Top US general Milley and Sec.of Defense Esper testify and dump on Trump

July 10, 2020 — bunkerville

 

Below the radar yesterday was a hearing that should give us all heartburn. The hearing?

House Armed Services Hearing with Secretary Esper and General Milley.

I have already opined about Esper et al before:

Trump Loyalists no where to be found – Mattis, Esper attack Trump

June 4, 2020 

What is with a General who thinks they are above the President? Mattis resigned/fired over Trump’s Syrian policy. Then we had the Secretary of Defense now complaining how he had to “tag along” with Trump and walk through Lafayette Square with Trump carrying a bible. Are there no loyalists?  Not satisfied he goes on…..

‘I do not support invoking the Insurrection Act’: Defense Secretary Esper breaks with Trump on use of troops

Defense Secretary Mark Esper said Wednesday he opposes using the U.S. military to quiet domestic unrest in a break with President Donald …

Military General Calls White House Photo-Op a Mistake. June 11, 2020

Setting the predicate: A refresher.

 

 

Back to the hearing yesterday:

Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair Gen. Mark Milley testifed before the House Armed Services Committee

Like the country it serves, the U.S. military is fighting an internal battle against racism, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley said Thursday, but old names and symbols of that enemy are present and strong enough to sow division.

“Divisiveness leads to defeat,” Milley told the House Armed Services Committee.

“There is no place in our armed forces … for symbols of racism, bias or discrimination.”

Milley and Esper

First out of the box, let talk about the re-naming of military bases. Am I invested in it one way or another? No. My military friends who had not a clue about the names of the bases they passed through have memories based on the present names and would want to keep them the same. But the bigger issue is that these Generals and the Secretary of Defense apparently believe they do not have to support their Commander-in-Chief’s position.

I can’t expect my stalwart readers to listen to a two hour hearing. I can because I am still locked down here in COVID land. Let me give you a couple of highlights I found.

 

Mark Esper claims he never received a briefing that included the word ‘bounty’

 

 

Joint Chiefs Chair Gen. Mark Milley says, “The Confederacy, the American Civil War…was an act of treason at the time against the Union, against the Stars and Stripes, against the U.S. Constitution

 

 

 

Gen. Mark Milley: U.S. ‘Perhaps Not’ Doing Enough Against Russia In Afghanistan | NBC News

 

 

 

Clearing the Park

 

 

Milley: We need a clear distinction between police and military

 

 

 

I for one am not counting on any military to help me out when the SHTF. I thought the days of MacArthur were over. Your thoughts? Am I wrong on this one?

A couple of samples from the deep deep swamp.

Posted in Military. Tags: , , , , , , . 34 Comments »

34 Responses to “Top US general Milley and Sec.of Defense Esper testify and dump on Trump”

  1. cherylpass Says:
    July 10, 2020 at 11:31 am

    We are suffering through threats of violence here from the “woke” blacks and their allies over a Confederate statue that stands at our courthouse. The blasted ignorance and dangerous threats are mind-boggling. We are being extorted by hateful uneducated mobs.
    Anyway, I thought you all would like this page re: our Confederate Veterans and their descendants.
    https://www.delmarvanow.com/story/opinion/2016/07/20/confederate-veterans-recognized-americans/87307594/
     
     
    Confederate soldiers are also U.S. veterans. The U.S. government recognized Confederate veterans as equivalent to Union vets via the Congressional Act of 1900, signed June 6, 1903, the Congressional Act of 1906, by the 17th Congress in February 1929 and U.S. Public Law 85-425, Section 410, of May 1958.
     
    These famous Americans were also descendants of Confederate States of America veterans:
     
    •Marine Gen. John A Lejeune’s father was Confederate States Army Capt. Ovide Lejeune.
     
    •Marine Lt. Gen. Lewis “Chesty” Puller’s grandfather was CSA Maj. John Puller, killed in 1953.
     
    •Army Lt. Gen. George S. Patton III’s grandfather was CSA Col. George Patton, killed in 1864.
     
    •The father of Army Lt. Gen. Simon Bolivar Buckner Jr., killed in Okinawa in 1945 as commander of the U.S. 10th Army, was CSA Gen. Simon Bolivar Buckner
    .
    •U.S. Air Corps Brigadier Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest III was shot down and killed over Germany in 1942; his great grandfather was CSA Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest.
     
    •President Theodore Roosevelt’s uncle was CSA Chief Foreign Agent, Capt. James D. Bullock, Confederate States Navy.
     
    •President Woodrow Wilson’s father, Rev. J.R. Wilson, was CSA chaplain.
     
    •President Harry S. Truman, who was a Sons of Confederate Veterans member, is a descendant of William Young, a trooper in the Missouri Partisan Rangers.
     
    •CSA generals Joe Wheeler, Fitzhugh Lee, Thomas Rosser, Mathew C. Butler and Col. William Oates all served our nation after the war as generals in the Spanish-America War in 1898.
     
    More than 70 million Americans, many of whom served honorably in our U.S. armed forces, are descended from these men.
     
    After the war, Union and Confederate soldiers, sailors and marines came together in a national spirit of unity and reconciliation. Why can’t the rest of us?
     
