General Kennedy on General Byrnes - "Something is Amiss"

[understandinglife]

Something is Amiss

by Lt. Gen. Claudia Kennedy

August 12, 2005

Generally speaking, one of the most private groups of people in public service are general officers in the US Army. This is not a preference that comes with the stars, rather it is developed over decades of service to America in the Army. As officers become more senior, their privacy becomes more treasured and more fragile. So with this in mind, I would guess that this must be a very painful time for General Kevin Byrnes.

I do not know anything about the circumstances of the recent announcement about his "personal conduct". ....

<clip>

The evening of laughter and singing stands in stark contrast to the mood of this season of General Brynes' life but what I remember beyond any banner on cable TV is Kevin's leadership, his kind heart and his decades of service to America.

More at the link:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/theblog/archive/lt-gen-claudia-kennedy/something-is-amiss_5555.html

I hope General Kennedy is able to convey the following message to General Byrnes.

Thank you for your insights General Kennedy.

I do not know General Byrnes. From what I do know, I accept your assessment "Something is Amiss."

If you have any way to contact General Byrnes, please extend this simple plea --

General Byrnes, if your historical dismissal is due to an extra-marital relationship and nothing else, please have your lawyer read a one sentence letter to the world that that is the case.

If not, General Byrnes, then please consider joining Cindy Sheehan in the Crawford ditch, and tell the world the real reason(s) for your historical (need to repeat that) dismissal.

My hunch is, General Byrnes, you have much to do to help us save our America and the Crawford ditch is the place to start the process.

Thank you for your years of service to America.

UL

Peace.

[understandinglife]

1. My note to Arianna Huffington regarding General Kevin Byrnes

On August 10, 2005, I sent the following message to Ms Huffington:

Dear Ms Huffington,

Yes, the hypocrisy is all too obvious. That's the problem.

I doubt that the reason General Kevin Byrnes has been relieved of command has anything to do with sex.

I urge you and your network of influential insiders to attempt to get General Kevin Byrnes to answer a few questions about his opposition to the neoconsters actions in Iraq and Iran and elsewhere in the Middle East.

I sense we are at the moment when certain senior Republican and Democratic Members of Congress need to pay Bush and Cheney a visit and demand their resignation. They must not be allowed to continue their truly 'mad' behavior in Iraq and Iran.

Peace,
UL

I posted in response to her excellent essay entitled At Rummy's Bizarro Pentagon, Torture is Rewarded While Sex is a Firing Offense

Link:

ttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/theblog/archive/arianna-huffington/at-rummys-bizarro-pentag_5427.html

I urge all of you to submit comments to Admiral Kennedy.

For the sake of our America, I actually hope that the historical dismissal of General (as in 4 stars) Byrnes was due to an infraction of conduct relating to his marital status and nothing else.

I suspect, and fear, that that is not the case.


Peace.

[GreenPartyVoter]

2. Good notes

[AnnieBW]

5. A Guy I Know In the Navy

Is being shipped out to Iraq soon. He says that they're being told that they're going to be replacing Army units that are convoy driving, etc. But, why would we be sending the Navy if we weren't planning on attacking a country with a long coastline? Hmmm?

[JHB]

6. Because Navy guys can drive trucks too...

While I'm bracing for some fool's (specifically *'s) errand in Iran, this business isn't necessarily a clue. They've already overtaxed the Army, Marines, and Reserves, so now they're tapping Navy manpower.

[jmowreader]

7. You hit it, JHB. Good job.

Basically, there ain't nobody else.

They need the Army and the Marines to run patrols.

Halliburton's already shown that they don't drive into hostile areas...and right now, the whole fucking country is a hostile area.

And whatever one might say about the Air Force (the USAF people I knew were very proficient, and the Air Force has figured out that you don't need to practice being miserable) there's not enough of them to do all the scutwork the Army and Marines don't have time to do.

And the Coast Guard is busy fighting the Dope Wars.

So, bring in the Navy.

[Jackpine Radical]

18. Leaves ya wonderin'...Aren't some Explorer scouts

old enough to drive?

OK, guys. This year's bivouac will be in Baghdad. Not to worry, though. It'll only be for 2 weeks. (Heh. Heh.)

[antigone382]

10. That scares me. A college friend of mine joined the navy last year.

I didn't want her to do it, but she needed the money to pay for college...she wants to be a teacher. She's a Democrat on top of being a really sweet person, and I had hoped that, being in the Navy, she wouldn't be put in too much danger. It looks like I was overly optimistic.

