Retired Military and Ronald Dumsfeld

[Bobbieo]

Snip from letter in today’s AZ Repubic- “Where was your outrage when you were wearing the uniform? You don’t wait until you are safely retired and then voice your criticism to the media. These officers are a day late and a dollar short.”

HMMMMMM!!!!!

[babylonsister]

1. Better late than never. Would the writer of that letter prefer

to keep his head buried in the sand?

[BOSSHOG]

2. May I politely disagree with the snippet

I served in the Navy. My politics and my thoughts were nowhere to be found in the workplace as it should be. The military is not a democracy. We march forward with the orders we have been given. Wise civilian leadership will listen to their military leaders; ergo the bush administration and its lack of listening. As retirees the Generals are not subject to the UCMJ.

I might believe that's just a whining "conservative" who would be overjoyed if a retiree lambasted Clinton about anything.

[atreides1]

5. But

If they had spoken up and been willing to risk it all, perhaps 2300+ military personnel would still be alive, and the 17,000+ wounded would not be missing limbs, and those Iraqi civilians who have died
since the invasion might still be living.

What kind of leader are you, if you're more concerned with covering your ass, then you are with the lives of those you command.

I served in the Army, and was a section chief, and I was reassigned because I stood up for my troops,
even knowing that I could have been charged with insubordination. That's what a good leader does, they take care of their troops, even if it's taking a risk.

[BOSSHOG]

7. Our opinions on such matters

are purely subjective. Some with differing opinions may think they are also taking care of our troops/sailors. At least two of the Generals passed up promotions to get out from under rumsfeld's thumb. They would have had to object from day one to have saved all the military lives. By being reassigned, were you not taking yourself away from a position to take care of those troops the way you thought they should be taken care of? I totally appreciate all your efforts teammate, but I don't think the General's are acting too little or too late.

[nadinbrzezinski]

8. I did disobey a direct order

but my view remains that if the General and flag corp means to make a different "this time" they will have to resign en masse... the chances of that happening are very low.

[gimama]

3. the Generals resigned,retired because...?

they could no longer Honor their Oath to DEFEND the Constitution AND following SecDef.rum's dreadful orders.
Legally,they COULD NOT speak against civ.'leadership' while still Officers.
'Course, You All probably know all that..I'm just sayin'.. ;}

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

4. This RW talking point has made it here to DU a million different ways.

[nadinbrzezinski]

6. Obvious the writer

like many others, has NEVER worn the uniform, or he\she would know why they could not while in uniform....

[Bobbieo]

9. The whole country seems to be day late and a dollar short!

[nadinbrzezinski]

10. It is obvious you have never worn a uniform

the troops and officers DO NOT have the rights to freedom of speech you have... PERIOD. They cannot PUBLICLY object. Moreover, you have no clue what they said in the Pentagon, or up the chain while in uniform. You are not privy to memos, emails or messages of the day, or log entries. Neither am I, so stop pretending. But udner the UCMJ they could not do this publicly, even if they beleived this with all their hearts until they officially became civilians. It is at that moment that all the rights you enjoy, they got back. I hope I am clear enough on this. If not, I sugest you go don a uniform.

[niyad]

11. 15 MILLION people took to the streets on 15 feb 2003 to tell the

assholes in this mis-administration NO, and they didn't listen to them, either.