Perhaps not unusual, but ethical? That’s a different matter. A former US general working for a theocratic, monarchy with a deeply concerning history on human rights raises some serious red flags in my mind.
It isn't lack of understanding that is being expressed, it is a lack of acceptance. I think that is a good thing.
And even if you would percieve ignorance instead, it doesn't mean that they need snark targeted at them. Please respect the community guidelines of this comment section.
You would be surprised how many sociopaths occupy higher echelons of any power structures, be it government, military, banking, or well anything. As per J. Peterson there is around 1:20 ratio of sociopaths:normal folks in general population. Sociopathy like all other similar things are a spectrum, but with certain age you will start noticing them everywhere where power is.
If its a trait mixed with above average intelligence, these people often climb careers like ladders, and getting to the general/admiral level involves tons of political games and quid pro quo played right for decade(s).
What I want to say with all this - you bet those folks sleep well at night. They've sent 18-year old to (almost) certain death from time to time. Don't expect everybody in the world to share your morals, however sad it may be.
> We’ve been trying to get off oil since the 1970’s
Some have, but for most people and most countries it's simply far too cheap and convenient to not do that. Until there's an oil shock or a war. The oil money also pays for a lot of anti-renewables lobbying.
I mean, consider that, right now, the US has a military presence in Saudi Arabia, and active US military members are under orders to help train Saudi Arabian military members.
These former US officers in question may have already been working "for" this theocratic monarchy before they retired from the US military. So I don't think it'd be much of a moral leap for them to continue to do so, at least in their own minds.
But sure, I certainly wouldn't work for SA in any capacity; the whole idea would feel gross to me. But I don't have the career baggage of a US military officer who may have been stationed in SA for years.
It could be worse. He could be a US general working for a country with a deeply concerning history of human rights, a lingering racial apartheid problem, and a history of violating the independence and sovereignty of many other countries : the United States.
Didn’t President of the United States just go to Saudi Arabia and ask them to produce more oil.
Have we not supplied them weapons for decades?
Does the world use 100 million barrels of oil a day?
Let’s go throw something on a famous painting and maybe that’ll stop.
Still waiting for the batteries and all the renewable energy to solve the problem.
In the meantime, it’s great that people can take the moral high ground for decades on end.
We’ve been trying to get off oil since the 1970’s. How’s that working out?