    Let’s honor all American veterans – their monuments, their symbols and their memories – as well as their flags.

    Liked by 1 person

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  2. Mustang.Koji Says:
    July 10, 2020 at 11:04 am

    While Mustang has the most detailed and accurate history, I still believe the days of MacArthur can never be paralleled.

    MacArthur was a glory seeker and a lover of the press when it suited him. You know he waded shot. three times to the Leyte Beach in order to get the best possible PR shot.

    The God-like powers granted him over Japan during the Occupation was like taking steroids. He truly believed he alone won the war in the Pacific without even his aides. One result was his failed attempt “to write history” with millions and millions of dollars granted him and then entrusted in his lieutenant, Gen. Willoughby (whose real name was Weidenbach). The resultant “The Reports of General MacArthur” finally got published after his death and was not recognized by the Army. But I don’t think any of the generals here would push for nuclear attacks like MacArthur did.

    I will never know what spurred Mad Dog’s departure… but his destroy the enemy training didn’t exactly parallel Trump’s thinking – and he’s the Boss.

    No, I don’t believe the days of MacArthur are here again but the President would likely be difficult to work for… but he’s turned the country around.

    Liked by 2 people

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  3. peter3nj Says:
    July 10, 2020 at 10:58 am

    Off Topic: Fresh from her successful crusade to deprive her middle to lower class constituents 25,000 well paying Amazon jobs the former bar tender turned political neophyte hack and now head of the triumvirate ruling the House of Representatives, Alexandra Cortez, is on the move again. This time sh’e looking to sink Goya Foods which incidentally employs 4,000 workers. Her district couldn’t be more proud. Ya go girl!

    Liked by 1 person

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    • bunkerville Says:
      July 10, 2020 at 11:46 am

      The Amazon employees caught a break… time to flee….. but on to your point, someday we shall know the real story about her as well as her gal pals.. There is a story to it…more than meet the eye.

      Liked by 1 person

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      • peter3nj Says:
        July 10, 2020 at 4:49 pm

        Whats truly, for lack of a better term, unimaginable is the idea that anyone with an IQ over 40 would give credence to any of the verbal diarrhea spewing forward from her foul mouth which explains the lefts fascination with her.

        Liked by 1 person

      • bunkerville Says:
        July 10, 2020 at 5:43 pm

        Peter… hope you are staying dry …see you are in for a bad storm….. agree

        Like

  4. peter3nj Says:
    July 10, 2020 at 10:37 am

    Its rather obvious that white generals themselves are symbols of white privilege, decisiveness and of course institutionalized racism. So then being the big hearted race sensitive humanitarians they are surely their resignations are on their way to the White House even now while applying for (kneeling) positions in the BLM militia.

    Liked by 1 person

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  5. Linda Says:
    July 10, 2020 at 8:54 am

    OH BOY…I can not look at this rationally due to my intense study of this topic…here goes…and pardon me, this might be the longest comment I have ever had.

    Speaking as a US historian and recent graduate with an emphasis on US History, “An act of treason?” (the Civil War)—umm, the only act of treason is the one being committed on a daily basis–these folks need to go. They obviously have a different view point and wanting to rewrite history to fit their narrative. BTW, when looking at the Civil War, one must go back to the 1800-1830’s to see WHY the south felt the way they did; the north was crushing the south economically (I just boiled it down to one topic). As for the victors/spoils of the Civil War (the North), they get to write the history to fit the narrative. As for renaming bases, again, read the history of the naming of the bases and as for getting rid of the Confederate flag, shameful…although, I do agree one flag should only be flown; The U.S.A flag of America…so, since they are taking the Confederate flag, let’s make sure NO OTHER FLAG is there; BLM, other countries etc. BTW, America played games and conveniently lost General Lee’s and other Confederate’s pardon papers and the signing of allegiance to the U.S.A. which were done in front of Grant and forwarded to the President; those were recently found by a historian digging through the archives, BTW which are easily accessible for anyone to find. I should know, spent many hours digging through documents. OF course, no one wants to believe this, because it doesn’t fit the narrative that Gen. Lee and his troops weren’t treasonous murderers. They were not. Gen. Lee spent the remaining years of his life starting the school system and atoning his viewpoints on slavery, he died thinking he was free and pardoned, when in truth, America lost his signing of the papers. AGAIN, ANYONE can research the National Archives and documents. I am afraid though, these folks who want to rewrite history will conveniently loose things.

    This rewritten or getting rid of history to fit the liberal agenda has gotten out of hand and needs to stop…and those historians going along with it ought to be held accountable. All these people are committing treason, jmo…but then again, the word treason is a broad definition. I am spitting mad over this topic and with these people such as Esper and Milley. I actually wrote the President, “Hire me”, I’ll do the job they can not.”

