DENNIS PATRICK: ARMED FORCES PURGE CONTINUES
The Obama administration appears engaged in a purge of senior military personnel throughout the armed forces. The term “purge” is not insignificant. Last year at this time the count was 137. The number has risen to 231 and continues to climb. Years of military excellence and experience are shredded and cannot be easily replaced.
Sequestration, an Obama initiative, reduces the defense force structure across the board and serves to eliminate personnel up and down the ranks without distinction. However, senior personnel who oppose Obama’s social and political agendas can be removed for trivial charges.
Senior officers and non-commissioned officers are trained to speak forthrightly to their superiors. If a proposed course of action is deemed unacceptable to the health, welfare, safety and morale of the force or would otherwise jeopardize national security, subordinates are expected to speak candidly with tact and courtesy.
We already know about the indiscretion of General David Petraeus as CIA Director and about General Stanley McChrystal’s removal for his critique of Vice President Joe Biden and National Security Advisor James Jones neither of which are in the chain of command.
Some of the purged officers were Benghazi-related and contradicted the administration’s line. Army General Carter Ham, Africa Command, said he never received a stand down order and reinforcements could have reached the Libyan consulate. Admiral Charles Gaouette, Carrier Strike Group, maintained publicly that aircraft could have thwarted the terrorist attack. Major General Ralph Baker, Combined Joint Task Force—Horn of Africa, contends helicopters could have saved the Americans. All were removed from command on the old pretexts of “profanity,” “sexual misconduct,” “alcohol abuse” and “racially insensitive remarks.”
The list goes on. General David H. Huntoon, West Point Commandant, was accused of “misuse of his office.” After he retired he was cleared by the Inspector General.
General Peter Fuller, U.S. Army Commander Afghanistan, made candid remarks about President Hamid Karzai.
Vice Admiral Tim Giardina, Deputy Commander US Strategic Command, was alleged to have “used counterfeit poker chips” at an Iowa casino.
Colonel James Christmas, Commander, 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, “lost the confidence of his superiors.” Specifics not released.
Others with exemplary military records were removed for trivial or otherwise political reasons.
Commander Eric Merrill, commander of submarine USS Emory S. Land.
Commander Martin Arriola, commander of destroyer USS Porter.
Captain Owen Honors, commander of aircraft carrier USS Enterprise.
Captain Robert Gamberg, executive officer aircraft carrier USS Eisenhower.
Commander Diego Hernandez, commander ballistic missile submarine USS Wyoming.
Colonel Eric Tilley, Army Commander, Garrison Japan.
Command Sergeant Major Don Jordan, Army 143rd Expeditionary Sustainment Command.
These are a few of those purged. There are over 200 more.
Add to the list Army Lieutenant Colonel Matthew Dooley, an instructor at the Joint Forces Staff College of the National Defense University. He was relieved of his teaching assignment, reprimanded by General Dempsey of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and given a negative Officer Efficiency Report (a career killer). Why? He taught an approved course “Perspectives on Islam and Islamic Radicalism.” Several Islamic groups including the Muslim Brotherhood complained to the Obama administration and LTC Dooley was sacked.
Consider the following possible scenario in 2015. A Republican House and Senate vote to overturn a presidential executive order or a law such as Obamacare. The president vetoes the measure. Congress then overturns the veto. The President refuses to enforce the law. (Obama has done this more than once. Immigration laws come to mind.) The Supreme Court rules his action unconstitutional. The President thumbs his nose at the ruling. (He has done this with thirteen Supreme Court rulings during his presidency.) The outcome may well depend on the side taken by the military.
The most extreme and conspiratorial litmus test of high ranking officer loyalty might be “Would you order your troops to fire on American citizens?” In any case, senior officers and NCOs who do not support hard left positions are being shown the door.
Take note. Obama does not cut the IRS or his political appointees for their misdeeds. After all, they are selected and placed in position to do his bidding and carry out his policies and social experiments. Examples include women in the infantry and other combat units, allowing practicing homosexuals in the ranks and curtailing the practice of the Christian faith.
As Commander J. D. Gordon, USN (Ret.) wrote in the Washington Times, “This Stalin-like purge of generals and admirals is a terrifying precautionary step taken by Mr. Obama in advance of a descent into the darkness of a Constitutional crisis.” Well stated.
Dennis M. Patrick can be contacted at P. O. Box 337, Stanley, ND 58784 or (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
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