Image 01 Image 03

Milley Spins China Calls As Orange Man Bad, Fmr. Defense Secretary Denies He Authorized the Calls

Milley Spins China Calls As Orange Man Bad, Fmr. Defense Secretary Denies He Authorized the Calls

The spokesman doesn’t confirm or deny Milley told China he would inform them of an upcoming attack.

On Tuesday, we learned the upcoming book Peril reports that Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley told his Chinese counterpart he would inform them if then-President Donald Trump planned to launch an attack.

Two interesting developments came out this afternoon.

Milley’s spokesman Col. Dave Butler did not deny the China story in his mumbled statement. Former acting Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller did not authorize Milley to have secret calls with China.

I know we should not assume anything, but this does not look good for Milley.

Long and Empty Statement

Josh Rogin posted Butler’s statement. It is long, but empty since it does not confirm or deny the story.

Miller “Did Not and Would Not Ever Authorize> The Conservations

Miller told Fox News he did not give Milley permission to talk to China:

“The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is the highest-ranking military officer whose sole role is providing military-specific advice to the president, and by law is prohibited from exercising executive authority to command forces,” Miller said. “The chain of command runs from the President to the Secretary of Defense, not through the Chairman.”

Fox News has learned there were about 15 people present for the calls. Sources told Fox News that there were multiple notetakers present, and said the calls were both conducted with full knowledge of then-Defense Secretary Mark Esper and then-acting Defense Secretary Chris Miller – something Miller denied.

“If the reporting in Woodward’s book is accurate, it represents a disgraceful and unprecedented act of insubordination by the Nation’s top military officer,” Miller said, adding that if the story of Milley’s “histrionic outbursts and unsanctioned, anti-Constitutional involvement in foreign policy prove true, he must resign immediately or be fired by the Secretary of Defense to guarantee the sanctity of the officer corps.”

DONATE

Donations tax deductible
to the full extent allowed by law.

Comments

Why is an active general spewing ANY details into book with Woodward in the first place? This is something you do AFTER you retire.

Something is amiss about that fact and no one is talking about it.

Then AFTER retirement or leaving the military, just ask the boys over at SOFREP the shit they have to go through to get their books published.

The boob, Milley, is just catering to the “big guy’s” handlers.

    MattMusson in reply to Romey. | September 15, 2021 at 3:58 pm

    This is part of the ongoing war between the State Department and the Pentagon. ICYMI, they are blaming each other for the Afghan Disaster.

    The State Department is attacking the Pentagon. And, leaking their Media Allies is the ammunition in this war.

      They are forcing the WH to either defend Milley or throw him under the bus. The WH knows the the State Department, NSA, and CIA know the reporting is true and could prove it if necessary.

      So far it looks like they are choosing to defend Milley. Possibly because Milley could reveal something very damaging to the WH about the disastrous Afghan withdrawal if they abandon him.

The Friendly Grizzly | September 15, 2021 at 3:34 pm

He needs to Do The Honourable Thing.

You know, old chap: go into the club library with a pistol and one bullet.

    Samurai.

    Nothing else will do.

      SeiteiSouther in reply to Andy. | September 15, 2021 at 4:49 pm

      And without a second.

      The Friendly Grizzly in reply to Andy. | September 15, 2021 at 4:53 pm

      Sepuku?

        Death by Sepuku restores honor.

        I’m not Japanese enough to know the term for Samurai death of a traitor who runs around screwing everything up and never had much honor to begin with.

        That would be the term to use. Either way, this guy broke the needle on the Samurai shame meter and they’d deal with it.

      Ben Kent in reply to Andy. | September 16, 2021 at 12:54 am

      TRUMP DERANGEMENT SYNDROME STRIKES AGAIN

      I predict Milley is out of office before the end of this month.

      Amazingly, there are dozens of people who have imploded because their brains were infected by their blind hatred for Trump. They believe every nasty rumor about Trump and lose grasp of reality. Milley is just the latest self-inflicted idiot. Pelosi is also implicated in the Milley mess. She definitely has TDS. Maybe she is next to go ?

      Trump’s super power seems to be getting under the skin of his opponents.

    Russ from Winterset in reply to The Friendly Grizzly. | September 15, 2021 at 5:52 pm

    I remember a line from one of Schwarzenegger’s films that would apply here.

    “Resign, or be prosecuted”

    The club butler is getting REALLY tired of cleaning up the library after all you wack wypipo.

