot last January 6. His remarks drew instant backlash. J.D. Vance, the author of “Hillbilly Elegy” and Republican primary candidate for U.S. Senate from Ohio, replied, “I personally would like American generals to read less about ‘white rage’ (whatever that is) and more about ‘not losing wars.’”
Newbold also clapped back at all social and/or political causes that did not enhance the military’s two primary objectives: to deter aggression or defeat the enemy in war.
“We signal a dangerous shift in priorities (as just one example) when global warming, not preparedness to defeat aggressive global competitors,” he wrote.