As the Pentagon grapples with a critical shortfall in meeting recruitment goals, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. urgently underscores a profound crisis. Beyond the surface-level issues of poor messaging and low unemployment, he identifies a deeper problem—public skepticism stemming from a perceived disconnect with the purpose of elective wars. Kennedy contends that historical conflicts, from Vietnam onwards, were not solely for national defense but served to sustain a global empire, enrich defense contractors, and align with the strategies of neocon warmongers.
A recent poll revealing that 72% of respondents are unwilling to enlist in major conflicts further emphasizes this sentiment. Kennedy suggests that a fundamental shift in narrative, focusing on defending the homeland rather than engaging in foreign military adventures, could potentially remedy the recruitment challenge. The urgency lies in the need to address these underlying concerns, presenting a narrative that resonates with public values and encourages volunteers to safeguard the nation.
A symptom of what? Poor messaging? Low unemployment? Public awareness of PTSD? Maybe, but I’m seeing a more fundamental cause. It is that people sense that our elective wars going back to Vietnam were not actually to defend our country. They were to maintain a global empire,…
— Robert F. Kennedy Jr (@RobertKennedyJr) November 15, 2023
As President, I will repurpose the military around the goal of defending the homeland.
— Robert F. Kennedy Jr (@RobertKennedyJr) November 15, 2023
I will also create a domestic version of the Peace Corps that will give idealistic young people other ways to serve their country. #Kennedy24
— Robert F. Kennedy Jr (@RobertKennedyJr) November 15, 2023