      The Friendly Grizzly in reply to henrybowman. | September 15, 2021 at 8:14 pm

      I recall a line from one of the Lord Peter Whimsey mysteries. The Unpleasantness at the Belona Club I think.

      A young, shell-shocked former soldier is talking with Whimsey. One other club member ilia seated, newspaper held held, but not moving.

      The young soldier goes over and discovers the man is dead. He, being in a fragile state, laughs and calls out something like, I say, Winslow! Remove this man at once; he’s been dead for two days!”

      Re the club butler’s complaint, I get it: Milley should fill his bathtub with warm water, climb in, and open his veins. That way, things can be cleaned up relatively easily.

He has a chest full of social justice warrior ribbons though.

    JHogan in reply to rhhardin. | September 15, 2021 at 3:48 pm

    The contrast with photos of Eisenhower with 5 stars on his shoulders after VE-Day is stark and revealing.

      The Friendly Grizzly in reply to JHogan. | September 15, 2021 at 4:03 pm

      Note that Ike was in the last war we won.

      Brave Sir Robbin in reply to JHogan. | September 15, 2021 at 5:20 pm

      In addition to rank inflation, now everyone gets a medal, too. And lots of them. There are tons and tons of “being there” medals, and you get medals just for completing tours of duty and not getting fired and no other real reason. They even have a term for it. It’s called a “good-bye kiss.” Bronze stars are handed out to officers just for surviving 6 months in country. All a Bronze Star (non-valorous) means now is that you were an officer went to Iraq or Afghanistan.

      Medals for officers are now almost entitlements.

      The funny thing is, while enlisted personnel get promotion points for medals earned, for officers, they are completely irrelevant for promotion purposes and are nothing but egoism and vanity – whose has the biggest and most impressive rack in the room. As with everything from me, it’s been a while, but I was on promotion boards and we did not even look at them on an officer’s record unless it was a Silver Star or higher and for valor. Even then, if was only a potential deciding factor in what we used to call the crunch – the zone of officers who were not clearly promotable but not non-promotable. So when you had to decide between very similar people to hand out a limited number of promotions, you gave it to the guy who gave more. But they were never the ticket up. The ticket up (in combat arms branches) was successful command in combat. We didn’t care if someone gave you a medal for it. or not. And we certainly did not care about all the other ribbons and devices a guy had.

      The officer corps is making themselves look like silly third world dictators. The pinks and greens look ridiculous festooned with all those medals and badges. And may I add that Milley has allowed himself to balloon into grotesque and portly proportions. It’s a poor example for the troops.

      OK, done complaining, for now.

        BSR,

        No apologies required for the rant. I will add that the situation for awards had gotten to the point that they were so ordinary that the differentiating factor was the lack of a ‘grade appropriate’ decoration v the award itself. Which is a sad state. A LTC without a BS was not competitive for promotion and selection for a BDE CMD.

        On the enlisted side it’s much better. Not a huge amount of award inflation other than BDE and above CSM/SGM. If an NCO sports a Bronze Star even one for merit earned as an E7 or below they more than earned it. Same for the MSM. They were still pretty sparse on the enlisted side at least as of 2015.

        Of course those of us who had been awarded certain bangles were sometimes treated to jealous passive aggressive behavior from peers and seniors. Snide comments and irritation from mediocre performers. The usual behavior for a Div HQ full of REMF who had never been there and done that to earn the bangles.

        “…There tons and tons of “being there” medals, and you get medals just for completing tours of duty and not getting fired and no other real reason. They even have a term for it. It’s called a ‘good-bye kiss.’..”

        It’s like being on welfare or receiving charity. At first people are grateful. Then they come to expect it. Then they think it’s a right. Remember the Brixton riots in London (of course not; only a weirdo like me would)? I forget which government cut the welfare benefits to those on the dole; had to be Tory. The multi-generational underclass living off the public tit were outraged that the government wasn’t giving them everything they were entitled to so they went on a rampage, looting stores and setting them on fire.

        Pro tip. If you want to start a business but are worried about your store getting looted by rampaging socialist/commie youth, open a book store. They won’t go near a book store. But anything selling designer clothes or electronics will be demolished.

        You can justify a Navy and Marine Corps Achievement or Commendation Medal on two bases; meritorious achievement or sustained superior performance. I’m just using these medals as examples for how effed up things have gotten. Had gotten; I retired in 2008. Meritorious achievement came to mean putting up a really good display at the Miramar airshow (I’m showing my age by harkening back to the days Miramar belonged to the Navy). Sustained superior performance meant being able to fog a mirror on the way out the door.