[flyarm]

15. well..a bunch of navy are not re-upping! n/t

[flyarm]

14. thank you UL..i just

sent it out to all my internet groups and asked them to write Admiral Kennedy , and Arianna!!

going to write a letter myself!

thanks for all your hard work UL..you are an inspiration to all of us!!

besides you are brilliant!!..just had to say that!!

fly..going yo write my letters!!

[understandinglife]

61. You're efforts and kind words are much appreciated, fly. Thank you.

Peace.

[hiley]

19. posted this..

Lt.General Kennedy,
I appreciate your speaking up and the title- statement "Something is amiss". Thank you for your service to our Country. My hope is that General Byrnes will speak out and quickly. The MSM story about "adultry" does not add up and is no reason to treat him this way. Many support General Byrnes and wish him to speak truth to power.

[FreedomAngel82]

21. I wouldn't be surprised with these people

I'm sure there is something else there. I wonder if he did have an affair or anything like that. :shrug: Don't know anything about the guy myself, but I wouldn't be surprised if he has something on them and they're getting rid of him. And you make very good points and all which are true. Speaking of which you should watch Kay Griggs' interview. She talks about how people in the military get rewarded. I don't know if it's true or not but it is interesting anyways.

[hiley]

22. I watched the Kay Griggs interview and

most certainly believe her.

[fooj]

24. Me, too.

Hello there.:hi:

[hiley]

38. fooj! hugs to you

here you are speaking out again
thank you fooj
you are a patriot.
Hiley:)

[Doctor_J]

3. I seem to be missing some background

and the letter at huffblog only fills in part of it. Where's the rest of this story?

[Poiuyt]

4. Here:

Reporter suggests Brynes discovered plan to turn nuke exercise into staged terror attack

http://www.infowars.com/articles/terror/nuclear_terror.htm

[cthrumatrix]

9. he's 4th in charge in the Army and fired for adultery...??? BS

he's was fired in an area that has the "nuclear drill" on Aug 17


The question is why was he making TPTB "unhappy"

[understandinglife]

11. I am actually much more concerned about Iran and about his ...

... resistance to prolonging Bush's illegal war on Iraq.

I have NO knowledge of anything other than his reported infraction of code of conduct.

I just do not think that a four-star general would have his career demolished on the day of his divorce for a consensual relationship with another adult (non-military, non-gov, etc). Others, similarly, consider it too odd not to question, robustly.

Peace.

[flyarm]

20. i am extrememly concerned

that this general will be suicided or in a very weird car crash!

[dogday]

8. Holy Crap - Get out there General Byrnes

and all the other military leaders that have "retired". It is time to come out and tell the truth. Great Idea!

[cthrumatrix]

39. tell the truth .... that is what got him fired

[merh]

12. A Pentagon and an administration that justifies, condones and

orders torture and rape, yet punishes for extra-martial relationships. Sure this makes sense. Thank God, Dwight David Eisenhower wasn't working for this pentagon/administration. World War II would never have been won.

[fooj]

25. My sentiments exactly. Bolton's wife went into hiding because

she feared him (documented on divorce papers) and that didn't seem to hinder his promotion, did it? I'm with you. This stinks all the way to California.

Peace.

[merh]

28. All the way to MS too!

:mad: :mad:

They just keep on contradicting their "stances" by their actions. They are criminals, each and everyone of them. :argh:

[nookiemonster]

13. Not to digress, but does anyone remember this movie?

Special Bulletin

http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0086350/

I thought about it earlier but couldn't remember the title. It is very eerie, to say the least.

:scared: :tinfoilhat:

[TheCentepedeShoes]

36. I thought about Special Bulletin

the minute I heard about an exercise scheduled for Charleston. Good TV flick. My BF of the moment tuned in in the middle and thought it was real.

[nookiemonster]

59. And the bad guys just happen to be "anti-nuclear" activists.

HOW CONVENIENT!

It's just tinfoil, don'tcha know!

:crazy:

[TheCentepedeShoes]

60. Yes, I'd forgotten about that.

Now that I notice it more, there seems to be a good deal fictional scenarios that precede what's happening now. Going back to Sinclair Lewis' "It Can't Happen Here" through "1984" "Three Days of the Condor" (which I've never seen -- must.rent.soon), plus an Irving Wallace book I borrowed at the VA when Mr. 'pede had surgery a couple or so weeks ago, "The R Document." Makes me think that the whole PNAC agenda is cobbled together from old movies and paperback novels.

