I disagree with your statement that 'those with power' should exert their influence on these generals. They have already very bravely spoken out about their experiences with Trump and have received death threats. Why should they be subjected to more threats and disruption after serving honorably for decades. Isn't it enough that they hav…
I disagree with your statement that 'those with power' should exert their influence on these generals. They have already very bravely spoken out about their experiences with Trump and have received death threats. Why should they be subjected to more threats and disruption after serving honorably for decades. Isn't it enough that they have served honorably, spoken out publicly and some have published books? If anyone needs to have influence exerted on them, it's the 'powers that be' who have sat behind their protected positions and not defended these generals when Trump demeaned and maligned them. What more do they need to do? Every one of them has stated that Trump circumvented the well established chain of command.
Valere, Were Trump to be re-elected, his loyalists would take over the military, let alone media, education, and the courts. (Source: Heather Cox Richardson LFAA) The point is that these generals comprise a mere fraction of the people who would be at great risk.
Accordingly, because preserving democracy—while we still have some semblance of it—is far easier than trying to get it back were we to lose it, I won’t hesitate to call upon everyone to do all they can, including myself, who’s still at work at nearly 5 AM my time.
I agree with all that you have said, except compelling public servants who have sacrificed for us throughout their entire careers to be exposed to additional death threats from Trump and his minions. Indeed, there is 'more.' Intelligence briefings given to members of Congress have shown that Trump, while still in office, gave nuclear secrets to Iran and when members of both parties protested, he said: "What's the problem? They will have nuclear power anyway." Intelligence officers, State Department officials, military officers: all know about Trump's atrocities. You are suggesting using four now retired generals and perhaps another admiral to be the voice to explain in detail to the American public how egregious Trump is. These now retired soldiers have all spoken out about their experiences with Trump and have received death threats. They do not have security. They do not have funding for security - and their retirements do not afford private security. And you are hoping to reach the American public with information aimed at breaking through their apathy by compelling these individuals to further risk their lives with this kind of message. The part that bothers me is you view it as these folks' 'obligation' to speak about what they know about Trump (while they have already spoken and received death threats from Trump's minions). Every single one of them knew of colleagues and other former officials who had received death threats for speaking up about don-Don. They spoke up anyway - and have written and given interviews. Trump operates just like a Mafia boss. And the MAGA minions follow him. I don't know if it is legal to 'require' a now private citizen to 'speak up' about all they know. As military officers, they swore an oath to defend the Constitution of the United States. They are not 'obligated' to speak about Trump as private citizens. But even without having to be obligated or required to do so, they have spoken and written and received death threats. They are not obligated in any sense to take any more senseless risks for an American public that is too apathetic to read what they have already written. I'm all for a pro-democracy movement, but not at the expense of requiring someone to do something. The essence of democracy is choice. And you are advocating that we take away the right to choose from now private citizens as some kind of sacrifice with what will surely be more death threats in an attempt to lead their fellow citizens from apathy. I agree our situation is very serious. We who volunteer to do so have to work very hard to inform everyone we know that Trump is the greatest danger to the world in 2024 (see Economist November 17, 2024 - a special edition, written entirely on the danger of a Trump election). But not a single one of us needs to be conscripted and that includes the now private citizen generals who have given a life of service, been demeaned and belittled by Trump, have spoken out and have received death threats from don-Don's minions as he operates as a Mafia boss. If folks are afraid of Trump, they need to stay out of the public arena. And if they are not afraid work with every bit of energy they possess to defeat him.
Valere, I grant that “obligated” was an inappropriate choice of terms. Nonetheless, I would clarify that I enlisted in my comment the 4 generals because they came to mind as having the greatest impact upon the electorate were their knowledge of Trump to extend beyond its current reach.