        This led to some interesting time. I was doing a tour at a command in Japan back in the early 1990s. We had this female Ensign who had achieved an impact award three months prior to the end of her tour; i.e. meritorious achievement. For which she received a Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal. So, three months later she’s about to depart and finds out she’s not getting her good-bye kiss. The other JOs are looking at each other as she voices her displeasure, and finally one of us tells her, “‘Angie,’ you just got a medal. You haven’t done anything in the last 12 weeks to deserve another one.”

        She didn’t care. That’s a demonstration of the moral hazard of welfare. The Navy f***ing OWED her an end of tour award. So she told us, the assembled group, that if she didn’t get her precious end of tour award she was going to throw a grenade back through the door on her way out. In the form of sexual harassment allegations. Sure enough she did; she went to the IG. And even though we had multiple witnesses telling the investigators it was a lie, male and female BTW, these investigators had to take it seriously otherwise they’d be crucified by the feminists at the 1990s version of #MeToo. Who in the immediate aftermath Tailhook were legion.

        Of course nothing came of her allegations. Also of course, nothing happened to her for making false allegations, which she declared to be her intention to falsely make in front of multiple witnesses. The Navy encourages false allegations to justify the SJW beatings. This was true thirty years ago. Our top leadership hates us. But I digress from the immediate topic.

        It’s embarrassing!

        1) I’ve worked on initiatives where the team were recommended for individual awards. So I recommended all the team members for the same award; Navy Commendation medals. The Navy Comms were approved for the O-3s but not the O1s/O2s. Because, and I’m quoting from memory mind you, “There’s nothing an Ensign can do to rate a Navy Commendation Medal.”

        They did the same thing I did. If they didn’t earn it neither did I.

        2) Drinking with a Royal Navy admiral, and he points to one of my ribbons and asks, “What’s that one for? Not drowning in the bath tub?”

        Not every armed service hands out medals like Halloween candy.

          CommoChief in reply to Arminius. | September 16, 2021 at 8:51 am

          To follow up to your post regarding end of tour/PCS awards DoD authorized a new device for achievement and commendation awards: C to denote the awards were earned in combat v a simple impact or PCS award.

        It is right to get a medal for completing a tour (otherwise known as campaign medals in old money).

          CommoChief in reply to mailman. | September 16, 2021 at 11:55 am

          Mailman,

          Let’s differentiate between three interrelated terms.
          1. Campaign Medal/Ribbon – PVT Snuffy is deployed to Iraq. Following his ‘tour’ he and everyone else who deployed with him receives an Iraq Campaign Medal.
          2. End of tour award:
          A. PVT Snuffy performed about average while deployed to Iraq. He likely receives an Army Achievement Medal for being there.
          B. PVT Snuffy spends 3 years at FT Bliss assigned to a unit that doesn’t deploy to Iraq and performs about average. He likely receives an Army Achievement Medal for being there and not causing problems.

          Campaign Medals are for an operational or combat tour. Achievement or Commendation Medals can be awarded for non combat or combat performance. As you can see from the examples PVT Snuffy is likely to be awarded the same level of decoration/award regardless of if his ‘tour’ was a combat deployment or completely a garrison State side assignment.

          Brave Sir Robbin in reply to mailman. | September 16, 2021 at 12:19 pm

          I was asserting, perhaps unclearly, that now people get Bronze Stars and higher for completing a tour during which they did nothing special at all.

          There are also too many campaign medals now as well.

          Let’s say you are an Army specialist admin clerk 42L and go on one ISAF HQ tour in Afghanistan then get out. These are the medals you get without question:
          (1) NATO medal; (2) Army Service Medal Ribbon, (2) Overseas Service Ribbon, (3) Global War on Terror Medal, (4) Afghanistan Campaign Medal, (5) National Defense Service Medal. And likely, if you do not dessert, strike a commissioned officer, sell secrets to WIKILEAKS, you likely also get an Army Achievement Medal.

          That’s 6 pieces of bling for initial training and then sitting in a comfy air conditioned HQ circulating paperwork. And perhaps, too, you are able to earn a marksmanship badge (not hard to do) and your unit gets some sort of award – so that could be two more, for 8 things hanging on your uniform.

          Oh, and I forgot about the possible Good Conduct Medal.

