Thoroughly Modern Milley
General Mark Milley is the subject of attacks and defense about his phone calls to China. That is the least of the reported issues. A new book from Bob Woodward and Robert Costas, Peril, reported that he elicited personal oaths of loyalty from other flag officers and senior civilians, telling them that Donald Trump was insane and had to be prevented from starting a nuclear war with China. He informed the commands that controlled nuclear weapons that they were to take their orders from him. He consulted with Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer to be certain they were agreed on this. Of course, they were.
None of this has been independently confirmed, although the reliable proponents of authoritarianism masquerading as journalists at most major networks praise him as a patriot, on the assumption that he actually did those things. It was necessary because Donald Trump was mentally ill. The irony of Joe Biden’s multiple symptoms of dementia – wandering aimlessly, unable to remember names, expressive aphasia, unable to focus if there is an ice cream vendor nearby – seems lost on them.
The real issue with General Milley isn’t his reported phone calls to his Chinese counterpart promising them that he wouldn’t allow a surprise nuclear attack by the US on China. I can invent a dozen reasons why those phone calls might be legitimate, so long as the Secretary of Defense and/or the National Security Advisor was informed.
The real issue is the loyalty oaths to Milley, personally. That constitutes a violation of Article 94 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
§894. Art. 94. Mutiny or sedition
(a) Any person subject to this chapter who— (1) with intent to usurp or override lawful military authority, refuses, in concert with any other person, to obey orders or otherwise do his duty or creates any violence or disturbance is guilty of mutiny; (2) with intent to cause the overthrow or destruction of lawful civil authority, creates, in concert with any other person, revolt, violence, or other disturbance against that authority is guilty of sedition; (3) fails to do his utmost to prevent and suppress a mutiny or sedition being committed in his presence, or fails to take all
reasonable means to inform his superior commissioned officer or commanding officer of a mutiny or sedition which he knows or has reason to believe is taking place, is guilty of a failure to suppress or report a mutiny or sedition. (b) A person who is found guilty of attempted mutiny, mutiny, sedition, or failure to suppress or report a mutiny or sedition shall be punished by death or such other punishment as a court-martial may direct.
These actions, if confirmed, constitute mutiny, which carries a death sentence. He has replaced civilian control of the military with himself unaccountable to anyone. That kind of thing happens in Guinea or Bolivia or Myanmar, not in the United States. It is a military coup, and as much as Democrats have been willing to trash the rest of the Constitution, this should spark a counter-revolution. There were multiple other avenues available, beginning with approaching his boss, the Secretary of Defense, and sharing his concerns. He can recommend pursuing temporary removal using the 25th Amendment, or encouraging the Vice President to take action. No matter how obvious it was to Psychiatrist Milley that Trump was mentally ill, he is specifically prohibited from having any operational responsibility for US Forces. His is an advisory role only. There are multiple safeguards on the use of nuclear weapons that insert many opportunities to prevent an accidental launch. These safeguards ensure that it is nearly impossible for a rogue president to start a nuclear conflict unilaterally.
The Uniform Code of Military Justice is not the only problem for Milley.
18 United States Code Section 2381 states, “Whoever, owing allegiance to the United States, levies war against them or adheres to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort within the United States or elsewhere, is guilty of treason, and shall suffer death, or shall be imprisoned not less than five years and fined under this title but not less than $10,000; and shall be incapable of holding any office under the United States”.
Again, the penalty is death. I do not support the death penalty, and am unwilling to make an exception for someone who has attacked a foundational element of our
Republic.
Thoroughly Modern Milley
That being said. I bet this asshole knows what white rage is now…
Odd that Milley would request an oath, but it's clear that Milley is not a person of principle but of politics. He seems to decide issues based on politics rather than adhering to how the military can best serve the nation. He knows full well that a President is constrained in nuclear matters, football notwithstanding. There is no 'button' but there is a process. Milley exposed himself with Afghanistan by allowing politics to decide a military matter. When asked to defend a condition that was impossible to defend militarily, he needed to resign but did not.