The Vietnam hero is causing jitters in the corridors of military power, writes Julian Barnesin Washington
FOR DECADES, the US's military officer corps has identified steadfastly with the priorities and values of the Republican Party.
So the brass should be revelling in the presidential campaign of John McCain. Yet, in a culture that typically prefers one of its own, many are wary of the Vietnam War "hero".
McCain, a former navy officer and prisoner of war, would arrive in the White House with more military experience than any president since Dwight Eisenhower.
But he also would bring a long congressional career as an outspoken critic of the Pentagon - prone to harsh assessments of its spending practices, weapons programmes and military leaders.
As a result, defenders of some of the Pentagon's biggest weapons systems are worried that if McCain is elected president, he will order sweeping changes, killing a number of large-scale programmes.
Perhaps unlike other civilian leaders, John McCain would be able to draw on his experience and knowledge of the military to reject the advice of generals and admirals.
"He is more feared in the Pentagon because he is impervious to the usual methods the military uses to roll the civilian leadership," a senior defence official said.
Past presidential hopefuls have pledged to reorder military spending and alter war preparations. But McCain "knows where the bodies are buried", the senior official said, referring to the Republican nominee's understanding of weapons programmes.
The range of views within the Pentagon about the Republican candidate is surprising, and shows a complex culture struggling with the effects of waging two protracted wars, while grappling with rivalries among the military branches.
Some top officers are disillusioned over how President Bush has used the military, and they cheer the prospect of the sweeping reforms McCain might bring.
Others are sceptical, believing that the former navy fighter pilot would show a bias against the air force.
They wonder whether Democrat Barack Obama would be a safer choice. "People are weighing who would be the lesser of two evils," one military officer said.
Most of the personnel interviewed for this article spoke on the condition that their names not be used, citing the advice of senior military officials who cautioned against appearing to take sides in the political campaign.
But for all the admonitions about remaining apolitical, the presidential race is a topic of daily conversation at lunch tables around the Pentagon.
Some officials privately express a degree of enthusiasm for Obama, hoping for better relations with allies, and an improved US image in the Muslim world.
Toward that end, they said, the Democrat is more likely to appoint Pentagon leaders who would actively engage potential adversaries, as well as allies.
"We need some folks in here who are not responsible for getting us where we are today," a senior army official said.
Fans of McCain - and there are many, especially within the navy - say he is best-equipped to reform the business of the Pentagon, changing how weapons systems are selected and paid for.
"I don't see him as coming in and cutting programmes," a military official said. "He sees how this building gets taken advantage of by contractors, and is troubled."
But others expect that McCain would insist on changes in the way the military chooses and builds aircraft, ships and tanks.
"He has a deep love for the military and understanding of the culture," an officer said. "But he is not at all afraid to be critical of how we spend our money."
People close to McCain's campaign have said repeatedly that Pentagon reform would be a top priority.
The next president will face two crucial defence issues soon after taking office: whether to go forward with the army's controversial Future Combat Systems programme, a decision due in February, and whether to purchase additional F-22 fighter planes or shut down production.
McCain has been a critic of the Future Combat Systems programme - a collection of next-generation tanks and troop transports being developed by the army - and defence officials say they believe he would order a closer look at the proposal.
Eisenhower, a five-star army general who as president warned of the rising power of the military-industrial complex, shifted Pentagon spending dramatically, moving money into the air force to build up its strategic bomber wing and air-refuelling capabilities.
Some officials have speculated that McCain would likewise try to reshuffle funding - but with the air force coming out the loser.- ( LA Times-Washington Post service)