Why is this man in the White House? The majority of Americans did not vote for him. Why is he there? And I tell you this morning that he’s in the White House because God put him there for a time such as this.
Gen. William Boykin
Speech to Christian Church
Date Unknown
A member [of the armed forces] on [active duty] shall not ... speak before a partisan political gathering of any kind for promoting a partisan political party or candidate ... participate in any radio, television, or other program or group discussion as an advocate of a partisan political party or candidate.
Dept. of Defense Directive No. 1344.10
Political Activities by Members of the Armed Forces on Active Duty
June 15, 1990
Members of the armed forces on [active duty] engaging in permissible political activities shall ... avoid any outside activities that may be prejudicial to the performance of military duties ... refrain from participating in any political activity while in military uniform...
Dept. of Defense Directive No. 1344.10
Political Activities by Members of the Armed Forces on Active Duty
June 15, 1990
Q: He was seen in a military uniform when he was giving these speeches. And is it harmful to have these kind of statements out, especially in an effort to win the hearts and minds of the Muslim population? Rumsfeld: There are a lot of things that are said by people in the military, or civilian life, or in the Congress, or in the executive branch that are their views. And that's the way we live. We're a free people. And that's the wonderful thing about our country. And I think that for anyone to run around and think that that can be managed and controlled is probably wrong.
Donald Rumsfeld
Press Briefing
October 16, 2003
Q: We’re told that some soldiers who have spoken out about morale problems have received Article 15s [nonjudicial punishment] for airing their grievances publicly. Is that true? And where do you draw the line between a soldier’s God-given right to complain and insubordination?Sanchez: Well, no, I can’t confirm that any soldier got an Article 15 for complaining about morale. That would have been done at the company or battalion level and would never have been dealt with at my level.
Lt. General Ricardo Sanchez
Interview with Stars & Stripes
September 9, 2003
The Army is considering whether to punish soldiers in Iraq who griped about conditions there to a television reporter, a Pentagon spokeswoman said Friday. Criticism of superior officers is a breach of military rules...The Army will determine whether any soldier will be charged with breaking those rules, said Pentagon spokeswoman Chief Petty Officer Diane Perry.
Associated Press
Army might punish soldiers who griped on TV
July 19, 2003
When the ABC news show reported from Fallujah, where the division is based, the troops gave the reporters an earful. One soldier said he felt like he'd been "kicked in the guts, slapped in the face." Another demanded that Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld quit.The retaliation from Washington was swift.
"It was the end of the world," said one officer Thursday. "It went all the way up to President Bush and back down again on top of us. At least six of us here will lose our careers."
San Francisco Chronicle
Pentagon may punish GIs who spoke out on TV
July 18, 2003
(Many, many thanks to Nitpicker for digging up the relevant military regs.)
Update 10/18 2:00 PM ET: I'm absolutely mortified to find that I did NOT give credit where credit is due. Needlenose is a fine blogger, but Nitpicker is the one who dug up the Pentagon's own rules on political statements while in uniform. Whiskey Bar deeply regrets the error.
"All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others" Animal Farm, Orwell.
What God giveth, God taketh away.
Count down to November 2004, or.....
A must read series of interviews with US troops returning home from Scoop New Zealand.
And the revelation that these soldiers are being punished for complaining is surprising...how?
If you've been paying any attention over the last few years, you may have noticed that ANYONE in the government or military who complains or points out flaws, problems, etc. with BushCo. gets punished one way or another. Witness all the military folks forced out of their careers for daring to point out to Rummy during the run-up to war that the post-war scene might be as rosy as he and Spiro T. Cheney thought it would be. Look at the State Department people who got canned for trying to remind Condiment and Spiro that the intelligence was full of qualifiers.
This is NOT like the fairy tale about the Emperor's new clothes: Those who question the nudity of the President are beheaded. Thus, it is not surprising at all that common foot soldiers who let their views be known get it in the neck, while clearly unhinged Generals who strut about saying "God put Bush in office" get promoted.
A must read series of interviews with US troops returning home from Scoop New Zealand.
I've read a few of those already and have my doubts about the authenticity -- it's all a little too pat, if you know what I mean.
But if they are legitimate, all I can say is that the latest guy interviewed -- "Sarge" -- should be in Iraq, because that means there will be one less fascist asshole running around loose in the United States.
Needlenose is a fine blogger, [sic] but Nitpicker is the one who dug up the Pentagon's own rules on political statements while in uniform. Whiskey Bar deeply regrets the error.
On behalf of Needlenose, thanks for the temporary (albeit erroneous) credit! And for the compliment.
God put George W. Bush in the White House, eh? Well, considering what the Republicans did to insure that their boy got the Presidency, their confidence in the Lord must be, shall we say, provisional at best.