I as well have had many all nighters going back to Trump‘s earlier than usual announcement for his latest run for the presidency, three days before Merrick Garland appointed Jack Smith as special counsel. A DOJ mole had informed Trump of Jack Smith’s appointment, and Trump knew exactly who he was. Trump wanted to make it appear that he was making an independent decision to run for president in 2024, but he actually knew his chances of being convicted were extremely high at especially so with Jack Smith leading the charge. Jack Smith was at the Hague on November 3, 2020 when Trump invited were criminal and then-president of Kosovo to the White House. Smith arrested Thacci as he boarded the plane. He was unable to travel, and he still is in the Hague being prosecuted. Ostensibly he wanted to discuss the Balkans with Trump and that’s of great interest to Trump’s friend Putin. The Balkans are a land route that Putin would like to have. The harm Trump has done to our military is immeasurable. On January 6. Well, Trump was running the show from the White House, there are phone records that were turned over to the January 6 committee, (I believe Mike Lee, Utah Senator said that Trump had called him on his cell phone thinking he had reached Tommy Tuberville. Several other individuals heard Trump asking “ where is Tommy?” as if Tommy Tuberville was his point man in the attempted coup. Tuberville’s behavior during the past year has been despicable as he held appointments for military senior officers hostage. If we need to press for anything, it’s for Tuberville to be investigated by Jack Smith. Tuberville is an insider-insider and knows firsthand Trump’s mindset before, during and after January 6. After January 6, he single-handedly, held up promotions for our military officers. High-level positions were left empty. For example, in May 2023 Eric Smith, who was then assistant commandant of the Marine Corps Corps, eas nominated to become commandant to replace General David Berger. Tuberville held up General Smith’s appointment to commandant until September 22, 2023. It was extremely stressful for this very competent marine general to not be able to form and execute plans for his marines. On October 29, 2023 he suffered a heart attack while jogging and, it wasn’t until March 2024 that he was fully able to return to duty. It’s extremely stressful for military folks to be thrown into the political realm. They didn’t ask for that when they signed up for their duty that included protecting the constitution against despots like Trump. These are the kinds of despicable maneuvers Tuberville resorted to, and I believe he was being directed by Trump. so where is Tubberville’s indictment and we need to press for that. Of anyone who has harmed our government it’s Tommy Tuberville, who is aligned, and I believe has done his misdeeds and attack on our democracy at the direction of Donald Trump. And at any rate that collusion needs rooted out by a grand jury.
Valere, I don’t doubt DOJ, for some time, has had sufficient factual predication to open up a number of high-profile criminal investigations (Tuberville among them) and has failed to do so. However, with only 7+ months before the General, we must decide how best to spend calories to have as meaningful an impact as possible. Accordingly, I will use this opportunity to clarify that were the generals I referenced simply committed to passing already-disclosed truths they had witnessed about Trump to reach a broader audience, said commitment could be quite influential on the substantial swath of current complacent, undecided, and uncommitted voters.
Hi Barbara, yes - and as Ira Lechner pointed to earlier tonight: these generals are tough, and in his opinion, they would likely say “bring it“ if they were threatened by MAGA.
Ok then, I'll stop babying them and let them do what they do best. And they can tell the pseudo bullies to 'bring it.' They are probably bored in retirement anyway.
Hi Barbara, Speaking of calories to spend: we need to educate younger voters to the fact that the United States has designated Israel a Major Non-NATO ally by US law; that we have four bilateral agreements (treaties) with Israel from its founding in 1948:1952, 1982, 1991, 1994. Biden inherited these agreements. He has sent Blinken to the mideast nine times, including his current trip. Blinken has informed Israel's foreign minister that the United States will only accept a two state solution, without Hamas, without Israel having anything to do with Palestine. Stop the carnage, and supply aid to Gaza. Biden has informed Netanyahu the same. Blinken has met with other mideast leaders to form a truce. Netanyahu, Putin and Trump are the three headed snake: Netanyahu is hoping his dictator wanna be buddy will be elected November 3. Young folks need to know that (1) Biden inherited the treaties and cannot abrogate them; (2) Biden is our only hope of not having a dictator; (3) we need a super-majority Blue win in the bicameral congress to rewrite/recall the existing agreements. And Biden has told Netanyahu this is on the table and we will only accept a two state solution as a resolution to the conflict with Israel and Hamas gone. Bush Junior should never have allowed Hamas (a known terrorist organization with weapons on the ballot for Palestine's one and only election). Those four bilateral treaty agreements can be found in their entirety on the USSOS website, I think under the military affairs section. You (and hopefully young folks with whom you are talking to) can read them: along with the dollar amounts spent on Israel to date. Younger folks are terribly upset with Biden over Gaza and it is very unfair and incorrect to wrongly place blame on him for inherited bilateral agreements, written under US law and the Gaza mess created by George W. Bush for his failure to properly vet Hamas. Biden will go down in history as the best president. George W. Bush will be the worst (my opinion). Everyone is entitled to their own bad taste and their own bad opinion (right now). We need to vote for a super majority to keep it that way.