    There was an article in our paper about the local library, which remains closed to King Cuomo’s virus orders, the library has spent thousands of dollars getting anti racist books in and have shelved or gotten rid of so called “racist books”- they now offer BLM and other books in place. DISGUSTING!! I do not believe in banning books or history, who by the determines racist books or content? Our poor librarian, Miss Alice, has been replaced by some liberal fruitcake out of Philly who fully supports the dumbing down of history and the BLM movement. Don’t just take my word, but she said it herself. Also, I’ll just throw this in here for good measure, our Republican mayor allowed BLM protests here and yet, he didn’t allow the July 4 festivities AND the police chief and the mayor each marched and took a knee. Sad.

    Liked by 5 people

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  6. Mustang Says:
    July 10, 2020 at 8:39 am

    1. The oath of office or enlistment binds an officer or enlisted man to protect and defend the Constitution and to obey the orders of the President and all officers over them. No one, to my knowledge has ever been prosecuted for failing to uphold that oath, per se.
    2. No one incurs a duty of loyalty to any named president, but to the office of president.
    3. In service to our nation, all officers incur an obligation of selflessness, honesty, and devoted service. Duty, honor,commitment.
    4. Any officer who cannot render faithful service must resign and withdraw. Senior officials are duty bound to give their superiors their best advice, but when the senior issues his or her orders/decision, an officer has but two choices: carry out the order, or resign. Anyone who whines about his orders but refuses to resign no longer deserves his or her rank or position.

    But hey, that’s only how I see it.

    Liked by 6 people

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    • bunkerville Says:
      July 10, 2020 at 8:43 am

      I was looking forward to your response… I guess then you would support the notion that if his Commander in Chief tells him to walk across the street it probably is a good idea to do it..

      Liked by 4 people

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      • Mustang Says:
        July 10, 2020 at 8:51 am

        I would obey the orders of my superiors if the order was lawful and within the framework of my conscious. If I could not obey, I would resign. I would not later try to enrich myself through a tell all book.

        Liked by 6 people

    • Bill Heffner Says:
      July 10, 2020 at 10:34 am

      That oath is not binding for life, but only for the term of the position for which it is taken. By resigning the position, one removes himself from the restrictions of the oath. Robert E. Lee, for instance, resigned from the US Army before going south to join the Confederacy. After the war ended, presidential order decreed that no person serving the South would be charged with treason.

      Liked by 2 people

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    • Mustang.Koji Says:
      July 10, 2020 at 11:08 am

      Welcome back, Sir.

      Liked by 2 people

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    • geeez2014 Says:
      July 10, 2020 at 2:16 pm

      I’d hoped you’d chime in on the “going with Trump to the church” fiasco …Some military have told me that the general should not have worn his uniform for that but that going wasn’t the problem…..Do you think he was wrong to show up with Trump, that it showed the military agreed with military power in fighting the protesters (this is, I think, before national guard were called in, I THINK?!) Thanks

      Liked by 1 person

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      • geeez2014 Says:
        July 10, 2020 at 2:20 pm

        ALSO, I don’t see what the general said about his being there that day such a big slam to Trump. I don’t believe he ever said Trump forced him to come along..?? The whole thing was SO wrong, but I don’t think the general’s being there and his apology for it was such a big deal…

        Liked by 2 people

      • bunkerville Says:
        July 10, 2020 at 2:26 pm

        Z… In my mind it should not have even made a mention or note…. if Trump said walk across the street that is what he does… if it goes against his conscience then resign. What if all of our military decided what they were going to wear, who they were going to walk with and where they were going to go? There is a command structure.. I am not military but we lose this we have lost.

        Liked by 1 person

      • Mustang Says:
        July 10, 2020 at 9:21 pm

        @ Z

        If the president said to General Milley, “I’d like you to accompany me to Matt Kane’s for a drink,” then the General would be obliged to accompany him. Should Milley wear his uniform in this instance? No … and most certainly not his field uniform. IMO, Milley used poor judgment in wearing his uniform to the church, and certainly not his field uniform … but I didn’t see anything sinister about the incident. Much ado about nothing, me thinks.

        Liked by 1 person

  7. markone1blog Says:
    July 10, 2020 at 8:37 am

    I have heard that General Flynn’s sin against Obama was that he wanted to stand up against Islamists. That is why Obama supposedly fired him, counseled Trump not to employ Flynn, and went to the extremes that he did with the FBI.

    Therefore, it looks like Obama surrounded himself with “Yes” men and eliminated all of the non-PC generals.

    Based on this, I wonder what portion of the brass navel-gazes on topics like (1) reaching a consensus with Islamists, (2) supporting the transgender / cisgender troops, or (3) finding racial equity?

    Liked by 4 people

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  8. markone1blog Says:
    July 10, 2020 at 8:25 am

    It seems to me that, like Trump has tried (and failed, with Gorsuch) to install conservatives in the courts, he might need to do the same in the military.

    Liked by 3 people

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  9. markone1blog Says:
    July 10, 2020 at 8:24 am

    So was it the clearing that Obama did of the top brass (that is, the removal of those who followed the conventional thinking) that opened the spigot to start military brass speaking against the President?

    Liked by 4 people

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  10. markone1blog Says:
    July 10, 2020 at 8:13 am

    Looks like wokeness and gray hair don’t mix. Wokeness and a commanding position in the military may be lethal.

    Liked by 2 people

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