After rebuke, top U.S. general says joining Trump church walk during protests was "mistake"

[stevenl]

18 minutes ago, Berkshire said:

Amazingly, Lindsey Graham actually spoke up.  Not against Trump, but in support of the General.

 

["I have nothing but deep admiration for and total confidence in General Milley as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff," Graham tweeted on Thursday. "I support his statement in both substance and spirit regarding the recent presidential visit to St. Johns."

Graham added, "General Milley is a tremendous military leader who understands the long tradition of maintaining an apolitical, nonpartisan military."]

 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/lindsey-graham-backs-top-generals-apology-for-appearing-with-trump-after-force-used-on-protesters/ar-BB15mog3

 

Shows how spineless Graham is.

[Chomper Higgot]

1 hour ago, BigStar said:

What pussies. China, NK, Russia, Iran have nothing to fear.

Not from this President they don’t.

[Baerboxer]

7 hours ago, Thailand said:

A few more disenters, is the ship taking on more water?

 

#oldfarangsmatter

 

Yep, all distancing themselves and hoping they don't cop a backlash if sleazy old Joe wins in November.

 

Of course, if things change, as they can, and Trump wins, they've dug their own hole.

[Baerboxer]

3 hours ago, Emdog said:

You are a sad, sad, person. As pointed out earlier, the people were peacefully assembling, as were news teams (Australia, Germany) who were beaten and shot at with pepper balls and rubber bullets.  You might say "Well, maybe they were rioting night before". Not good enough.

"Boots on the other foot" sounds like you approve of law enforcement being indistinguishable from law breakers.

Military, along with officials, take oath to protect and defend US Constitution (which includes right to peaceable assemble to protest grievances. You could look it up). They do not take an oath similar to Nazis who swore allegiance  to Hitler. Cowardice? Please explain

 

Are you saying people breaking the law are o k to do that if your agree with their reason for doing so? I hope not.

 

Peaceful protest fine. Protest that involves deliberate obstruction, assault, assaulting police, vandalism, looting, thieving and destruction - not o k.

 

Laws must never be applied selectively based on political agendas. They are. And that fuels division.

[Sujo]

4 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

 

Are you saying people breaking the law are o k to do that if your agree with their reason for doing so? I hope not.

 

Peaceful protest fine. Protest that involves deliberate obstruction, assault, assaulting police, vandalism, looting, thieving and destruction - not o k.

 

Laws must never be applied selectively based on political agendas. They are. And that fuels division.

They were peaceful and were gassed. So to trump peaceful protest is not ok. It was very important that peoples constitutional rights were trampled on so he could have a pic.

[Sujo]

2 hours ago, twocatsmac said:

I believe in being proactive, you see if I’m faced with a snarling soi dog wanting to bite me I’d pepper spray it before I was bitten. 

So el presedente having seen the looters try to burn the chapel down the night before took a similar action and yes I found it most enjoyable. 

And if the soi dog is asleep you should just kill it because another dog in another soi barked at you the day before.

 

You find it enjoyable that people using their constitutional right should be gassed and shot. Let me guess, you are a trump supporter.

[robblok]

28 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

 

Are you saying people breaking the law are o k to do that if your agree with their reason for doing so? I hope not.

 

Peaceful protest fine. Protest that involves deliberate obstruction, assault, assaulting police, vandalism, looting, thieving and destruction - not o k.

 

Laws must never be applied selectively based on political agendas. They are. And that fuels division.

The protest that people are referring to was peaceful. Not violent at all they were just removed so Trump could have a nice foto op. I am sure there were other protest that were not peaceful but this one according to the news was. 

https://edition.cnn.com/2020/06/02/politics/congress-republican-reaction-trump-church/index.html

[Mavideol]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

"I should not have been there," Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman General Mark Milley said of his appearance at the politically charged event on June 1.

but if he didn't follow the orders he would have been fired as so many, who have challenged Trump,  have been

[chrisinth]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

Milley's remarks followed a rare outpouring of condemnation from retired U.S. generals and even former defense secretary Jim Mattis for taking part in the event, given that the U.S. military is meant to be apolitical and is sworn to defend the U.S. constitution, which protects the right to peaceful protest.