          I truly thank everyone for their service. It’s an all volunteer force, but decorations should mean something.

          This is NOT a new phenomena.

          I was standing around talking to a LTC one day, decades ago, totally just visiting and catching up, and then this four star general just shows up out of nowhere with his aid, and his aid says, “This is the guy.” The general beamed and said, “Fantastic job you are doing here. Fantastic job!. Give him his medal! Then the aid pulled out a Legion of Merit and pinned on my buddy, who looked puzzled. There was no ceremony, no reading of a citation, just a guy whipping out a medal and pinning it on his pocket flap.

          Embarrassed and trying to be polite, he introduced me to the general, who he did not know, who then said, “”Well, you’re all doing a fine job!” and looking at his aid said, “Give him a medal, too!” So I also got a Legion of Merit.

          The general and his aid then walked off, and I asked my friend, “What was that all about?” and he said, “I have no idea.”

          True story.

    henrybowman in reply to rhhardin. | September 15, 2021 at 7:41 pm

    It’s Naval Flag Code for “Eat Mor Chicʞen.”

    gran2ten in reply to rhhardin. | September 17, 2021 at 2:01 pm

    The metals are for his not getting slop on his uniform, making sure his sheets are tucked with military required precision, having never dropped his fork or spoon in mess hall, shoelaces properly in shoes correctly, HIS METALS ARE TIN AND GIVEN IN ABUNDANCE FOR BEING A FRAUDSTER

So he confirms the reporting of his his treasonous behavior is essentially true. And, evidently, the Dem-media propaganda complex approves. Because, Trump!!!!

In light of this The Regime’s purge of the military makes even more sense than it did before. The Regime condones Milley’s actions. But doesn’t want some other generals doing the something similar to it in the future. It wants generals loyal to The Regime.

Now more than ever, we are officially a banana republic.

    Brave Sir Robbin in reply to JHogan. | September 15, 2021 at 6:01 pm

    TRANSCRIPT OF MILLEY CALLED RELEASED!

    Hello? Hello, Li? Listen, I can’t hear too well, do you suppose you could turn the music down just a little? Oh, that’s much better. Yes. Fine, I can hear you now, Li. Clear and plain and coming through fine. I’m coming through fine too, eh? Good, then. Well then as you say we’re both coming through fine. Good. Well it’s good that you’re fine and I’m fine. I agree with you. It’s great to be fine. laughs Now then Li. You know how we’ve always talked about the possibility of something going wrong with the bomb. The bomb, Li. The hydrogen bomb. Well now what happened is, our president, he had a sort of, well he went a little funny in the head. You know. Just a little… funny. And uh, he went and did a silly thing. Well, I’ll tell you what he did, he ordered our planes… to attack your country. Well let me finish, Li. Let me finish, Li. Well, listen, how do you think I feel about it? Can you imagine how I feel about it, Li? Why do you think I’m calling you? Just to say hello? Of course I like to speak to you. Of course I like to say hello. Not now, but any time, Li. I’m just calling up to tell you something terrible has happened. It’s a friendly call. Of course it’s a friendly call. Listen, if it wasn’t friendly, … you probably wouldn’t have even got it. They will not reach their targets for at least another hour. I am… I am positive, Li. Listen, I’ve been all over this with your ambassador. It is not a trick. Well I’ll tell you. We’d like to give your air staff a complete run down on the targets, the flight plans, and the defensive systems of the planes. Yes! I mean, if we’re unable to recall the planes, then I’d say that, uh, well, we’re just going to have to help you destroy them, Li. I know they’re our boys. Alright, well, listen… who should we call? Who should we call, Li? The people…? Sorry, you faded away there. The People’s Central Air Defense Headquarters. Where is that, Li? In Wuhan. Right. Yes. Oh, you’ll call them first, will you? Uh huh. Listen, do you happen to have the phone number on you, Li? What? I see, just ask for Wuhan Information. I’m sorry too, Li. I’m very sorry. Alright! You’re sorrier than I am! But I am sorry as well. I am as sorry as you are, Li. Don’t say that you are more sorry than I am, because I am capable of being just as sorry as you are. So we’re both sorry, alright? Alright. Yes he’s right here. Yes, he wants to talk to you. Just a second.

    End Transcript

    Amazingly, this script was written decades ago. Only the names have been changed.

      Kubrick was a genius.

