Trump vs the U.S. Military

**titsonritz** · 06-08-20, 02:51

Trump's SecDef publicly comes out against his boss...
"The option to use active duty forces in a law enforcement role should only be used as a matter of last resort, and only in the most urgent and dire of situations. We are not in one of those situations now. I do not support invoking the Insurrection Act," he told reporters. Esper also distanced himself from a maligned photo-op outside St. John's Church.
Pentagon chief on shaky ground with White House after breaking with Trump over protest response

His former SecDef throws down a scathing statement...
“I have watched this week’s unfolding events, angry and appalled. The words ‘Equal Justice Under Law’ are carved in the pediment of the United States Supreme Court. This is precisely what protesters are rightly demanding. It is a wholesome and unifying demand—one that all of us should be able to get behind. We must not be distracted by a small number of lawbreakers. The protests are defined by tens of thousands of people of conscience who are insisting that we live up to our values—our values as people and our values as a nation. We must reject and hold accountable those in office who would make a mockery of our Constitution. Donald Trump is the first president in my lifetime who does not try to unite the American people—does not even pretend to try. Instead, he tries to divide us. We are witnessing the consequences of three years of this deliberate effort. We are witnessing the consequences of three years without mature leadership. We can unite without him, drawing on the strengths inherent in our civil society. This will not be easy, as the past few days have shown, but we owe it to our fellow citizens; to past generations that bled to defend our promise; and to our children.” - James Mattis
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics...zation/612640/

and now Colin Powell...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uV5g4kE6NvM

What is this? The military industrial complex fighting back against Trump's attempts to end US involvement in endless wars or a legit rebuke of Trump's "abuse of power"?

**SteyrAUG** · 06-08-20, 03:39

I think this is nothing more than people trying to portray Trump as a racist who will use the military to achieve his racist ends (ending the riots?) and everyone jumping on the bandwagon.

That said, Trump should have seen this coming a long way away.

The SecDefs statement that "We must not be distracted by a small number of lawbreakers" is telling and shows amazing bias and agenda. But bad as this shit is, rolling out the National Guard to restore order LOOKS like a military dictatorship and that is what everyone is hoping for.

Just takes that one photo of a kid near a guy who has a fixed bayonet and you have lost the images war. Trump should leave this shit to the states, let them be the one to DEMAND Federal assistance and intervention by the National Guard.

**chuckman** · 06-08-20, 08:08

I could not care less what Mattis says. If he and I were still in uniform, I would still follow him to hell (as I did before). But he's John Q Public now, so.... he's entitled to his opinion.

But current SECDEF, and any flag 'O' in uniform now? Time to go....

**mack7.62** · 06-08-20, 08:13

Has been deep state generals and political appointees are "NOT" the U.S. military.

**Alpha-17** · 06-08-20, 08:39

I find it hilarious that people are suddenly portraying any military disagreement with Trump as part of the "er ma gurd! The Deep State is sabotaging him!" Disagreements happen, especially when you're proposing to do something that could spiral out of control Want a Boog? Send in the Army to break up protests. That's exactly how you get a Boog. Seems like the military get that, or at least grasp key parts of that idea. Trump doesn't, probably due to his own god-complex, though maybe he just liked that bunker?

And it should be remembered that Obama also faced serious challenges by various former and then-current military leaders, as did presidents dating back to at least Lincoln, if not all the way back to Monroe and Jackson feuding over Florida. Hardly anything new.

**ABNAK** · 06-08-20, 09:00

I just keep circling around to the question: how unwilling (or vocal about it) would the military be if asked to help enforce the "law of the land" regarding non-compliant individuals and some future gun ban? Don't know why but I have a gut feeling they'd be a little more in lockstep with whatever administration is occupying 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. at the time. Not sure why I feel that way, but I do.

**just a scout** · 06-08-20, 09:51

Originally Posted by ABNAK

I just keep circling around to the question: how unwilling (or vocal about it) would the military be if asked to help enforce the "law of the land" regarding non-compliant individuals and some future gun ban? Don't know why but I have a gut feeling they'd be a little more in lockstep with whatever administration is occupying 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. at the time. Not sure why I feel that way, but I do.

Because of Obama’s “fundamental transformation “ most/all of the flags and all of the bureaucracy are fellow travelers.

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**polydeuces** · 06-08-20, 10:19

Originally Posted by Alpha-17

I find it hilarious that people are suddenly portraying any military disagreement with Trump as part of the "er ma gurd! The Deep State is sabotaging him!" Disagreements happen, especially when you're proposing to do something that could spiral out of control Want a Boog? Send in the Army to break up protests. That's exactly how you get a Boog. Seems like the military get that, or at least grasp key parts of that idea. Trump doesn't, probably due to his own god-complex, though maybe he just liked that bunker?

And it should be remembered that Obama also faced serious challenges by various former and then-current military leaders, as did presidents dating back to at least Lincoln, if not all the way back to Monroe and Jackson feuding over Florida. Hardly anything new.

Well said.

**Life's a Hillary** · 06-08-20, 10:22

Originally Posted by Alpha-17

I find it hilarious that people are suddenly portraying any military disagreement with Trump as part of the "er ma gurd! The Deep State is sabotaging him!" Disagreements happen, especially when you're proposing to do something that could spiral out of control Want a Boog? Send in the Army to break up protests. That's exactly how you get a Boog. Seems like the military get that, or at least grasp key parts of that idea. Trump doesn't, probably due to his own god-complex, though maybe he just liked that bunker?

And it should be remembered that Obama also faced serious challenges by various former and then-current military leaders, as did presidents dating back to at least Lincoln, if not all the way back to Monroe and Jackson feuding over Florida. Hardly anything new.

It's pretty impressive how Mattis went from being one of the baddest mfers around to just some old, overrated general in a couple of Trump tweets