Former CIA Head Explains Why Armed Forces Can't Legally Obey Trump

[applegrove]

Former CIA Head Explains Why Armed Forces Can't Legally Obey Trump

by Sam Levine at the Huffington Post

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/michael-hayden-donald-trump_us_56d1ed18e4b0871f60eba2f3?utm_hp_ref=politics

"SNIP...........


Michael Hayden, the former head of the NSA and CIA, thinks some of presidential candidate Donald Trump's campaign promises are so unlawful that the U.S. Armed Forces could not follow them as orders.

These include Trump's claim that people deserve to be waterboarded even if it doesn't work and that he would target the families of terrorists. The internationally recognized Geneva Conventions bars such action.

"If he were to order that once in government, the American armed forces would refuse to act," Hayden said Friday during an appearance on "Real Time with Bill Maher." "You are required not to follow an unlawful order that would be in violation of all the international laws of armed conflict."

Hayden added that he would be "incredibly concerned" if Trump followed through with his campaign promises as president.



............SNIP"

[BillZBubb]

1. Legally or not, they'll find a way.

Or they'll hire John Yoo to tell them it is legal.

[Gothmog]

2. Torture is popular with the idiots who make up Trump's base

[-none]

3. That didn't seem to bother the Bush administration any.

Legal was what they said it was.

[Politicalboi]

4. LOL!

Any glimmer of hope for the Queen.

[Jim Beard]

5. Didn't seem to stop them last time

or was it the CIA that did it and the troops had to keep the prisoners?

The world is full of evil people, even families in our own country.

[Downwinder]

6. Isn't Hayden being a little disingenuous?

[okaawhatever]

8. Not necessarily. The waterboarding was done by the CIA. Hayden was referring to a soldier's right

to refuse an illegal order. I say right, but it is an obligation. That issue was addressed in the My Lai trials if you remember. Lt. Calley said he was "just following orders" but he was convicted because he diidn't have an obligation to follow illegal orders.

[Ilsa]

7. What a crock.

We can't trust him on that, or them saying "No" if Pres. Trump decides to launch nuclear weapons as a birthday treat for his kid.