[Nothing Without Hope]

16. There is no way this is about his affair - he was separated from his wife

and the divorce has now gone through. They obviously tried to dig some dirt on him and this was all they could find. What in hell is going on here? He is obviously being PURGED because he disagrees with policies of this Administration.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/09/AR2005080900515_pf.html
washingtonpost.com

4-Star General Relieved Of Duty

Rare Move Follows Allegations of an Extramarital Affair
By Josh White
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, August 10, 2005; A01

In a rare move, the Army relieved a four-star general of his command amid allegations that he had an extramarital affair with a civilian, Army officials said yesterday.

Gen. Kevin P. Byrnes, 55, led the Army's Training and Doctrine Command at Fort Monroe, Va., where he supervised the recruitment and academic programs at 33 Army schools, from basic training to the war colleges. Byrnes, who several military sources said had a previously unblemished record, was set to retire in November after 36 years of service.

The Army released few details about the decision to relieve one of its 11 four-star generals, with spokesmen saying only that Gen. Peter J. Schoomaker, the Army's chief of staff, relieved Byrnes of his command on Monday as the result of an investigation by the Defense Department's inspector general. A spokesman said Army officials could find no case of another four-star general being relieved of duty in modern times.

(snip)

Byrnes, reached by telephone at his home yesterday, declined to comment. His defense attorney, Lt. Col. David H. Robertson, said the allegation against Byrnes involves an affair with a private citizen. Byrnes has been separated from his wife since May 2004; their divorce was finalized on Monday, coincidentally the same day he was relieved of command, Robertson said.

(snip)

There is clearly much more to this story. My guess is that they are getting ready to do something criminal and that they are afraid he might blow the whistle on them. Another 9/11?

[flyarm]

23. this is unfing believable about the guy who fired the general!

The Huffington Post | The Blog

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/theblog/

08.13.2005 Margaret Carlson

The Wrong General
I put my columnist's at-the-ready outrage on hold over the weekend. But this morning, as I prepared to speed read through the front section of the New York Times, I was drawn against my will to the headline "General Disobeyed Orders to End Affair."

snip:

I guess we could have guessed, but there it was on page A7: sex had raised its ugly head and the distinguished, brilliant career of Byrnes was gone, poof, just like that. He'd been told to "knock it off," that is an adulterous affair, but continued to make phone calls. That was all it took. Byrnes was separated form his wife in mid-2004 and they are now divorced.

But here's what grabbed my attention. Way down in the piece, we learn that the officer appointed to determined if Byrnes should be court-martialed for a consensual affair is Gen. Dan K. McNeill. The Army has it wrong. If anyone should be court-martialed, it should be Gen. McNeill. Two prisoners were murdered on his watch and he covered it up.

I came to know McNeill when he was just a Lt. Gen. commanding forces in Afghanistan in 2002 and 2003, oversaw Bagram prison and then, the polite word is misled, officials about what happened to two innocent prisoners there. He claimed the two died of natural causes. Both were murdered.

[fooj]

26. Time to send off some e-mails...

Peace.:hi:

[jarnocan]

37. I did

I suddenly feel all this recent positive energy may be the impetus for another carastrophic event.
We should NOT stop however, because this EVIL is what we are fighting.

[Eloriel]

55. Ah, a known quantity, a "fixer" replaced him. Got it. That means

a cover up is underway or will shortly be needed.

[bleever]

17. Third rec. This raises big red flags. The Iraq fiasco was built on

ridding the military high command of any dissenters.

If the purge is continuing it can only be bad news, even if the most extreme scenarios (staged nuclear terror attack as pretext to bomb Iran) seem far-fetched.

[fooj]

27. HOW COME THERE ARE ONLY 2 POSTS UNDER THE ARTICLE?

When I went over there last night to read before I hit the sack...weird stuff was happening when I hit read rest of article...I kid you not. When I hit it- a blank page would come up and that was all I could get. Being tenacious is one of my downfalls...it took me quite a long time to have full access to the article. Now only 2 responses? Hmmmm....

[understandinglife]

29. Don't know what is going on ... they do screen responses ... and that

.... makes the two they have posted even that more interesting ...

Mine is mild compared to those two comments....

Keep sending those 'cards and letters' folk.

The structure of General Kennedy's post is fascinating -- a declaration of something being amiss, followed by a statement that she has no knowledge of the the 'affair' .... so, WHAT'S AMISS -- something must be, and that is, apparently, what the good General Kennedy does have knowledge.

Hmmm .... inquiring minds need to keep pressing for answers.

