For all the fears about militarism creeping across America, the generals are already in command —on cable news. The Iran war is the TV generals’ new battlefield. But their real service is to their clients and themselves.
Ever since the first Gulf War in 1991, every one of the big networks has hired some retired general or admiral to appear on air as an “expert” to explain the complicated matters of war (and behind the scenes, to smooth matters over with the Pentagon). In reality, it’s all business. As one of those TV generals once told my editor, “I should be paying NBC to appear on the air; that’s how much business it drums up for me.”
Given how tightly Hegseth’s Pentagon controls information about the conflict, these retired generals-turned-pundits have rushed in to fill the information vacuum. I’ve watched them so you don’t have to. The latest has produced some of the most farcical war coverage one can imagine. Three retired generals dominate the airwaves: David Petraeus, Jack Keane, and Mark Hertling.
They have nothing to say. But they all have something to sell.
a12iggymom's Blog 