Why then is the President CinC?

 

Or do they not realize that?

[Saint Nick]

Let me guess: very overrated general...nobody likes him very much and to be frank, Trump doesn't even know him.

Maybe he met him one time...short time...but hardly knows him at all!

[Saint Nick]

7 hours ago, Mama Noodle said:

 

Garbage. Just because the rioters were taking a water break after 48 hours of strait riots and looting and arson does not mean it was peaceful and lawful, nor does it mean they can block traffic and people for days on end either. 

Naaaaah...you are right!

Protest should always be held far out of town, in an empty cornfield, so they cause no incemvenience to anyone!

That is what protest is all about!

1st ammendment and all that!

Greatest democracy on Earth!

[natway09]

Never joined a protest & no doubt never will.

But Trump's stupid stage managed "bible holding up" in particular at this time is an affront to any normal persons intelligence

[AgMech Cowboy]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

My presence in that moment and in that environment created a perception of the military involved in domestic politics,"

Very true. It sent the wrong message, but his heart was in the right place (honor, protection and peace).

[billd766]

1 hour ago, Mavideol said:

but if he didn't follow the orders he would have been fired as so many, who have challenged Trump,  have been

Then it was between him and his conscience.

 

He can't get promoted any more and IMHO it would have been to resign. That way he is demonstrating his oath he swore and I think a majority of the military would have supported him.

 

If it were me I would hope that my conscience wins.

[twocatsmac]

1 hour ago, Sujo said:

And if the soi dog is asleep you should just kill it because another dog in another soi barked at you the day before.

 

You find it enjoyable that people using their constitutional right should be gassed and shot. Let me guess, you are a trump supporter.

And let me guess, you are a lib still in denial after all these years.

Thankfully you are a minority in the real world, hence old Don in da house. 

[Silurian]

13 minutes ago, AgMech Cowboy said:

Very true. It sent the wrong message, but his heart was in the right place (honor, protection and peace).

 

Protection and Peace? Pfft.

 

By not condemning the actions of US authorities using rubber bullets and tear gas, General Milley remains silent which seems to mean he okay with their use on US citizens at peaceful protests.

 

This is what 9 rubber bullets at a peaceful protest looks like.

 

 

 

[twocatsmac]

40 minutes ago, Silurian said:

 

Protection and Peace? Pfft.

 

By not condemning the actions of US authorities using rubber bullets and tear gas, General Milley remains silent which seems to mean he okay with their use on US citizens at peaceful protests.

 

This is what 9 rubber bullets at a peaceful protest looks like.

 

 

 

Do the officers win a prize for so many hits?

[stevenl]

2 hours ago, AgMech Cowboy said:

Very true. It sent the wrong message, but his heart was in the right place (honor, protection and peace).

Sure, teargassing, pepper spraying and shooting peaceful protesters to have the opportunity to hold up a bible shows his heart is in the right place.

[Scott Tracy]

I welcome the General's apology. It who s he knows where the military stands with regards to the citizenry.

 

I am given to understand that this is not what certain leaders think of their military's relationship to their citizenry.

 

I hear some expletives were used and one ex General said something along the lines of:

a General never apologises, shows weakness and anyway, we owe the populace nothing, they owe us...implying that he is still military.

 

[samran]

14 hours ago, Mama Noodle said:

 

Garbage. Just because the rioters were taking a water break after 48 hours of strait riots and looting and arson does not mean it was peaceful and lawful, nor does it mean they can block traffic and people for days on end either. 

So how are your rugged citizen milita types with their ‘Don’t Tread on Me’ flags and their uzis supposed to overthrow a tyrannical government?
 

Ask for permits first before they march on the White House to take it over? 