As with Bush, if he were honest, he'd just meet with Cindy Sheehan and say - 'we are in Iraq because 'merkins need to keep their SUVs running.'

So, to, General Byrnes -- just have your lawyer issue a one sentence statement that the one and only reason your career has been destroyed is because you had a consensual relationship during your separation and divorce proceedings.

Onward, truth seekers.


Peace.

[understandinglife]

31. Two more comments at HuffPo on the Admiral's essay ...

... very interesting, (or perhaps 'creepy' would be a better way to describe them, as one of my friends noted), what they are selecting to allow to be posted.


Peace.

[flyarm]

30. well i was posting on aol message boards this morn..

i have incredible files on all the 9/11 stuff and there were 34 posts and poof..they all dissapeared..i had posted out of my extensive files of truth..and aol removed them all!
yes the move is on for martial law..i feel it and am seeing it!

[H2O Man]

32. Interesting.

I think that there is something odd about the circumstances of this case. I would hope that General Byrnes makes his position known. There are ways for him to do so, and I would hope his attorneys would recognize the importance of this.

There have been a number of things which speculate on another reason for his dismissal. I would be concerned that the most extreme one, regarding an exercise which turns into a terrorist incident, will be disinformation made to discredit if he indeed had authentic concerns about an action against Iran.

Regardless of what General Byrnes' circumstances are, I think that the democratic left should be involved in activities to alert the public to the increasing risks of increasing conflicts in the Middle East.

[cthrumatrix]

33. Key General fired as nuke terror drill set for Aug 17 (read)

Key General fired as nuke terror drill set for Aug 17

News is flying in regard to the nuclear terror drill set for this month. It is feared by informed researchers that an actual nuclear detonation may be piggybacked on the drill, as was the modus operandi in the 9/11 and 7/7 inside jobs.

As reported at this site, the drill involving a nuclear warhead being smuggled into Charleston, South Carolina is to involve the Atlanta-area FEMA office and be run out of Fort Monroe, Virginia. Today, the four-star general in charge of Fort Monroe was fired. Anonymously-sourced and speculative reports on the leading alternative media websites posited General Kevin Byrnes was fired for attempting to prevent the drill from going live. (See Lehrman/Physics911.net, Szymanski/Arctic Beacon, Jones,Watson/PrisonPlanet, Skolnick/Cloak&Dagger.

Now a Washington Times report, also anonymously-sourced, highlights the flimsy basis on which he was fired -- adultery. Not the Jeff Gannon kind of military adultery popular in the White House; but involvement, while separated from his wife, with a woman in a separate command. It also turns out Rumsfeld tried to chase him out the military three years ago. Looks like he finally found a pretext.

From WashTimes August 10 :
An official announcement yesterday did not specify why Gen. Kevin P. Byrnes, 52, was removed from his command of all soldier training and doctrine development, but two retired Army officers said it was for having an extramarital affair.

Adultery is illegal in the military, constituting conduct unbecoming an officer. The sources said they think the woman was not a subordinate of Gen. Byrnes at U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, Fort Monroe, Va.

It is rare in modern times for the Army to relieve a four-star general. ...

http://www.globalnewsmatrix.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2159

[H2O Man]

34. Yes, I read that.

While I do not believe those reports, I do think that concern about spreading aggression in the Middle East should be a priority.

[understandinglife]

41. Precisely, H2O Man. My grave concern is Iran; my other concerns ...

.... are further suppression of the truth regarding Iraq, and other rogue-state actions by the Bush neoconster regime in the Middle East and Central Asia.

That is why if all the good General did was violate code of conduct regarding extra-marital activities, then it would be very helpful if he instructed his lawyer to state that in such a way as to leave no doubt that that is THE ONLY reason for his being sanctioned.


Peace.

[jarnocan]

35. scary sh** is coming down.

these events are being seen as linked on prison planet I don't have the link but someone mentioned it on Care2
Desperate men may be getting ready to take desperate measures IMHO. this is a variation of a letter I wrote today shortly after waking up.

There seems to be an increasing amount of internet discussion concening Iran war plans, proportedly already drawn up and ready to implement, and in the case of another large scale terrorist attack in the US- immediately. An attack will welcomed by the BushInc.'s neocons, to zap the anti-war movement, and growing disatisfaction with the BushINC. There is also specialtion that this could involved nuclear weapons. Some also are concerned about a nuclear terrorism drill soon to take place.
I wonder if the recent disicplinary action against the 4 star general may have been trumped up because of his opposition to these dangerous neocon ideals and plans.
We are living in VERY dangerous times. The Bush adminstration is using the fear of this danger to their advantage. However in my sincere opinion- they ARE the greatest danger to our democracy, our freedom, our environment and our world.
We have a right and need for the truth to come out concerning the war, the election FRAUD and 911! I do fear desperate and despicable men, may take drastic action, but beleive we must not let our fear paralyze US.
Please do what you can, and tell everyone you can what they need to know.

