A relative of mine who works in a branch of military intelligence...

[First Speaker]

...told me over the weekend that the Pentagon brass has had a collective shit fit these past few weeks. Because Trump, he says, *was trying to get the generals to intervene in the election*. I mean, having the troops march on DC, shut down the inauguration, arrest Biden. The whole magilla. And that the Chiefs basically told Trump to stuff it, but that they're watching like hawks to see if any rogue generals, and/or military units, might try something insane. And that this was the background behind the Defense Secretaries' declaration today. Jesus H Christ, Jan 20 can't some too soon...

[SheltieLover]

1. Honestly, to be expected with wannabe putin

Thank you for confirming that they are watching!

[albacore]

2. Banana Republic coup... nt

[Girard442]

3. A plan to deal with rogue factions needs to be in their playbook.

One would hope never to be used.

[BobTheSubgenius]

64. I'm sure most militaries have gamed that to the nth degree.

As an example of military planning thoroughness, if Quebec were ever to separate from Canada, the US military has plans in place to head to the James Bay generating station and secure the facility as a strategic American resource. (It generates 15% of the power needed for the NE grid, so it is pretty important.)

I think being able to recognize and put down a rebellion, of whatever form, would be high on their to-do list.

[bluestarone]

4. Wondering, being the Military tells him NO, then

Will he get blackwater ASSHOLES to show up?

[SheltieLover]

6. Somehow, I think the US military would win

[Thekaspervote]

24. And eric prince's blackwater goons know that

[SheltieLover]

25. Absofuckingloutely!

[reACTIONary]

63. +100 nt

[SheltieLover]

66. 👍

[2naSalit]

7. Probably.

[TexasBushwhacker]

36. Perhaps that was the motivation behind his pardon

of their murderous thugs.

[quakerboy]

60. show up where, to do what?

[Bobstandard]

5. A relative, huh?

Your story could be bullshit but it’s too easy to imagine that exactly the scenario you propose is actually happening. All too plausible

The guardrails where we are right now are extra fragile. Scary.

[onenote]

20. And one who discloses military intelligence matters so it can be posted on the internet.

You realize how stupidly risky doing that is?

[Skittles]

55. it's really nothing that cannot be easily guessed

based on Trump's, well, usual dictator-wannabe behavior

[AmericanCanuck]

65. lol

[liberal N proud]

8. They just will not stop attacking democracy

[DFW]

9. Some friends of my dad's wrote a book some 60 years ago

It was called „Seven Days in May.“

It was made into a film because it seemed so plausible. I hope it remains in the realm of fiction, but these days, one wonders.

[hauckeye]

16. Fletcher Knebel was a friend of your dad? cool!

[DFW]

18. He was indeed. I met him once, too

My dad was a member of the D.C. print press from 1950 to 2000. He knew everybody. He was even president of the Gridiron Club while Clinton was in office.

[Wicked Blue]

27. Closer to reality: Knebel's "Night of Camp David" raises the issue of an insane president

except that the president in the novel is nowhere near as mentally ill or dangerous as 45. And in the book, the president resigns voluntarily, something Drumpf would never do.

Written in 1965, "Night of Camp David" serves to show that there is NO effective mechanism within our government for removing an unfit president.

I found it scary when I first read it. Now I find its message depressing. Knebel raised the issue 55 years ago, and in all that time, nobody has come up with any solutions. We had better find some before it happens again.

[hauckeye]

33. I've requested that book from my local library!

[yellowdogintexas]

72. It's a really good book

I probably read it in high school.

[KS Toronado]

45. One solution could be to have a vetting process in place for those running for president

If they're running for fame and fortune, stroke their ego, etc. Any self-serving traits at all and they aren't allowed
to throw their hat in the ring. Only people who can show they would be an honest public servant would be
allowed to run. trumpig would have flunked out.

[Wednesdays]

54. Trumpig would have flunked out

As would have one-quarter of the Democratic candidates running before the 2020 primary season!

[Chemisse]

59. It would be hard to enact fairly, but I'd like to see a basic 'check-up'

That included an IQ test (must score average or above), a very minimal dementia test, as well as a mental fitness exam.

It's probably a bad idea though, for so many reasons.

[soldierant]

61. For those running for any public office.

Yes, that would take the candidate pool way down. But it would also spare us a lot of grief.

[DFW]

47. I remember that one, just had forgotten the title

I read it, too, thinking there was no way a president could be that crazy without his closest people noticing and doing something about it. Talk about life surpassing art. Who would have thought in 1965 that not only could a president be crazy, but he would be installed BECAUSE he was crazy and thus easy for his closest people to manipulate?