Valere, I appreciate your reference to the bilateral agreements and carefully will review them. Still, I would note I’ve done well with young people in supporting their calls, given the horror, suffering, and violence, for a permanent ceasefire not only on the part of Hamas but also by Israel, and for the U.S. immediately to end all arms supplies to Israel stating so publicly. I would note I, too, believe that such steps are the prerequisites of seeking a time when meaningful negotiations directed at creating common security for Israel and Palestine can commence.
Of particular importance, I also would add, likely due to frank and open conversations, that not one young person with whom I work, who voted “uncommitted” or “no preference” in the Primary in order to voice their opposition, intends not to vote for Biden in the General.
Thank you Barbara! I’m having the same response from young folks as well. They do care. I’m going to venture out and say that I believe they are the answer. Right now they’ll probably vote blue to get rid of Trump. But I think they’ll probably form some kind of a new party for the future. And that’s just my guess: conjuring what I would do if I were in their shoes.
Appreciate your patient & thoughtful replies throughout. I'd prefer military leaders try to maintain some protocol and ethics and stay out of politics period, but I'm afraid that genie has already been let out of the bottle.
Edna, Granting your comment was not addressed to me, I, nonetheless, would note, by virtue of their positions in the Trump Administration, Kelly, McMaster, Mattis, and Milley were Trump political appointees. Accordingly, considering the unthinkable damage of reinstating Trump, urging these men to pass already-disclosed truths about Trump they had witnessed to reach everyday people who neither had read their books nor journalists’ accounts of their views would seem good service.
I disagree with your statement that 'those with power' should exert their influence on these generals. They have already very bravely spoken out about their experiences with Trump and have received death threats. Why should they be subjected to more threats and disruption after serving honorably for decades. Isn't it enough that they have served honorably, spoken out publicly and some have published books? If anyone needs to have influence exerted on them, it's the 'powers that be' who have sat behind their protected positions and not defended these generals when Trump demeaned and maligned them. What more do they need to do? Every one of them has stated that Trump circumvented the well established chain of command.
Valere, Were Trump to be re-elected, his loyalists would take over the military, let alone media, education, and the courts. (Source: Heather Cox Richardson LFAA) The point is that these generals comprise a mere fraction of the people who would be at great risk.
Accordingly, because preserving democracy—while we still have some semblance of it—is far easier than trying to get it back were we to lose it, I won’t hesitate to call upon everyone to do all they can, including myself, who’s still at work at nearly 5 AM my time.