[Tie Dye Samurai]

16 hours ago, PatOngo said:

Teargas the rif raf and shoot them with rubber bullets! There's a bible that needs to held up for some reason or another! ???? #Privileged white republican lives matter, right?

You mean "There's a bible that needs to held upside down for some reason or another!"

[Tie Dye Samurai]

16 hours ago, sqwakvfr said:

Ah, why didn’t he say “Mr. President as a uniformed member of the US Military I cannot go on this walk to the plaza?  He has to think about it and then make a speech and apologize?  Modern Military Leadership?  Same goes for Defense Secretary Esper.  If Esper disagrees with this President regarding the staging of Active Duty Soldiers in DC then he should have stated his opposition and offer to resign?  

 

 

How about Mr President resign instead?

[samsensam]

11 minutes ago, Tie Dye Samurai said:

How about Mr President resign instead?

 

resign? last i heard the army were being prepared to remove him from office forcibly if he lost the election and refused to go!

 

what's bizarre is despite all that's gone on these last four years he's still in with a good chance of being elected! go usa!!

[seajae]

it was not tear gas, it was smoke, the protesters were throwing rocks, bricks and frozen water bottles at them and when cleared the police found weapons etc hidden in the bushes, again we see the press making up total BS statements. 

[johnpetersen]

7 minutes ago, seajae said:

it was not tear gas, it was smoke, the protesters were throwing rocks, bricks and frozen water bottles at them and when cleared the police found weapons etc hidden in the bushes, again we see the press making up total BS statements. 

Really?

US Park Police said using “tear gas” in a statement was a “mistake.” It just used the term again.

A US Park Police spokesperson said Friday in an interview it was a “mistake” to insist in a statement on Tuesday that the agency didn’t use tear gas the day before in a Washington, DC, park to disperse a crowd ahead of President Donald Trump’s photo op, explicitly noting that pepper balls shot by officials irritate the eyes and cause tears.

https://www.vox.com/2020/6/5/21281604/lafayette-square-white-house-tear-gas-protest

Got a source for your claim about protesters throwing rocks ets and that police found weapons in the bushes?

 

 

[Sujo]

8 hours ago, twocatsmac said:

Do the officers win a prize for so many hits?

Yes, they win the defunding prize.

[teatime101]

11 hours ago, Baerboxer said:

Yep, all distancing themselves and hoping they don't cop a backlash if sleazy old Joe wins in November.

Once they realise Trump is electoral poison, Republicans in positions of power will be jumping from the sinking ship en masse. Trump cares for nobody, and nobody cares for Trump. 

[johnpetersen]

22 minutes ago, teatime101 said:

Once they realise Trump is electoral poison, Republicans in positions of power will be jumping from the sinking ship en masse. Trump cares for nobody, and nobody cares for Trump. 

They're kind of stuck. Most Republican voters are die-hard Trump supporters. So if they jump ship, they'll lose for sure. And the majority of them are in safely Republican districts. Safe unless they abandon Trump. But a significant minority of Republican office holders are endangered by Trump. They're in a tough spot

[riclag]

1 hour ago, samsensam said:

 

resign? last i heard the army were being prepared to remove him from office forcibly if he lost the election and refused to go!

 

what's bizarre is despite all that's gone on these last four years he's still in with a good chance of being elected! go usa!!

You got a source for that 

[Tie Dye Samurai]

7 hours ago, Scott Tracy said:

I welcome the General's apology. It who s he knows where the military stands with regards to the citizenry.

 

I am given to understand that this is not what certain leaders think of their military's relationship to their citizenry.

 

I hear some expletives were used and one ex General said something along the lines of:

a General never apologises, shows weakness and anyway, we owe the populace nothing, they owe us...implying that he is still military.

 

You know, if you are going to make an accusation like that, the least you can do is have some credibility and come up with the exact quote and who said it instead of "I hear" and "something along the lines of" and then follow it with something you basically made up.