      Another Kubrick prophecy — Antifa is starting to look a lot the gang in A Clockwork Orange. Except in our real life version there’s no draconian rehab. Charges are dropped or reduced to minor misdemeanors.

        Anacleto Mitraglia in reply to JHogan. | September 16, 2021 at 6:51 am

        To fulfill the prophecy, Antifa should also be hired as cops.
        I’m afraid we’ll see that as well, after most normal cops will be forced to retire.

        Brave Sir Robbin in reply to JHogan. | September 16, 2021 at 1:01 pm

        For the record, Dr. Strangelove is the most realist military movie I’ve ever seen.

Now imagine a Trump-supporting general (some do exist) calling a Russian general, going behind Biden’s back and undermining him.

Firing squad would start cleaning their rifles within minutes.

But hey, “Deep State” is just another crazy Q-Anon conspiracy theory, amirite?

Tom Sauer
@thomasbsauer

https://twitter.com/thomasbsauer/status/1438154719340359680

    Look no further than Marine Lt. Col. Stuart Scheller, who asked for his superiors to be held responsible for the Afghanistan debacle.

In the call, Pelosi also called the then-president “crazy,” and Milley reportedly agreed.

Milley told Pelosi that there were “a lot of checks in the system” to prevent Trump from going rogue, the book said.

Pelosi reportedly then told Milley: “He’s crazy. You know he’s crazy.”

    If anyone should hang with this.rat, it’s Pelosi.

      She is a despicable, miserable crone — utterly vile and contemptible. This anti-Trump animosity evinced by Pelosi and her Dhimmi-crat ilk goes beyond mere political disagreement, or, typical political jousting between parties — this is a pathological hatred for the political opposition, and, an indefensibly subversive undermining of the President’s authority.

        gran2ten in reply to guyjones. | September 17, 2021 at 2:53 pm

        BRAVO! BULLSEYE. My flimsy theory is Apr 2011 I watched the W.H. Press Correspondent’s dinner and Obama humiliated Trump! The deep-seated hatred has its root in TRUMP & THE BIRTHER MOVEMENT AGAINST OBAMA who I think carries a grudge, a hatred of Trump for trying to humiliate Obama as a legitimate president. Obama is the DEM golden boy from the inside of politics to the main streets and DISPISES TRUMP, thus so do his devoted obsessed followers. What Obama Hates so do millions of his loving MINION’S. DJT pushed the BIRTHER MOVEMENT OR TRIED TO. For Trump, it fizzled and didn’t work however, Nothing works like inflaming those who love you into a blind fury=pelosi, Schumer et. al. + GOPer’s. This HATRED IS FURY AT TRUMP and his followers.

          guyjones in reply to gran2ten. | September 17, 2021 at 9:35 pm

          Well, I agree that the Left’s absurd and irrational deification of Obama has a role to play with regard to Trump Derangement Syndrome, but, I think the explanation is even more simple than that. To wit — Leftists rationalize their pathological hatred of Trump by slinging the usual fallacious invective that President Trump is an alleged racist, a “white supremacist,” etc. — the usual nonsensical slanders. But, I believe that the crux of their hatred is that President Trump was a true political outsider; a person not born and bred in the D.C. Swamp, and, therefore the establishment Swamp members fear him both because he isn’t a member of their Swamp Club, and, because they understood that they cannot control him. Therefore, these idiots view President Trump as an existential threat to their way of conducting “business as usual.”

          This explains the absolutely unprecedented, lawless campaign of constant, vicious sabotage and subversion undertaken by the Obama Administration (Obama, et al.), the Crone Clinton campaign, DOJ (Yates, Weissman, et al.), the FBI (Comey, Strzok, McCabe, et al.), CIA (Eric Ciamarella, et al.), Pentagon (Vindman, Milley, et al.), etc. against President Trump, both when he was a candidate, and, later, a President.

    Arminius in reply to Neo. | September 15, 2021 at 4:47 pm

    Can someone point to the #orangemanbad article of the Constitution that inserts Pelosi as Speaker of the House into the armed forces chain of command and the chairman of the JCS above the CinC as the supreme command authority?