[keithbvadu2]

10. Might as well make another conspiracy theory...

Might as well make another conspiracy theory...

Donald can bring Flynn back on active duty and put him in command of whatever units are needed to march on DC.

Pass it on to the loyal Trumpsters.

[BlueCanine]

13. I Like Another...

...where Biden's SOD brings back Flynn to active duty to prosecute him for sedition and treason for working against our democratic process and being allied with our enemy's abroad which has already been documented.

One can only hope.

[bdamomma]

44. oh crap

Flynn keeps on feeding him about martial law. Let me stop now

[Bev54]

11. Does your relative know you are repeating this on an open forum?

[Mariana]

19. If it's supposed to be a big secret

it's unlikely the relative wouldn't have have told the OP in the first place.

[First Speaker]

26. Yes...

...in fact, he asked me to. I asked him why, since I'm not a journalist, but he knows I've always been interested in politics and intelligence matters, ever since we were kids. He also said I wasn't the only person he was talking to. I wasn't entirely sure if he was exaggerating until a few hours ago, when Cheney & Co *did* release their letter, and the Trump call to Georgia did come out. What he told me isn't any crazier than what's actually happening.

[Bev54]

28. Good, wouldn't want him to be angry that he told something in confidence

[Laura PourMeADrink]

35. Omg... In this environment????

[haele]

12. Considering some of the emails from the upper leadership -

The Pentagon has been worried about this since October.
There's been constant little reminders sent out to those who have .mil emails, talking about Constitution requirements the DoD is aligned with, the UCMJ, Medal of Honor recipients and how they served their country above religious or political feelings, etc...
All reminders that the DoD does not serve a person or party.
Never had emails or memos like this from the higher ups in all my 40+ years in or about the Military.

Haele

[PCIntern]

14. So Preem Palver...

Terrific if true, which I’m gonna presume that it is. Wow !!!

[Kaleva]

15. The Chiefs don't have operational control over the miltiary

The eleven Unified Combatant Commands do.

[Chili]

17. is this why this article was published today?

Not just this article, but the statement:

"All living Defense Secretaries call GOP election overthrow 'dangerous, unlawful and unconstitutional' "

https://www.rawstory.com/defense-secretaries-gop-overthrow/

Includes [yikes] Rumsfeld and Cheney.

[Grins]

57. This...

From the link:

"Civilian and military officials who direct or carry out such measures would be accountable, including potentially facing criminal penalties, for the grave consequences of their actions on our republic."

Now go and bring Flynn back on active duty - and then court martial him!

[AmyStrange]

21. That's an oxymoron...

-

Sorry, couldn't resist.
=========

[ecstatic]

22. We're in danger every second that this nutcase remains in office

And yet, the people who can do something refuse to do anything to keep us safe.

Mitch & Co MUST be held accountable for their complicity.

[NJCher]

41. if you think about it

Mitch is just as sick as trump. The only difference is that trump is a "disorganized" criminal and McConnell is an organized criminal.

snip
A disorganized, psychotic, or mentally ill individual can usually be inferred from a very messy and disorganized crime scene. They tend to leave a lot of evidence behind. An organized killer is quite the opposite. They’re precise and controlled in their planning and execution, leaving little to no evidence at the scene of the crime.

snip

Viewing the state of GOP-led U.S. politics, it is no stretch to call it a "crime scene."

There is nothing normal about a person who values power over human suffering and human lives. Nor above the future survival of the country. McConnell does, however, value holding power over these two preeminent objectives for government.

[Thekaspervote]

23. Regardless of the stories we hear..this is what our top brass says..take it to the bank

[patphil]

29. It had to be something like that to get all those Defense Secretaries to issue a joint statement.

And now this whole fucked-up phone call with the Georgia Attorney General.
Trump is both insane and dangerous.

[barbtries]

30. it doesn't surprise me.

he would stop at NOTHING. he would throw his "enemies" into jail, he could be plotting an assassination, there just is not a single thing trump wouldn't do. nada.

17 days. that's my mantra, and i'm doing deep breathing exercises. i'm pissed though, so sick of the drama.

[Boomerproud]

31. Somebody in the WH better get the message.

I don't know whether having the week off from work is good or not. I don't want to be around the trumpers during this. Please someone step up!

[Jarqui]

32. He's a cornered rabid dog.

Could get pretty tense after Jan 6th.
I fear he'll declare martial law in DC.

Hopefully, he crashes and burns quickly.

