The armed forces have more responsibility than doctors and lawyers and when engaged in a war (or two), the ivory tower goal of being a “profession” is sacrificed to the operational realities of combat. The military is most like a profession in times of peace, relative as that may be, and least like one when we are engaged in combat.
President Putin made three foundational assumptions in launching his war against Ukraine that should have been correct but were not. First, Putin assumed the invasion of Ukraine would be a quick and easy fight. Second, he assumed the world would denounce the invasion but tacitly allow it. Third, Putin assumed the war would deter NATO expansion.
