Military Chief Warns Troops About Politics

[jefferson_dem]

Source: NYT

Military Chief Warns Troops About Politics
By THOM SHANKER

WASHINGTON — The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff has written an unusual open letter to all those in uniform, warning them to stay out of politics as the nation approaches a presidential election in which the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan will be a central, and certainly divisive, issue.

“The U.S. military must remain apolitical at all times and in all ways,” wrote the chairman, Adm. Mike Mullen, the nation’s highest-ranking officer. “It is and must always be a neutral instrument of the state, no matter which party holds sway.”

<SNIP>

Admiral Mullen said he was inspired to write the essay after receiving a constant stream of legitimate, if troubling, questions while visiting military personnel around the world. He said their questions included, “What if a Democrat wins?” and, “What will that do to the mission in Iraq?” and, “Do you think it’s better for one party or another to have the White House?”

“I am not suggesting that military professionals abandon all personal opinions about modern social or political issues,” Admiral Mullen wrote. “What I am suggesting — indeed, what the nation expects — is that military personnel will, in the execution of the mission assigned to them, put aside their partisan leanings. Political opinions have no place in cockpit or camp or conference room.”

He noted that “part of the deal we made when we joined up was to willingly subordinate our individual interests to the greater good of protecting vital national interests.”

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/26/us/politics/26military.html?_r=1&oref=slogin&ref=politics&pagewanted=print

[randr]

1. Willingly subordinate to who and what vital national interests?

[buckrogers1965]

2. This letter is a lie.

"Active-duty military personnel are prohibited from taking part in partisan politics." is the critical part. It should have "While in uniform." But that uniform isn't tattooed to you when you join. It comes off.

As an American citizen you are free to engage in partisan politics, even while on active duty. You can be in a political party, and participate in party politics. The military is no different than any other job. You just can't do so while wearing a uniform or on the clock, nor should you give your opinion to your subordinates. Just like any other job. You can do whatever you want politically on your time off or on vacation time away from your unit. But you are doing so as Joe Blow, not Sergent Joe Blow.

[Tippy]

5. It is a lie and one an elementary student could detect....n/t

[Ian David]

3. Yeah, right. Tell me another one.

[Solly Mack]

4. AFN started running a commercial recently addressing this

Except it's more accurate....not in uniform and not in a government vehicle...other than that - you can engage in politics.

And , if I may add - Mullen's a big old hypocrite and liar.

He says don't engage in partisan politics, but as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs, he is NEVER really out of uniform - especially when speaking publicly about the military...and he just claimed the solders were worried -concerned that a Democrat might be elected. Sure, he'll claim he was just repeating what he was told but that's bullshit...his use of Democrat was intentional and pointed.

“What if a Democrat wins?”

Such goes beyond simply being partisan and enters into the official talking point of the military...which can see viewed as intimidation to those who don't hold that view.

and combined...

“What if a Democrat wins?” and, “What will that do to the mission in Iraq?”

that's no different from the paid Pentagon propaganda program

[Hugin]

6. Yeah, after the revelations of the Pentagon Push Program... The Hypocrisy is blinding.

Good point.

I thought the same thing when I read the, "What if a Democrat wins?" statement too.

[tabasco]

7. Hahahahahahaha!

The military is sick of the corrupt republicans too.

[Ghost Dog]

8. Mullen just made a big mistake (electorally-speaking) maybe?

...Or would they be planning to somehow suspend or withdraw military personnel's right to even vote?

[ColonelTom]

9. Nothing like giving yourself the last word.

Tee up the questions "What if the Democrats win? What happens to the mission in Iraq?" then close down the debate. How typical. :grr: Now back to your regularly scheduled psyops, here on your friendly neighborhood network Sunday morning pundit shows...

[Earth_First]

14. No kidding. n/t

[JohnnyLib2]

10. Vet speaking---most of us managed to deal with this line of thought.

Not to worry.

[Bandit]

11. “The U.S. military must remain apolitical at all times and in all ways,”

Then the military should demand that Rush Limbaugh be taken off Armed Forces Radio.. Limbaugh;s entire show is Politics and nothing but Politics..He should be removed from Armed Forces Radio and any other show that is entirely about Politics..

[LynnTheDem]

12. “The U.S. military must remain apolitical at all times and in all ways,”

ROTFLMAO!!!

Now that's hilarious hypocrisy!

[Peace Patriot]

13. That "What if a Democrat wins?" IS political, with undertones of treason.

He should be fired, but, of course, he won't be, because he's working for a treasonous cabal who use the Constitution for toilet paper.