Something is wrong when the Pentagon talks about a Netflix show instead of a national threat. The army drama Boots is based on the book by Marine veteran Greg Cope White. Last week, Pentagon Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson called it “woke garbage.” China, meanwhile, just showed off the “Guam Killer” missile and a fleet of drones driven by AI.
So why is the US defense establishment spending time on Netflix while China is stockpiling weapons?
Things are Not in Order at the Pentagon
The Pentagon says it is “restoring the warrior ethos” under Secretary Pete Hegseth. But if that’s true, then why is the Department of Defense fighting a streaming service?
China’s most recent parade showed off new stealth fighters, hypersonic weapons, and robotic “wolf” drones. But our generals are stuck in cultural politics, arguing about pronouns and plots instead of things like production rates and cyberwarfare.
Boots, which was based on the real story of a gay Marine (The Pink Marine), is not a threat to national security. It’s a TV show. They turned it into a public relations battle, which shows that the leaders care more about how they look than how ready the military is.
China Builds Missiles, We Build Hashtags
Boots is one of the most-watched shows on Netflix, which isn’t exactly a defense problem. But the Pentagon’s answer is typical: Elites in Washington, D.C., love symbolic fights because they take attention away from real problems.
Shipbuilding problems are getting worse. On the other side of the world, Beijing already has more warships in their naval fleet than we do here in the U.S. Still, politicians get caught up in fights on social media.
It’s not “woke” vs. “anti-woke.” It’s not strong enough or focused enough. We sent out a press release about a TV character’s sexuality, and China just sent out a 60-foot submarine drone that can carry nuclear weapons. Our foes are looking at us and laughing.
Until the Pentagon cares less about Netflix and more about national defense, our toughest battles won’t be abroad. Instead, our toughest battles will be the distractions we are allowing to swallow our focus.
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