More Troops Or Fewer Troops, That Is The Question

Joe Lieberman calls for more troops in Iraq.  Barak Obama dissents.  Both agree that the status quo cannot continue.  Obama's piece is indicative of a remarkable phenomenon taking place in certain quarters on the left wherein their deference to the opinions of the military is breathtaking.   It is not up to the generals to make policy; that is a civilian job.  First, it is not as though the military speaks with one voice on any particular matter.  Also, as has been discussed on this site before, Lincoln did not defer to his generals' desires, indeed he opposed them frequently.  Was President Truman wrong to fire Douglas MacArthur in Korea for opposing administration policy?   History is on Truman's side.  One foolishly ignores military opinion, but war is a political act, so it should be political leaders who set policy.  A couple decades ago one would never have heard the call from certain left-leaning circles to defer so easily to military opinion.  Of course conservatives have found a new respect for the civilian management of war.  I guess times have changed.