I agree with all that you have said, except compelling public servants who have sacrificed for us throughout their entire careers to be exposed to additional death threats from Trump and his minions. Indeed, there is 'more.' Intelligence briefings given to members of Congress have shown that Trump, while still in office, gave nuclear secrets to Iran and when members of both parties protested, he said: "What's the problem? They will have nuclear power anyway." Intelligence officers, State Department officials, military officers: all know about Trump's atrocities. You are suggesting using four now retired generals and perhaps another admiral to be the voice to explain in detail to the American public how egregious Trump is. These now retired soldiers have all spoken out about their experiences with Trump and have received death threats. They do not have security. They do not have funding for security - and their retirements do not afford private security. And you are hoping to reach the American public with information aimed at breaking through their apathy by compelling these individuals to further risk their lives with this kind of message. The part that bothers me is you view it as these folks' 'obligation' to speak about what they know about Trump (while they have already spoken and received death threats from Trump's minions). Every single one of them knew of colleagues and other former officials who had received death threats for speaking up about don-Don. They spoke up anyway - and have written and given interviews. Trump operates just like a Mafia boss. And the MAGA minions follow him. I don't know if it is legal to 'require' a now private citizen to 'speak up' about all they know. As military officers, they swore an oath to defend the Constitution of the United States. They are not 'obligated' to speak about Trump as private citizens. But even without having to be obligated or required to do so, they have spoken and written and received death threats. They are not obligated in any sense to take any more senseless risks for an American public that is too apathetic to read what they have already written. I'm all for a pro-democracy movement, but not at the expense of requiring someone to do something. The essence of democracy is choice. And you are advocating that we take away the right to choose from now private citizens as some kind of sacrifice with what will surely be more death threats in an attempt to lead their fellow citizens from apathy. I agree our situation is very serious. We who volunteer to do so have to work very hard to inform everyone we know that Trump is the greatest danger to the world in 2024 (see Economist November 17, 2024 - a special edition, written entirely on the danger of a Trump election). But not a single one of us needs to be conscripted and that includes the now private citizen generals who have given a life of service, been demeaned and belittled by Trump, have spoken out and have received death threats from don-Don's minions as he operates as a Mafia boss. If folks are afraid of Trump, they need to stay out of the public arena. And if they are not afraid work with every bit of energy they possess to defeat him.
Valere, I grant that “obligated” was an inappropriate choice of terms. Nonetheless, I would clarify that I enlisted in my comment the 4 generals because they came to mind as having the greatest impact upon the electorate were their knowledge of Trump to extend beyond its current reach.
Barbara Jo,
I as well have had many all nighters going back to Trump‘s earlier than usual announcement for his latest run for the presidency, three days before Merrick Garland appointed Jack Smith as special counsel. A DOJ mole had informed Trump of Jack Smith’s appointment, and Trump knew exactly who he was. Trump wanted to make it appear that he was making an independent decision to run for president in 2024, but he actually knew his chances of being convicted were extremely high at especially so with Jack Smith leading the charge. Jack Smith was at the Hague on November 3, 2020 when Trump invited were criminal and then-president of Kosovo to the White House. Smith arrested Thacci as he boarded the plane. He was unable to travel, and he still is in the Hague being prosecuted. Ostensibly he wanted to discuss the Balkans with Trump and that’s of great interest to Trump’s friend Putin. The Balkans are a land route that Putin would like to have. The harm Trump has done to our military is immeasurable. On January 6. Well, Trump was running the show from the White House, there are phone records that were turned over to the January 6 committee, (I believe Mike Lee, Utah Senator said that Trump had called him on his cell phone thinking he had reached Tommy Tuberville. Several other individuals heard Trump asking “ where is Tommy?” as if Tommy Tuberville was his point man in the attempted coup. Tuberville’s behavior during the past year has been despicable as he held appointments for military senior officers hostage. If we need to press for anything, it’s for Tuberville to be investigated by Jack Smith. Tuberville is an insider-insider and knows firsthand Trump’s mindset before, during and after January 6. After January 6, he single-handedly, held up promotions for our military officers. High-level positions were left empty. For example, in May 2023 Eric Smith, who was then assistant commandant of the Marine Corps Corps, eas nominated to become commandant to replace General David Berger. Tuberville held up General Smith’s appointment to commandant until September 22, 2023. It was extremely stressful for this very competent marine general to not be able to form and execute plans for his marines. On October 29, 2023 he suffered a heart attack while jogging and, it wasn’t until March 2024 that he was fully able to return to duty. It’s extremely stressful for military folks to be thrown into the political realm. They didn’t ask for that when they signed up for their duty that included protecting the constitution against despots like Trump. These are the kinds of despicable maneuvers Tuberville resorted to, and I believe he was being directed by Trump. so where is Tubberville’s indictment and we need to press for that. Of anyone who has harmed our government it’s Tommy Tuberville, who is aligned, and I believe has done his misdeeds and attack on our democracy at the direction of Donald Trump. And at any rate that collusion needs rooted out by a grand jury.
