Joe Conason: A Timely Warning From The Generals

[babylonsister]

https://www.nationalmemo.com/a-timely-warning-from-the-generals

A Timely Warning From The Generals
Joe Conason
June 05 | 2020


Under ordinary circumstances, open dissent from high-ranking military officials against the actions of civilian political leaders would signal a danger familiar to other countries. Such rumblings from military circles often indicate that constitutional freedoms are in jeopardy and that martial law, or even a coup d'etat, may be on the horizon.

In these extraordinary circumstances, however, all expectations are reversed — and the usual order of things is turned upside down.

So, rather than sounding ominous, the blunt rebukes of President Donald Trump by retired and active officers this week sounded reassuring. They said our most respected military leaders will not stand by silently while this president and his crowd deface the Constitution and menace the nation.

snip//

No doubt the phone lines into the Pentagon have been lit up with outrage in recent days, prompting Esper and Milley to distance themselves from Trump and his antics. The president himself, backing away while still snarling, dropped his threat to deploy military troops in cities. The troops are leaving Washington now.

Speaking out in defense of constitutional order, these retired officers articulated a fundamental principle: Unlawful orders to fire on fellow Americans are not to be obeyed. We live in a republic, not a dictatorship. And should Trump or his cohort harbor any militaristic fantasies about the upcoming election — which he appears likely to lose — well, this uplifting episode marked a line that they shouldn't dare cross.

[global1]

1. I Really Think This Is Why Trump Cancelled His Golf Outting To NJ This Weekend....

I believe he really felt vulnerable being away from the WH and out on a golf course where his security wouldn't be as well protected. The Generals are pissed at him.

I think this is why the fences and barriers are going up around the WH. I think that's why he's called in the Border Agents and Prison Guards and any other security type services to surround him by the WH.

I think we'll see him hunker down for a time now - as he feels that he is less vulnerable to a palace overthrow at the WH and more vulnerable on a golf course.

If he does venture out of the WH - look for all kinds of new security measures being employed around him. I think he is freaked and realizes that he's crossed the line to get the Generals so riled up against him.

The warnings that came from the Generals this week - I perceive to be pretty ominous.

[roamer65]

3. He realizes that he is now very susceptible to a military intervention.

The military is on the side of our Constitution. Gen Mattis signaled that with his communique.

[lark]

2. This is pretty much just wishful thinking.

In the moment, the general dressed in battle gear and walked the streets with drumpf - he did not refuse the order, he followed commands. Yes, he and the other military groused about it after the fact but in the moment he followed Herr Cheetolinis' orders without question. That is what we can expect from the military, they will follow orders, will kill us if ordered to, will protect drumpf if he loses if CIC tells them to do that. Afterwards there will be regrets, but who gives a shit when they will have just killed us & destroyed te constitution to which they pledged, on the orders of the biggest traitor in American history.

[babylonsister]

4. Not really...

from the article... the jig is up, I'm thinking.

snip//

Provoked by Trump's authoritarian misconduct, Mattis said at last what he has surely known for years, namely that Trump is unfit for public office and represents an existential threat to our values and society. He dismissed Trump as immature and worse, a political charlatan who incites division instead of unity in a style that Mattis likened to the Nazi ethos of "divide and conquer." He advised his fellow Americans, as we confront the nation's legacy of racism and establish true equality under law, to disregard the president.

"We can unite without him, drawing on the strengths inherent in our civil society," wrote Mattis. "We know that we are better than the abuse of executive authority that we witnessed in Lafayette Square. We must reject and hold accountable those in office who would make a mockery of our Constitution."

Within hours of Mattis breaking from Trump, other flag officers followed.

Retired Gen. Mike Mullen, former joint chiefs chairman, issued his own statement saying that the events in Lafayette Square "sickened" him and he could no longer remain silent. The president, wrote Mullen, "laid bare his disdain for the rights of peaceful protest in this country, gave succor to the leaders of other countries who take comfort in our domestic strife, and risked further politicizing the men and women of our armed forces." Another former joint chiefs chairman, retired Gen. Martin Dempsey, expressed deep dismay. So did retired Gen. Raymond Thomas, the former chief of Joint Special Operations Command, as well as retired Adm. James Stavridis and retired Gen. Wesley Clark, both former supreme allied commanders of NATO.

[lark]

7. Wishful thinking, IMO.

I am a person that looks at actions, not words and by their actions they prove the lie. They follow the illegal CIC orders in the moment and only later regret them. Until activ duty officers actually do something different like stand up and walk away from these illegal acts I won't believe a word of their self serving posturing - after the fact or after they have left the service! It's meaningless until its carried out by active duty military and I do not believe that will happen.

[Laelth]

5. Only retired officers are speaking out.

That’s appropriate, I suppose, but there’s no way to know whether active duty officers will follow an unconstitutional order. We will have to wait and see.



-Laelth

[jalan48]

6. Do all the generals think like this or does Trump have his generals who support him?