[Gloria]

40. Just a few weeks ago, George Noory on Coast to Coast

had a roundtable discussion on 911 which included David Ray Griffin and Alex Jones plus two others. To varying degrees, they all said that something was fishy with 911.

Then, he had Alex Jones on a couple of weeks ago. At that time, Noory said he hoped there were "good people" around who could stop what was going on.

It gave me chills to hear him say that. I'm wondering if Jones and Noory are next. Noory has a big audience and for him to say that over the airwaves must put him on someone's radar screen...

[cthrumatrix]

42. people may feel like they were "duped on 911" and fighting back

[merh]

43. UL - check out this thread

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4340706

[understandinglife]

44. Just did!! Thank you for the heads-up, merh!!

We've got to bring wide attention to this issue.

Would be perhaps worthwhile for Cindy Sheehan to invite the General to come chat with her about Iraq and Iran; seeing how he's suddenly got a bunch of free time.


Peace.

[merh]

45. Now that is an idea.

You need to email her or the folks at Crawford. :thumbsup:

[understandinglife]

49. fooj got some info out via the GJS and I've emailed them more details ...

.... had a 4pm PDT meeting that I just finished, so I was unable to stay 'on hold' for the GJS any longer ... but, fooj prevailed!!

Peace.

[merh]

51. fooj is very obstinate.

Not surprising that fooj prevailed!!! Way to go fooj! :applause:

:thumbsup: :hug:

[evilqueen]

46. Here's my comment over at HuffingtonPost.com...

Lt. Gen. Kennedy,

Your post brings up an interesting situation, one that most Americans are completely unaware of. Indeed, something IS amiss, and as a disabled veteran of the Cold War, I believe it is the duty of all officers in the military, both active and retired, to defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign AND domestic. It is your duty, ma'am, and that of your peers to defend our country against those who threaten the very heart of the republic, whether they hold high office within our government or not.

Please, urge the top brass within the Army War College and elsewhere to speak out. Ask them to go to Crawford, TX, where the world-wide media currently is covering the anti-war protests, and tell the country what they know.

Thank you. And thank you for your service.

[understandinglife]

50. Thank you!!! Very strong message....

Peace.

[Tinoire]

47. Claudia Kennedy ROCKS!

Always has, always will

:bounce: for an ex-boss~~!

[cthrumatrix]

48. kick for truth

[merh]

52. kick

:kick:

[Nothing Without Hope]

53. Two parallel threads on this topic and its potential implications:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4340706
Thread title: CONFIRMED: There IS more to Gen. Byrnes firing and reporters are working

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4339927
Thread title: 4 Star General FIRED before "nuke terror drill" set for August 17

This is truly terrifying. What is REALLY going to happen on August 17? Are they purging potential whistleblowers?

[Ouabache]

57. and All former CIA chiefs are meeting in DC on Tuesday AUGUST 16 !!

here in LBN>>>

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=1699678&mesg_id=1700255

[Nothing Without Hope]

54. Accidental duplication by DU software - self delete

Has this been happening to other people too? You push the post button once, and the message is posted twice.

[nadinbrzezinski]

56. My comment

Ma'am


Yes there is something amiss in this dismissal. There is an issue that bothers me. I wonder if the dismissal barely months from retirement is due to an allegiance to the US Constitution, or to the service above political appointees.

Whatever is going on, we need to know, for we may need to stand behind our loyal servants and with them to protect the country.

General Kennedy, thank you for your service. Oh and please do let General Byrnes know that we got his back and the blogosphere has noticed the strange oddity of a good officer being cashiered, while those who have approved torture (Lt General Boykin) are rewarded.

I never served in uniform in the US. (I served as a medic with a Red Cross National Society). But I took the same oath you took the day I became a US Citizen, and I feel these days are the epitome of the Chinese Curse, and this nightmare will reveal too many things once the history is written. I am also the wife of a USN Chief (ret), and we have many a times conversations about honor and duty to the country, and this relief of General Byrnes stinks to high heaven.

Sincerely

Nadin

[understandinglife]

58. Thank you. Excellent message to General Kennedy and everyone.

Peace.