Pete Hegseth appears to be bulletproof. For weeks now, people have been briefing newspapers about his vanity, incompetence and arrogance. Lots of people, even his own, at every possible level. He seems to be hated by everybody who comes into contact with him. And yet he remains in his job.
This television presenter turned military genius has now revealed his plans for the future of the US armed forces. He wants bulletproof soldiers. Specifically bulletproof straight white cis male soldiers.
One of the main reforms is to move away from heavy armour to light, mobile units that are nimble and quick to react in a modern warfare situation. Sadly for everybody, this has already been tried. A scourge of Gulf War II was the IEDs which would explode at the roadside, turning the vehicle going past into a motorised coffin.
Still, that was a long time ago and humans have probably evolved since then. In any case, Pete is doubtless looking at the success of the Russians when they adopt such tactics. This is fine unless you also consider the Russians do this because they can’t afford anything better, and that their soldiers get blown to smithereens by anything resembling a well-equipped opponent.
So these new units will be useless for any sort of war. Maybe controlling civilian areas? Not in the USA, surely? The population is too heavily armed. Mexico? Greenland? 51st state? All this policy will do is reaffirm the effectiveness of the Molotov Cocktail.