[BigmanPigman]

42. I'm concerned about a war with Iran.

[Jarqui]

46. I'm more concerned about him turning Americans on Americans

So far, we've got a political divide that's mostly peaceful.

He's pushing it closer to something beyond that.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

34. But is that when the day of anarchy will happen? Inauguration Day? They are REALLY

Last edited Mon Jan 4, 2021, 12:06 AM - Edit history (1)

pushing this J 5 day and their march

[Renew Deal]

38. Seems so

[Renew Deal]

37. I've seen a few "military won't intervene in elections" stories recently.

And they seemed to be mostly without context. So this supports the apparent randomness of those stories.

[pansypoo53219]

39. glad because covid unlikely an outdoors inauguration. right? RIGHT?!?

[LudwigPastorius]

40. I have no doubt this is true.

...and related to his recent ouster of several key civilian positions in the Pentagon.

It will be like the 'Saturday Night Massacre', but in the DOD, not the DOJ.

Trump will start giving illegal orders to people, and immediately replacing them if they refuse to comply with his traitorous insanity.

[bdamomma]

43. Wow

well they shut him down on that, everyone is on edge and on alert. We need to be too. Crap, just get this POS arrested.

[Blue Owl]

48. FUCK TRUMP

[Vinca]

49. I've been hoping if the maniac wants to fire a nuke as a last gasp the military will lock

him in a room somewhere and keep him under guard until Biden is sworn in.

[Larissa]

50. The Bulwark: The Military would not participate in a coup

https://thebulwark.com/the-military-would-not-participate-in-a-coup-trump-cant-understand-why/

First things first. Senior Defense Department leaders have already expressed that there is no role for the military in domestic political disputes. Gen. Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said as much in October—and repeated the point last week: “We do not take an oath to a king or a queen, a tyrant or a dictator. We do not take an oath to an individual. No, we do not take an oath to a country, a tribe or a religion. We take an oath to the Constitution.”

Secretary of the Army Ryan McCarthy and Army Chief of Staff Gen. James McConville also issued a joint statement on Friday that “there is no role for the U.S. military in determining the outcome of an American election.”

Americans need not worry about a military coup, and they certainly should stop asking for military intervention either to keep Trump in power or to remove him from office. If he refuses to leave the White House after Biden is inaugurated, he will simply be a trespasser and will be removed by the Secret Service (part of the Department of Homeland Security)—not the military.

[lagomorph777]

51. Wow. This needs to be prosecuted.

Hard.

[LaMouffette]

52. I'm most concerned about a bat-shit-crazy lone wolf taking it upon himself to overturn the election.

[Mike 03]

53. Eerily echoes what Bill Kristol posted in a multi-tweet twitter thread

yesterday.

A lot of people with connections are on high alert right now.

Thanks for sharing this.

[orleans]

56. what is the declaration by the secretaries? i'm googling and can't find it n/t

[honest.abe]

67. Here it is..

https://news.yahoo.com/extraordinary-warning-trump-10-former-054745779.html

WASHINGTON (AP) — In an extraordinary rebuke of President Donald Trump, all 10 living former secretaries of defense are cautioning against any move to involve the military in pursuing claims of election fraud, arguing that it would take the country into “dangerous, unlawful and unconstitutional territory.”

The 10 men, both Democrats and Republicans, signed on to an opinion article published Sunday in The Washington Post that implicitly questioned Trump's willingness to follow his Constitutional duty to peacefully relinquish power on Jan. 20. Following the Nov. 3 election and subsequent recounts in some states, as well as unsuccessful court challenges, the outcome is clear, they wrote, while not specifying Trump in the article.

“The time for questioning the results has passed; the time for the formal counting of the electoral college votes, as prescribed in the Constitution and statute, has arrived,” they wrote.

The former Pentagon chiefs warned against use of the military in any effort to change the outcome.

[Marcuse]

58. Satire is dead.

[BobTheSubgenius]

62. Holy shit!

I had fears, previously unexpressed because I didn't want to appear extremist, that it might come to this, but...once again...holy shit!

[honest.abe]

68. This needs to end.

The comment that they are on the lookout for a few rogue generals and/or military units is troubling... as if its actually possible. Its shocking those around him cannot see this lunatic is trying to take this country over the edge.

[Kid Berwyn]

71. Absolutely.

Thank you for serving the nation in uniform and to all who swear allegiance to the Constitution of the United States of America.

[former9thward]

70. Any "relative" who disclosed what they knew from military intelligence to someone else

should be fired and prosecuted. But that won't happen because there is no "relative" and no "branch of military intelligence".