THE DANGERS OF INTROSPECTION
A commander must be cautious not to look too closely into his own heart. He might find things that he does not want to—things that could hinder his ability to make hard decisions in the heat of battle.

In thinking about war, there is what I would describe as a mission to troop ratio. A commander must believe in both; he must love them both; but ultimately he must love the mission a little more. He must be prepared to sacrifice the lives of his men for the success of the mission. But what if a commander looks into his heart and finds that that ratio has somehow reversed itself? What if he begins to love the troops more than the mission? What does he do? What can he do?

I stumbled upon this very dilemma as an infantry company commander.

From the disparity I witnessed between the policies in Washington and our actions in Iraq, an ambivalence formed inside me. It began to grow geometrically, doubling and re-doubling itself until I was utterly consumed by it. Suddenly I looked at the faces of my marines and I realized my reverence for them had overwhelmed my reverence for the mission. By definition, then, I was unable to command. I resigned my commission. After twelve years of service, I left the Marine Corps.

For an officer, love of the mission is not merely a good quality, it is an imperative. Love of the troops is secondary.