The nation’s top military advisors are not the Joint CHEERLEADERS of Staff. It is not their role to publicly applaud or deride the political policies of the civilian leadership. Their job is to salute smartly, and carry out their orders.

Skeptics of missile defense should take note of Russia’s paranoia about the U.S. missile defense in Europe.

Editor’s Note: Katie Gallagher is a junior majoring in print journalism at the University of Maryland’s Philip Merrill College of Journalism. This article is the second of a series offering a perspective on military issues from the college perspective.

Bob Woodard says the sources (more than one) who leaked him the McChrystal report had “pretty pure” motives and were not trying to “box in” President Obama. He also insists that after the initial anger some in the White House told him the publication “did them a favor.” And that the scoop was in some respects as significant as the landmark Pentagon Papers case in 1971.

The strategy President Obama has settled on, even with its limitations and reservations, may be the best of bad options. But the speech fell short of making the case. Bottom line: Right strategy, wrong message.

One question that has to weigh heavy on President Obama as he charts a course that will no doubt lead to more American casualties: “Would I send my own son or daughter into this battle? Is it worth their lives?”

There’s a lot comparison to Vietnam going on these days, and there are many lessons from that conflict. One important one is that battlefield commanders, intent on achieving their objective, can lose sight of the big picture.

As President Obama weighs what to do in Afghanistan, I would advise him to to keep two maxims firmly in mind, to wit: 1. Look before you leap. 2. He who hesitates is lost.

What critics miss is that the President can’t change the law that forces gays in uniform to cover-up their sexuality. Only Congress can. It’s Congress, not the President, that’s ignoring the growing sentiment in America to end discrimination against lesbians homosexuals in the U.S. military.

Was I too harsh on CNN two weeks ago? I was thinking about that as read over President Obama’s remarks at Walter Cronkite’s memorial service. I wonder if anyone at CNN was listening as the President related one telling anecdote about veteran newsman.