US Army felt it necessary to give on-the-record statement denying it would help with a coup

[Nevilledog]

Link to tweet

Tweet text:
Garrett M. Graff
@vermontgmg
·
Dec 20, 2020
Let’s not forget as we enter the week that the US Army felt it necessary to give on-the-record statement denying that it would participate in a coup this weekend. That’s not normal. And not something we should look past.

Garrett M. Graff
@vermontgmg
ICYMI:

Ryan Browne
@rabrowne75
Army Secretary McCarthy (@SecArmy) and Army Chief of Staff General McConville (@ArmyChiefStaff) statement from yesterday: “There is no role for the U.S. military in determining the outcome of an American election.”
6:53 PM · Dec 20, 2020

[Frasier Balzov]

1. Direct response to Flynn's suggestion

that military rule be imposed upon certain states where Trump believes that the election should be re-run.

[COL Mustard]

21. I've Taken The Oath Of Office Several Times

An an Army officer and as a Federal civilian employee. In each case I took an oath to the Constitution, not to a President, nor to a political party. The Army will not impose martial law to overturn the election, nor to rerun the election (how would one even do that?).....and any order to do so would be on its face illegal.

As I've said elsewhere, officers in particular are expected to use their moral authority to not obey illegal orders. It's why the oath of office does not bind us to obey the orders of the President or the officers appointed over us. There is no way to legally disobey a legal order, but there is also no way to obey an illegal one. This would be a clear-cut no go.

[doc03]

2. It is the time for the 25 Amendment, when the military has to warn the president

to stop.

[Mr.Bill]

3. I guess the Space Force will have to handle it alone, then.

[rpannier]

6. The Space Force uniform will be red

and none of the members will be named Mr Scott or Uhura... nor Kirk, Spock, McCoy, or Chekov

[COL Mustard]

22. Don't Be The Guy In The Red Uniform Shirt!!!!

Unless you REALLY need your SAG card!

[Solly Mack]

4. K&R

That is beyond the rational, that they would have to make such a statement. That it came to that point.

[Blue_true]

24. I agree.

I know that the election of 1856 was contested and resulted in Buchanan making a deal that would lead to the Civil War. But has there ever been a situation where the outgoing president tried to use the military to overturn the people’s will?

[JoeOtterbein]

5. I'm planning on setting off fireworks in my yard when they attack...

...and laughing loudly when they retreat, shivering in shameless fear!

[NoMoreRepugs]

7. Note the "US Military" not just the US Army statement

made by the COS USArmy - intentional IMO. One statement for ALL the branches.

[Hekate]

8. Remember when a wise man told a wise DUer, "The Judiciary will hold"? And it did. This is ...

...the message to Americans that, “The Military will hold to their oaths.”

[Zorro]

9. Let's also not forget Trump fired his SecDef a couple of weeks back

I would not put it past him to consider firing the JCS and installing Flynn as some uber commander of all military forces.

[Lock him up.]

16. A convicted (then corruptly pardoned) felon who lied to the FBI and pleaded guilty at the top??

No.

[dawn5651]

10. i am glad the military had to put out this statement. why the russian asset thought they would

get involved in the united states election is beyond me...he doesn't seem to understand that a democracy is for the people by the people....i will be glad when he gets the hell out of the peoples house he fouls it up every day.

[BobTheSubgenius]

11. I'm surprised The Deep State let it get this far.

JFC. What a state of affairs when the Army says it won't be blowing up its own country any time soon. It's unbelievable that this isn't being shouted from every rooftop in America, along with a giant "WTF???"

It's just as unbelievable that it happened at all.

[Nitram]

15. I'm not surprised. First of all, neither the military nor the "deep state" can make any move

or issue any statement that gives credence to the possibility of such a thing happening because that would normalize the crazy talk. They watch and listen until such a time as someone has taken a step that will put them in prison. The fact that the Military did issue such a statement indicates they were extremely concerned that a move might made by the executive branch towards ordering an inappropriate military intervention. No one can take such a step in until the executive branch has committed themselves to a clearly illegal act. If an order had been issued, that would have been the red line that would have set both the deep state and the military motion to take steps to counter such a move. If they commit themselves prematurely, they can (and would) be sued in court. this is uncharted territory, and you can be sure everybody was on high alert, but very careful not to take a false step.

[LisaL]

12. Well, it's good for the Army to say that.

Otherwise the orange one might get some stupid ideas.

[world wide wally]

13. Somebody do SOMETHING!

He's batshit fucking insane

[LongtimeAZDem]

19. The only one who can do anything is Pence, and he'd need eight Cabinet members to sign on

If he sent a letter to Congress invoking the 25th Amendment, and did it after they recess, then Trump's power would be suspended until Congress acts.

They would have 21 days starting when they go back into session on the 6th, which would make the whole thing moot.

[cstanleytech]

14. True but if Trump tries to declare martial law then it might have a role as they do take an oath

to protect and defend the Constitution and no where in that does it give the President the power to declare martial law in order to void an election he lost.

[TomSlick]

23. Any declaration of martial law in the absence of war and with the courts open,

would be patently illegal. Anything coming from that illegal declaration would be equally illegal.

Officers have a moral and legal duty to disobey illegal orders. Obeying an illegal order is criminal.

An officer's duty is to the Constitution not the president.

[BlueWavePsych]

17. K&R

[MerryBlooms]

18. R&K

[Roisin Ni Fiachra]

20. General McCaffrey says that it seems like

Trump and acting of Defense Secretary Miller are plotting a takeover of the government.

Four star Army General Barry McCaffrey (Ret.) is sounding the alarm on reports acting Secretary of Defense Chris Miller has banned Pentagon brass from holding meetings with Biden transition team officials, leaving career military staff "stunned."

"Pentagon abruptly halts Biden transition—- MAKES NO SENSE. CLAIM THEY ARE OVERWHELMED. DOD GOES OPAQUE. TRUMP-MILLER UP TO NO GOOD. DANGER. —-" tweeted McCaffrey, who is a well-known and highly-respected NBC News and MSNBC military analyst.

Last month (video below) McCaffrey expressed great concern about Trump getting rid of senior Pentagon officials – including his Secretary of Defense – and substituting them with top Trump loyalists. McCaffrey said he was "alarmed" with the shakeup.
snip---
"If I was a CIA officer trying to understand what was going on in a third-world country and I saw this pattern of behavior, I would say the strongman's trying to take over the government and defy an election."

https://www.rawstory.com/trumps-acting-pentagon-chief/