Not-So-Retiring Retired Military Leaders
National Review,
by
Victor Davis Hanson
Original Article
Posted By: Imright,
6/7/2020 10:58:59 PM
Sometimes retired generals are deified. Ulysses S. Grant and Dwight D. Eisenhower won two presidential terms in landslide elections.At other moments, war heroes such Generals Douglas MacArthur and Curtis LeMay were vilified as near insurrectionaries for their blistering attacks on sitting presidents.In such a climate, the Uniform Code of Military Justice, which became effective law in May 1951, prohibits active generals from disparaging their commander in chief — in the way perhaps MacArthur had bitterly pilloried then-president Harry Truman over the Korean War. Article 88 of the UCMJ makes it a crime to voice “contemptuous words against the President, the Vice President, Congress, the Secretary of Defense,
Reply 1 - Posted by:
Kowgirl 6/7/2020 11:37:16 PM (No. 436707)
I'm so sick and tired of hearing what these phony political arm chair generals have to say. Just go away and take Hillary and all of those Hollywood has-been "stars" with you.
25 people like this.
Reply 2 - Posted by:
Timber Queen 6/7/2020 11:51:44 PM (No. 436717)
Obviously Trump threatens the military-industrial complex. He's had the audacity to keep American service men safe rather than expend their lives in endless Mid-east wars.
MAGA:KAG - Its the Constitution, General.
22 people like this.
Reply 3 - Posted by:
Illinois Mom 6/7/2020 11:52:47 PM (No. 436718)
Another excellent piece by VDH. He always knows how to get to the heart of the matter in such a clear, understandable way, and then backs it all up with facts. Along with Rush, this is a man I'd love to meet for dinner. What a treat it must be to have him as a professor.
27 people like this.
Reply 4 - Posted by:
Rumblehog 6/8/2020 12:13:27 AM (No. 436728)
It's past high time to put Article 88 of the UCMJ to the test. Our Generals of the Cable TV need their pensions rescinded. These washed up scum Generals by their unhinged criticism can adversely harm the morale of our troops in the field. This by itself is a hanging offense.
23 people like this.
Reply 5 - Posted by:
bighambone 6/8/2020 12:57:04 AM (No. 436744)
In the last 20 years how many of those retired General Officers have won a war in the name of the USA? Come on there has to be at least one?
Those retired General Officers are all insider unelected military politicians and all have political rabbis in the UniParty Congress, that’s the only way that the could climb up to four star rank these days. In contrast President Trump is an outsider businessman who is not beholden to any UniParty politician, that’s why he was elected President by the American people, and those insider retired General Officers who are used to everyone saying “Yes Sir” every time they fart don’t like it one bit having to take orders from an outsider President like President Trump. That’s where the rub is. In reality those General Officers cannot find an instance where Trump has actually violated the US Constitution.
17 people like this.
Reply 6 - Posted by:
snakeoil 6/8/2020 1:22:35 AM (No. 436748)
Heck Generals Douglas MacArthur and Curtis LeMay are two of my favourites. MacArthur on Truman: I would never have opposed President Truman's Korean policy had I know President Truman had a Korean policy. And MacArthur's philosophy's of war: In war the object is victory not prolonged indecision. And Curtis LeMay: Wars are won by killing people. You kill enough people and you win. I'll take them over wussies like Colon Powell and Mad Dog any time.
18 people like this.
Reply 7 - Posted by:
Flyball Dogs 6/8/2020 2:39:46 AM (No. 436767)
All above posters have adroitly rebutted the generals’ arguments.
But imagine being taken to task by VDH. In his gracious and careful way.
To me, these generals prove the Deep State Swamp is everywhere.
If PDJT can’t drain The Swamp and its attendant creatures, he at least has exposed its underbelly and VDH has shown he understands our President and has his back (along with 65+ million patriots.)
9 people like this.
Reply 8 - Posted by:
EJKrausJr 6/8/2020 2:59:45 AM (No. 436774)
Mattis, Kelly and Powell are political animals not just generals. They couldn't carry MacArthur's or Lemay's water. They also aren't in the class of Grant nor Eisenhower. Nevertheless they are "Orange Man Bad" generals, so they are held in self esteem by the leftists and the LSM.
10 people like this.
Reply 9 - Posted by:
pensom2 6/8/2020 3:27:41 AM (No. 436784)
Brilliant, detailed analysis by Dr. Hanson. So disappointing that these retired generals, like so many swamp dwellers, are unlikely ever to be charged for their crimes.
8 people like this.
Reply 10 - Posted by:
Gruntmedic 6/8/2020 5:39:27 AM (No. 436815)
They need to fade away.
6 people like this.
Reply 11 - Posted by:
chumley 6/8/2020 5:51:46 AM (No. 436822)
In my 20 year career I worked for a few generals that were leaders. Most were sleazy politicians who would put anyone's neck on the chopping block to protect their own.
Ever wonder why so many had the prettiest little teenage looking air girls on their staff? I didn't.
7 people like this.
Reply 12 - Posted by:
DCGIRL 6/8/2020 6:04:05 AM (No. 436828)
I'm with #4 all the way. I would like to add, their adverse statements about the President also hurts the healing of this country and creates unrest in the civilian world also.
7 people like this.
Reply 13 - Posted by:
fhancock 6/8/2020 7:42:36 AM (No. 436883)
These Retired generals want to be relevant and PAID...hence they throw their lot in with leftie think tanks...who back looters, arsonists, murderers, and the Democrat Communist Party...phony sleazeballs each and every one of them...they swore an oath to their own self-interest...Obama decimated the military while Trump rebuilt it yet they caterwaul like the prissy jerks they are
8 people like this.
Reply 14 - Posted by:
bighambone 6/8/2020 8:43:14 AM (No. 436942)
Those highly politicized retired insider General Officers appear to be complaining about proposals that were offered and then deliberated, sometimes heatedly by the President and Pentagon leaders both civilian and military in the White House. But when you get to the bottom line, after the President made a final decision regarding those proposals, that obviously were leaked out to the retired Generals, were proposals that were set aside and never carried out by the President. So how are such heated deliberations, that are supposed to be classified or private meetings, an unconstitutional action by the President? Clearly those retired Generals getting into politics in that way is not good for the military or the country as they are obviously trying to undercut the President for either insider or partisan political purposes.
6 people like this.
I do not engage in "hero worship" of any uniform or badge. I am aware, as the son of a policeman, of their duties and the dangers that may be involved. Nonetheless, for myself their political views and opinions are no more valued than anyone's.
I spent more than 20 years around the military. I can count the number of truly admirable flag officers I've known on one hand. Too many are fully political opportunists, some the product of diversity, enveloped by hubris. The exceptions stand out, proving the rule.
2 people like this.
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