    I can’t seem to find it. If it turns out there is no such article, I believe Pelosi can be charged with a crime since she advised Milley to act as a “check” on the CinC’s authority under the “It’s my opinion #orangemanbad is crazy” article of the Constitution. Which I also can’t find.

    https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/2387

    “18 U.S. Code § 2387 – Activities affecting armed forces generally

    (a)Whoever, with intent to interfere with, impair, or influence the loyalty, morale, or discipline of the military or naval forces of the United States:

    (1) advises, counsels, urges, or in any manner causes or attempts to cause insubordination, disloyalty, mutiny, or refusal of duty by any member of the military or naval forces of the United States; or

    (2) distributes or attempts to distribute any written or printed matter which advises, counsels, or urges insubordination, disloyalty, mutiny, or refusal of duty by any member of the military or naval forces of the United States—

    Shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both, and shall be ineligible for employment by the United States or any department or agency thereof, for the five years next following his conviction.

    (b)For the purposes of this section, the term “military or naval forces of the United States” includes the Army of the United States, the Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, Navy Reserve, Marine Corps Reserve, and Coast Guard Reserve of the United States; and, when any merchant vessel is commissioned in the Navy or is in the service of the Army or the Navy, includes the master, officers, and crew of such vessel.”

      It appears that UCMJ Articles 81 (conspiracy), and 94 (mutiny and sedition) might apply here regarding Milley. But he’ll skate.

      When Truman was asked about firing MacArthur, he had this to say:

      “I fired him because he wouldn’t respect the authority of the president. I didn’t fire him because he was a dumb son of a bitch, although he was one, but that’s not against the law for generals.”

      We seem to have a surplus of DUMB SONS OF BITCHES for 4 stars these days. Both active and retired. The ones who lied their asses off about Afghanistan going swell for the last 20 years (Petraeus, McChrystal, I’m looking at you, among others) and now we have these TV generals like McCaffrey and the execrable Weasely Clark defending the indefensible by praising Milley. These fools don’t realize that their deep state hubris is what got them Trump in the first place.

      ghost dog in reply to Arminius. | September 15, 2021 at 5:49 pm

      Following the Goldwater–Nichols Act in 1986, the Joint Chiefs of Staff do not have operational command authority, either individually or collectively, as the chain of command goes from the president to the secretary of defense, and from the secretary to the regional combatant commanders. This was a clear violation along with a conspiracy to violate.

        DaveGinOly in reply to ghost dog. | September 15, 2021 at 9:18 pm

        If Pelosi encouraged or approved (beforehand) of the action, she is guilty of violating 18 U.S. Code § 2387 herself, while Milley is guilty of violating the section when he tried to insert himself into the chain of command under the Defense Secretary. They should both be in jail.

        This is what a real insurrection looks like. No horned shamans or bear spray, but people actually seizing power to which they are not authorized.

          gran2ten in reply to DaveGinOly. | September 17, 2021 at 3:00 pm

          This is the comment with facts along with truth! The true insurrection! But like all others will lie in the trash heap of history as aggressors & TRAITORS to our Constitution never to be heard from again.

      Milhouse in reply to Arminius. | September 17, 2021 at 3:35 am

      (a)Whoever, with intent to interfere with, impair, or influence the loyalty, morale, or discipline of the military or naval forces of the United States:

      (1) advises, counsels, urges, or in any manner causes or attempts to cause insubordination, disloyalty, mutiny, or refusal of duty by any member of the military or naval forces of the United States; or

      (2) distributes or attempts to distribute any written or printed matter which advises, counsels, or urges insubordination, disloyalty, mutiny, or refusal of duty by any member of the military or naval forces of the United States—

      That so-called “law” is blatantly unconstitutional, and therefore not a law. Advising, counseling, urging, are all 100% protected speech; Congress lacks the authority to ban them, under any circumstances whatsoever.

        Pepsi_Freak in reply to Milhouse. | September 19, 2021 at 1:06 pm

        Not really –it’s the intent element that makes it a crime rather than a lawful exercise of First Amendment rights.

        Also, military personnel do not have the First Amendment rights of normal employees in some circumstances. If a trooper calls his OIC a sloppy fat bastard, the fact that the OIC is indeed overweight, slovenly, and his parents were not married does not protect the trooper from insubordination and disrespect charges. The military is indeed different — in the civilian world, an employee who is tardy for work and and sasses his boss may get fired, but in the military he can be put in jail.

    WillS68 in reply to Neo. | September 16, 2021 at 12:19 pm

    Repeat this as many times as possible! While Gen Milley clearly was wrong with regard to how conversation with Gen Li, Speaker Pelosi and Gen Milley’s contact is equally concerning.

There is a boatload of irony in this story ..