I believe in God, but I detest theocracy. For every government consists of mere men and is, strictly viewed, a makeshift; if it adds to its commands "Thus saith the Lord," it lies, and lies dangerously. C. S. Lewis
Even Fred Hiatt, Bush cheerleader extraordinaire, thinks that Boykin is scary
CPA official on Sayyid Mahmoud al-Hassani;
"He is a mixture of a criminal and a lunatic who believes he has a hotline to God... "
Sounds like a great description of Boykin.
So, I guess it is fair to say that application of this rule isn't very uniform...
"A dictatorship would be a heck of a lot easier, there's no question about it."
- commander in chief, July 27, 2001
More quotes here.
Laura Ingraham thinks that Boykin is fine and wants to know why all the liberals weren't complaining when MLK Jr. invoked the name of God. Or JFK. To be expected from the likes of Ingraham who can't tell the difference between ARhnold's groping and consensual sexual relations.
I am currently stationed at Ft Hood; the attitude expressed (God hand picked GWB, our God is stronger than their God, etc) by Gen Boykin is certainly not surprising. As a member of a group resposible for entertainment during social functions, including those sanctioned by the Army Chaplains Corps,I get to see this attitude first hand at monthly prayer breakfasts. My all time favorite was a guest speaker (Colonel if I remember correctly) who spoke of the reasons we were sucessful in Gulf War I. He gave three reasons: Better personnel, better equipment, and (in his view, most importantly) the fact that God was on our side. To view the most impressive example of the Army supporting "our God", come to Belton TX each 4th of July for the "God and Country" concert in the Bell County Expo center, sponsored by the First Baptist Church in Belton and supported by one of the Army Bands from Ft Hood (4th ID or 1st Cav). This years extraveganza featured the song "I Pledge Allegience to the Lamb", during which uniformed soldiers surrounded a 10' Cross and genuflected on cue before it. My understanding is that the Army's support for these events are considered legal.
This years extraveganza featured the song "I Pledge Allegience to the Lamb", during which uniformed soldiers surrounded a 10' Cross and genuflected on cue before it.
LOL. I'm sorry, it's really not funny, but I was just picturing the drill sergeant:
"Present HANDS! Fold HANDS! Aaaaaaaand GENUFLECT!"
I have to admit that this really worries me. When I was in the Air Force there was a some obvious right-wing cheerleading that would go on, but nothing of this nature.
It really calls into question the devotion of the armed services to the civil authority. It also highlights the greatest weakpoint in our system. The military must be under non-partisan civilian control.
Agreed, Evan Allen. That is why there has been such a taboo on Presidents and uniforms dating back to, well, George Washington. Washington, of all the Presidents including Ike, had dibs on war hero status and yet he never wore his uniform.
Grant, whose cronyism seems picayume by aWol's standards, could have worn his uniform in office but didn't.
Eisenhower, who not only was a war hero by anyone's standards also warned against the military industrial complex that Shrub and his father are milking for personal gain, refused to wear a uniform in office due to tradition that dates back to Washington's time.
Meanwhile, we have someone who deserted his Guard post in wartime who didn't win the election but took office anyway wearing a uniform like his friend Saddam. Kind of figures, actually.
Billmon in re SCOOP in New Zealand: I've read a few of those already and have my doubts about the authenticity -- it's all a little too pat, if you know what I mean.
Reality is often a little too pat... Isn't Boykin a more one-dimensional and less interesting version of General Jack D. Ripper?
Seriously, I never had any reason to question SCOOP's coverage before? Have you? Has anyone?
We're in total agreement on "Sarge".
Billmon:
Can't you dig up a Rumsfeild quote where he says criticizing the Administration or the Iraq war plan is un-American and aids terrorists. I also recall Fleischer telling critics to nip it.
harv
Gott mit uns, eh?
Reminds me of a bit of dialogue from Kurosawa's film "Ran" (no claim for accuracy, since this is from memory):
Question: "Why do the gods allow such evil?"
Answer: "The gods weep, because they are unable to prevent it."
"Cognitive dissonance" doesn't even begin to describe what's at work with that little cross-worshipping ceremony harv described. I thought Boykin was awful, but this is really creepy.
Maybe next year, they can pull off their masks and reveal their true selves to The Holy Bomb....
Rank has its privileges, that's for sure. Odd is it not that an army of democracy is anything but democratic?
Boykin is really something else. Frightening is an understatement. To think that fanatics like him might have their finger on the nuclear trigger. Gives emphasis to that old Latin saying, Carpe diem! or enjoy the day. And, to think that he has the balls to feign being a Christian. Question: who would Jesus bomb? Answer: nobody.