Friday, December 18, 2015

Pentagon officials respond to the idea of a Donald Trump presidency, "This is not the country I joined to defend. I am turning in my papers. I’m moving to a farm."

Courtesy of the Daily Beast:  

The plans of the next president are personal to the officers of the Pentagon, who are threatening to retire if The Donald becomes commander-in-chief. 

Republican presidential candidate and business mogul Donald Trump has repeatedly vowed to build up the U.S. military if elected president. 

But it is not clear he will have the experienced commanders within the ranks to do it.

Here is some of what those experienced commanders had to say:

Some said repeatedly hearing Trump and the other GOP candidates spelling out a plan that is only a more brazen—and perhaps reckless—version of the current strategy was not reassuring. 

This Daily Beast correspondent has heard such sentiments from at least a dozen commanders in the past few months. Such conversations can also be heard at common areas—in cafeteria lines and around lunch tables. 

There are fears of being asked to carry out futile war plans that would bring instability. Almost all of today’s commanders are veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. They all know someone who died in combat; indeed, they may have sent someone on a mission that ended with death. And because of that they bring a unique vantage point to lessons learned, from the frontlines where the cruelty of warfare is impossible to miss. Those who send them, meanwhile, sit thousands of miles away and learn what is happening through the filter of distance.

And so in the course of conversation, plots of a different kind emerge—contingencies in case Trump really is elected to the White House. 

“By 2016 I will have my 20 years in and can get out of here,” one military official said, referring to the amount of time a service member needs to collect retirement pay. 

“This is not the country I joined to defend. I am turning in my papers. I’m moving to a farm.” 

“Personally, I hope no one will be called upon to serve under a President T… I can’t bring myself to type the words,” said retired Rear Admiral John Hutson.

So apparently they are not buying Trump's quote,  “I will be so good at the military your head will spin.”

Gee go figure.

(H/T to Occupy Democrats.)

25 comments:

  1. Anonymous2:43 PM

    I did not get to watch the circus debates.
    Was the Donald the masterbater? I supposed they all were.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous2:59 PM

      Yes, he ejaculated the most nonsense.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous4:13 PM

      Kind of figured that. Thanks

      Delete
  2. Leland3:01 PM

    GOOD! Having a bunch of senior military people threaten to take retirement specifically because of this asshole is a good thing.

    And I would bet there are a fair number of career oriented officers who will also follow through as soon as they are legally able. In other words, when their contractual requirements are completed. And there may even be a few who just resign even though they have years to go for retirement.

    I would think a large number of enlisted personnel will feel the same way.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous7:57 AM

      I'm sure plenty of military will vote against being sent to war and being put in harms way unnecessarily.

      Delete
    2. Leland8:36 AM

      @7:57.

      Like military personnel get a chance to vote on that. I was talking about all those enlisted personnel who, like a large number of officers, would resign as soon as their contract is up.

      Delete
  3. Anonymous3:04 PM

    This isn't surprising at all. I would expect many people would not want to serve under Trump.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous3:16 PM

    I worked at one of his casinos. It was all window dressing.No substance.A lot like him.Shady deals in how he treated retail vendors,con jobs getting credit lines for goods and services extended before going bankrupt

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous3:29 PM

      House of Cards.

      And not the good kind like the Netflix series, either.

      Delete
    2. 3:16 -- I suppose this information will only endear Trump further to his supporters: shows he's wily and strong and can out-wit his opponents: liberals. No facts can trump devotion to an ideology of winning at any cost.

      Delete
  5. Anonymous3:25 PM

    O/T, but why is it that in half the pictures of Trump he looks like he's getting ready to deep throat a horse?

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous4:04 PM

    This is what tRump is creating>
    http://www.salon.com/2015/12/18/its_the_clock_kid_all_over_again_a_12_year_old_sikh_boy_is_the_latest_victim_of_racist_terrorism_paranoia/

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous4:07 PM

    I just wrote on facebook to all my friends, " If you are voting for Hillary, should she win the nom, please unfriend me NOW. I cannot support a person who is the democratic version of Cheney."

    Truth.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous4:37 PM

      Your version of "truth." So you can't support a candidate and can't be friends with anyone who has a different viewpoint? Enjoy your shrinking world.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous4:42 PM

      Behold! The power of Facebook!!!!

      Delete
    3. Anonymous6:08 PM

      And you needed to tell us this, why?
      You sir, or madam, are a douche.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous8:10 PM

      All your friends? I bet they number in the teens.

      Delete
    5. Since birds of a feather I suspect all of your friends are right wing tRumpers like you.

      Now, if you'd only get all of your friends to join you in leaving the country if Hillary wins.....

      Delete
  8. Anonymous4:39 PM

    4:07-- But you would have no problem with your non-participation allowing a Republican to win the presidency.

    Good to know.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Anonymous4:49 PM

    4:07PM
    Your friends don't need to vote. Hillary
    already won , so they are still your friends.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Anonymous9:25 PM

    With The Donald's latest love fest with Putin, I wouldn't want him anywhere near political power. Putin is looking for another Bush to mesmorize. Stroke Trump's ego and he will purr like a kitten.

    ReplyDelete
  11. A Trump ex-staffer is starting a new SuperPac "We Won't Bend". Anyone else thing Trump is preparing for a third party bid?

    www.yahoo.com/politics/exclusive-trumps-ex-staffer-forms-080000271.html

    ReplyDelete
  12. "So apparently they are not buying Trump's quote, “I will be so good at the military your head will spin.”"
    ---------------------
    But, but, don't these silly generals and commanders realize that as a teen Trump attended a military boarding school for arrogant, rich, pampered young snots?

    They should be welcoming the opportunity to serve under someone whose military experience, unlike theirs, is YUUUUUGE!!!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Anonymous10:15 AM

    Most military members I know support Trump over the worthless POS currently in office. They realize that Trump at least has their back.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous2:13 AM

      Shut up Sarah and go wash your wig.

      Delete

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