The military should not think for itself
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Re: "The Army would have done a far better job," Letters, November 7.
With all due respect to Amelia Komlertkul of Bangkok, I must disagree with her premise. As a retired military officer who has served with an air force, a navy and an army, I do not believe that what the military does best is “organise, mobilise and solve problems”.
Military leaders “organise, mobilise and follow orders” – everywhere in the world. They are much like construction contractors: If a construction contractor is told to build highways that act as dams, without any regard to potential flooding, then that is what they do; if a military is told to build earthen dams that will collapse during heavy flooding, then that is what they do. Someone must do their thinking for them.
Guy Baker
Bangkok