Valere, I don’t doubt DOJ, for some time, has had sufficient factual predication to open up a number of high-profile criminal investigations (Tuberville among them) and has failed to do so. However, with only 7+ months before the General, we must decide how best to spend calories to have as meaningful an impact as possible. Accordingly, I will use this opportunity to clarify that were the generals I referenced simply committed to passing already-disclosed truths they had witnessed about Trump to reach a broader audience, said commitment could be quite influential on the substantial swath of current complacent, undecided, and uncommitted voters.
Hi Barbara, yes - and as Ira Lechner pointed to earlier tonight: these generals are tough, and in his opinion, they would likely say “bring it“ if they were threatened by MAGA.
Hi Valere, I read Ira’s comment earlier, and I, too, agree with him.
Ok then, I'll stop babying them and let them do what they do best. And they can tell the pseudo bullies to 'bring it.' They are probably bored in retirement anyway.
Hi Barbara, Speaking of calories to spend: we need to educate younger voters to the fact that the United States has designated Israel a Major Non-NATO ally by US law; that we have four bilateral agreements (treaties) with Israel from its founding in 1948:1952, 1982, 1991, 1994. Biden inherited these agreements. He has sent Blinken to the mideast nine times, including his current trip. Blinken has informed Israel's foreign minister that the United States will only accept a two state solution, without Hamas, without Israel having anything to do with Palestine. Stop the carnage, and supply aid to Gaza. Biden has informed Netanyahu the same. Blinken has met with other mideast leaders to form a truce. Netanyahu, Putin and Trump are the three headed snake: Netanyahu is hoping his dictator wanna be buddy will be elected November 3. Young folks need to know that (1) Biden inherited the treaties and cannot abrogate them; (2) Biden is our only hope of not having a dictator; (3) we need a super-majority Blue win in the bicameral congress to rewrite/recall the existing agreements. And Biden has told Netanyahu this is on the table and we will only accept a two state solution as a resolution to the conflict with Israel and Hamas gone. Bush Junior should never have allowed Hamas (a known terrorist organization with weapons on the ballot for Palestine's one and only election). Those four bilateral treaty agreements can be found in their entirety on the USSOS website, I think under the military affairs section. You (and hopefully young folks with whom you are talking to) can read them: along with the dollar amounts spent on Israel to date. Younger folks are terribly upset with Biden over Gaza and it is very unfair and incorrect to wrongly place blame on him for inherited bilateral agreements, written under US law and the Gaza mess created by George W. Bush for his failure to properly vet Hamas. Biden will go down in history as the best president. George W. Bush will be the worst (my opinion). Everyone is entitled to their own bad taste and their own bad opinion (right now). We need to vote for a super majority to keep it that way.
Valere, I appreciate your reference to the bilateral agreements and carefully will review them. Still, I would note I’ve done well with young people in supporting their calls, given the horror, suffering, and violence, for a permanent ceasefire not only on the part of Hamas but also by Israel, and for the U.S. immediately to end all arms supplies to Israel stating so publicly. I would note I, too, believe that such steps are the prerequisites of seeking a time when meaningful negotiations directed at creating common security for Israel and Palestine can commence.
Of particular importance, I also would add, likely due to frank and open conversations, that not one young person with whom I work, who voted “uncommitted” or “no preference” in the Primary in order to voice their opposition, intends not to vote for Biden in the General.
Thank you Barbara! I’m having the same response from young folks as well. They do care. I’m going to venture out and say that I believe they are the answer. Right now they’ll probably vote blue to get rid of Trump. But I think they’ll probably form some kind of a new party for the future. And that’s just my guess: conjuring what I would do if I were in their shoes.
Appreciate your patient & thoughtful replies throughout. I'd prefer military leaders try to maintain some protocol and ethics and stay out of politics period, but I'm afraid that genie has already been let out of the bottle.
Edna, Granting your comment was not addressed to me, I, nonetheless, would note, by virtue of their positions in the Trump Administration, Kelly, McMaster, Mattis, and Milley were Trump political appointees. Accordingly, considering the unthinkable damage of reinstating Trump, urging these men to pass already-disclosed truths about Trump they had witnessed to reach everyday people who neither had read their books nor journalists’ accounts of their views would seem good service.