The military in the United States has always done what the civilian government has told it, so you really can't blame them. Plus, an officer is trained to always come up with alternatives to overcome difficult situations so admitting the whole Iraq situation is FUBAR is difficult for them.
I guess it gets a little easier after you have received your retirement.
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U.Kdt.Hdb B. I. 28) This possibility of using the hydrophone to help in detecting surface ships should, however, be restricted to those cases where the submarine is unavoidably compelled to stay below the surface.
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