General Says He Would Resist 'Illegal' Order from Trump

[Keith&Co.]

http://www.military.com/daily-news/...llegal-order-trump.html?ESRC=navy-a_171122.nl

Air Force Gen. John E. Hyten told the Halifax International Security Forum on Saturday that he and Trump have discussed what would happen if the president ordered a nuclear strike that the general believed to be unlawful under international law. ..."The way the process works, it's simple," said Hyten. "I provide advice to the president, he'll tell me what to do, and if it's illegal, guess what is going to happen?

"I'm going to say, 'Mr. President, that's illegal.' And guess what he's going to do? He's going to say, 'What would be legal?'" Hyten said he and Trump would work to find another course of action.

Notice that he's working WITH the president to try to achieve the president's goals.

He's not saying that he'd refuse a first strike, or that he'd refuse the order. And he's not exploring the sort of illegal order he's thought about. Such as, if we don't have intel to suggest that a nuclear strike is imminent, but Trump saw something on Fox, or read a tweet that angered him...

He says he's going to caution Trump to try to find a legal option that's in accordance with the laws we recognize, our own policies, and the treaties we've signed.

The Trumpettes are, predictably, demanding his head as a traitor. I think he's trying to assure people that Trump's not a lone madman with the trigger in his hand, but all they see is that he's NOT going to blindly be complicit in a war crime...

 

[Underseer]

Why did you put the word illegal in scare quotes?

If the order is not really illegal, the general would have to obey.

 

[Keith&Co.]

Why did you put the word illegal in scare quotes?

The headline put it in quotes.
But that's the whole point of the man's remarks. He's saying that he would resist a temper tantrum, but not hamper the actual implementation of the president's ability to use nukes as they're intended.

But Trump's mobs only see that someone might question the Supreme Leader's choices and are calling for blood.

 

[T.G.G. Moogly]

Why did you put the word illegal in scare quotes?

If the order is not really illegal, the general would have to obey.

Clearly you've never served as a commissioned officer.

 

[whichphilosophy]

The Article is somewhat misleading.

The title and first sentence is not reflected in the body of the article.

 

[Keith&Co.]

The Article is somewhat misleading.

The title and first sentence is not reflected in the body of the article.

Really? The paragraphs where he explains HOW he would resist an order, if he deems it illegal, and "what is going to happen" seem, in my view, to actually expand upon the title and the first sentence.

But then again, the whole point of THIS thread is to highlight Trump's supporters and their rabid inability to read for content, so, what, you're just trying to help underscore my point?

Thanks, WP, s'alright.