Duty, honor, country — these three words underline the ethos of graduates from the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York. The current commandant of the Army's officer academy is broadening the mission statement, but the refrain "duty, honor, country" continues to guide all who serve in the U.S. military.
President Joe Biden should pay greater attention to these selfless Americans and to others who have previously held his office.
Together with former President Abraham Lincoln, who held the nation together in a great civil war, former President George Washington, the founding father of the nation, stands atop any list of the greatest Americans. The life of Washington epitomized duty, honor, and country. He served as commander in chief of the army that defeated Great Britain, the most powerful country in the world, from 1775 to 1783. Washington gave his nation independence.
After achieving victory, many officers of the Continental Army wanted Washington to become the king of the new country that became America. Washington said no. He did not want to replace one king with a new king. He wanted a new nation governed by the people. Washington retired to his home at Mount Vernon, on the shores of the Potomac River. But the nation soon needed Washington again. The new country floundered under the too-loose structure of the Articles of Confederation. A group of leaders gathered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and created the Constitution that continues to govern the nation today. Washington became the first president. He served two terms from 1789 to 1797. Though Washington remained very popular among the people, he refused a third term.
Washington did what was right. He put duty, honor, and country before his ego. Washington opposed the political factions that sprung up in the first days of the new nation. Washington wanted a government that focused on what was right, not what was popular and expedient.
Other examples of patriotic selflessness also abound.
In 1850, Daniel Webster, the lion of the Senate and a man who would have been president, sacrificed any opportunity to reach the highest office when he forged the Compromise of 1850, which kept the nation together for another 11 years until the first shots of the Civil War were fired at Fort Sumter, South Carolina.
Later in World War II, Gen. George C. Marshall desperately wanted to lead the Allied forces into the heart of Europe and defeat Nazi Germany. But former President Franklin D. Roosevelt wanted Marshall close at his side in Washington, D.C., because Roosevelt implicitly trusted Marshall on military and non-military matters. At Roosevelt’s request, Marshall sacrificed his dream and announced that Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower would command the invasion of Allied forces into northern France. Marshall put duty before his personal ego.
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All of this history bears noting today.
It's clear that Biden is aging rapidly and, by his own admission, finds it difficult to work into the evening. Crises that could affect the existence of the nation do not operate according to the rhythm of Biden’s mental and physical well-being. Almost 70% of Americans believe Biden should step down and allow a younger, more physically capable Democrat to run against former President Donald Trump, who is now the clear favorite to win in the 2024 presidential election. But Biden puts ego before duty, honor, and country. That will tarnish his legacy and perhaps harm the nation.
James Rogan is a former U.S. foreign service officer who later worked in finance and law for 30 years. He writes a daily note on the markets, politics, and society.
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