Australia to get nuclear-powered submarines, will scrap $90b program to build French-designed subs

I wonder what would happen to a Russian or Chinese general who undermined his leader and contacted American military leaders? And, further, told them he would let them know in advance if any attack were planned.

I think we all know that person would disappear or be shot on sight.

Treason takes many forms. This one is not too subtle.

    guyjones in reply to Ben Kent. | September 15, 2021 at 4:57 pm

    Indeed, as you say, that Russian and Chinese general would be swiftly executed. And, at least in China, they’d bill the guy’s family for the cost of the bullet.

      Ben Kent in reply to guyjones. | September 15, 2021 at 5:02 pm

      Right. And the next general will think really hard about whether he wants to circumvent the chain of commend. Really hard. — Actually it will not be hard – he will know the consequences and if he gives it a 2-second thought, I’d be surprised.

      No wonder we have Russian and Chinese spies all over the USA – there’s never any real consequences to people who work with China and Russia. Just a slap on the wrist (so long as you’re a Dem). Look at Congressman Swalwell – had a Chinese spy in his inner circle for years and even sept with her. No problem – he was appointed to the House Intel Committee.

        guyjones in reply to Ben Kent. | September 15, 2021 at 10:04 pm

        What you describe is depressingly true. What a demoralizing state of affairs. There are no consequences for brazenly lawless and subversive conduct, anymore, as long as there is a “D” after your last name. Crone Clinton violates a slew of national security laws and isn’t criminally charged. No charges for the subversive dopes involved in the Obama Administration’s/Clinton campaign’s/FBI’s/DOJ’s lawless sabotage campaign against candidate and President Trump (Crossfire Hurricane). The list goes on and on.

      henrybowman in reply to guyjones. | September 15, 2021 at 7:47 pm

      At least in Russia or China, the victim’s family wouldn’t need to mortgage their home to pay it.

    Along those same lines: does anyone seriously believe that Milley was pals with General Li – or that in a possible military confrontation with the US Li would stand down the Chinese military based upon such a friendship? If the Chicoms even had a hint that Li was getting too cozy with an imperialist running dog of war American General they would clap him in the gulag for the rest of his life – or just shoot him.

    Brave Sir Robbin in reply to Ben Kent. | September 15, 2021 at 5:25 pm

    Hmmmm…. Consumed by starved dogs. Tied to a post and executed with anti-aircraft guns.

    The North Koreans know how to execute generals.

    I actually do not advise that course of action. We should strive to remain a civilized nations.

Vile Milley is yet another greasy, duplicitous, lawless, subversive and treasonous Deep State, Dhimmi-crat snake, undermining his former civilian boss (President Trump), the U.S. Constitution and the American people. I’m sure that this narcissistic dope wears this China call incident as a badge of honor, so eager is he to burnish his “woke” bona fides with his subversive Dhimmi-crat peers on the D.C. cocktail circuit, showing off that he is standing up to the phantom contrivance of “white rage.”

    Brave Sir Robbin in reply to guyjones. | September 15, 2021 at 5:28 pm

    I say he was eyeing elective office in a Blue state like a senate seat in his native (thank God for spell check) Massachusetts.

    This is all promotable street creds for Democrats.

Milley is auditioning for his future private sector job, when he can join the Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, General Dynamics or Northrop Grumman Board of Directors, and, have a cushy side gig as a military analyst at MSNBC or CNN. Hence, all the anti-Trump posturing.

    That’s exactly the problem with these self important bastards. They can’t wait to sell their names to get a sinecure on the board of some Defense Contractor or Lobbyist firm, or get their mug on garbage TV like Rick Maddow’s show.

    There are exceptions, like Tommy Franks. So far as I know he’s one of the few who has heard of Cincinnatus.

If Biden had any integrity whatsoever, General Milli-Vanilli would get the boot immediately. But he doesn’t, so expect Milli-Vanilli to be around for a while.

Has the Joseph Goebbels media given up the “General Milley and General Li are BFFs” crapola? I don’t think anyone actually bought it.

General Flynn: does anyone remember how he was crucified for having a perfectly appropriate and innocuous call with the Russian ambassador during the transition after the 2016 election?

I’ve become convinced that Milley was one of the conspirators in the coup of 11/3/2020, and that his involvement precedes the events described by Woodward:

https://www.trevorloudon.com/2021/09/maleficent-mark-milley/

The whole Trump presidency looks like Seven Days In May.

