Politics has a number of definitions, and especially at the senior general and admiral level, there's a good deal of jockeying.

An active duty general is on very thin ice to offer any criticisms, negative comments, about the secretary of defense. Once a general is retired, however, the gloves can come off.

These kinds of comments have greater resonance if a policy or a war is under close scrutiny or going badly. The more critics there are, the more the retired officer is likely to get a favorable hearing.

In politics, there is no use looking beyond the next fortnight

for their efforts to diminish the part played by nuclear arms in international politics and, in the longer run, to eliminate such arms.

to diminish the part played by nuclear arms in international politics and in the long run to eliminate such arms.