On civilian-military dichotomy

On civilian-military dichotomy

From Suara Karya

Some circles are still questioning whether former military leaders can become democratic statesmen, which in my view is unreasonable. All good men strive to make adjustments to their environments and positions to achieve the best in life.

It is narrow-minded to judge against someone because of their military background and it is exaggerating to say military institutions somehow control democracy.

Certain intellectuals with overseas educations have criticized military candidates and popularized the term "militarism", without fully understanding its meaning. Former servicemen will not automatically be militaristic and authoritarian in their leadership.

History has shown various cases in which militarism was applied by civilian leaders. The important aspect is therefore the effective control of the chief executive's performance and the responsiveness of the national leader to public demands.

Fortunately, though, many circles are capable of more logical reasoning without being trapped in the civilian-military dichotomy. They assume that the leaders they choose should be able to induce public confidence and promote the welfare of all citizens.

DIAN SILVI AMBARUKMI Depok, West Java