With the major distinction that Bernie Lomax’s corpse in “Weekend at Bernie’s” evinced far greater vitality, cognitive ability and general vigor than Xi-den on his best days.

Since Barky government people use the Democrat Propaganda Ministry to get their personal message out there. Don’t see this as anything but that.

Milley: “American General Lee was a racist. Chinese General Li is a good guy, I’ve known him for five years.”

This guy should be tried for treason. What he did was no less heinous than Benedict Arnold. When/if he’s found guilty, he should forfeit all rank and pay and receive a death sentence.
(I felt it necessary to include “if” because there’s always a chance a liberal jury or parole board would find him “not guilty” or grant parole at some point before the execution.

Imagine the Dhimmi-crats’ and Dhimmi-crat media lackeys’ outrage, if a general had pulled this stunt during the presidency of a Dhimmi-crat. Of course, such brazenly lawless and treasonous subversion of the President’s authority, flouting of civilian control of the military and overt collusion with the enemy never would have taken place, because these dopes only undermine GOP Presidents;

The Chinese communist military and political leadership must be amazed at the dim-witted, stupefying stupidity and total disloyalty of these vainglorious, narcissistic dopes, such as Milley. I’m certain that they cannot believe their ears, when idiots such as Milley give them a phone call, to bash their boss (President Trump) and to betray him, their oath and their country’s citizens.

What Milley pulled here was about one million times worse than General MacArthur’s insubordination. MacArthur was sacked for being overly aggressive in attacking the enemy (exceeding President Truman’s orders), and for undermining Truman in his public, domestic comments. Contrast MacArthur’s conduct with Milley’s, the latter having colluding with the enemy and undermined his President in secret talks with the enemy. During the Cold War, when the U.S. treated treason seriously, Milley would have rightfully been court-martialed, convicted and executed. He still should be tried and executed, but, that sadly won’t happen, because of the pervasive moral and cultural rot that the vile Dhimmi-crats have spread like a cancer, throughout our military and intelligence apparatus.

Milley violated several articles of the UCMJ in his traitorous acts. He needs to be court martialed, stripped of rank and shot. Sadly, the Pentagon is bulging with Obama vetted traitors like Milley; more interested in rank advancement, political a^s kissing and personal aggrandizement than leading our Fighting Forces and actually winning wars. Our fighting forces are lions being led by lambs and craven cowards seeking personal gain rather than protecting our country.

The military should return to it’s original purpose – deliver overwhelming lethal force when necessary and being feared by every adversary.

Today they a just a bunch of social warriors led by a^s kissing sycophants..

If, IF, he is relieved of duty, Mr. Milley will likely be one of the honored guest speakers at the next democrat convention.

“President Biden, in an interview with ABC that aired Thursday, August 19, 2021, said “no one’s being killed” in Afghanistan, despite reports of at least seven deaths amid the chaos at Kabul’s airport and of Taliban beating people on their way to the airport, as he defended his handling of the American withdrawal from the country.”

Here are the names of the 13 U.S. service members killed in the Kabul, Afghanistan attack just seven days later:

“On August 26, 2021, eleven Marines, one Navy corpsman and one Army soldier were “killed as the result of an enemy attack while supporting non-combatant evacuation operations,” according to a Saturday press release from the Department of Defense, which released the names of the U.S. troops. The names were released 24 hours after families of the deceased were notified.

From the ranks of the Marine Corps, the eleven deceased are:

Sgt. Johanny Rosario Pichardo, 25; she was from Lawrence, MA
Sgt. Nicole L. Gee, 23; Nicole was from Sacramento, CA
Staff Sgt. Darin T. Hoover, 31, of Salt Lake City, Utah
Cpl. Hunter Lopez, 22, of Indio, CA
Cpl. Daegan W. Page, 23, of Omaha, NE
Cpl. Humberto A. Sanchez, 22, of Logansport, IN
Lance Cpl. David L. Espinoza, 20, of Rio Bravo, TX
Lance Cpl. Jared M. Schmitz, 20, of St. Charles, MO
Lance Cpl. Rylee J. McCollum, 20, of Jackson, WY
Lance Cpl. Dylan R. Merola, 20, of Rancho Cucamonga, CA
Lance Cpl. Kareem M. Nikoui, 20, of Norco, CA

From the ranks of the Navy, the deceased is:

Navy Corpsman Maxton W. Soviak, 22, of Berlin Heights, OH

From the ranks of the U.S. Army, the deceased is:

Staff Sgt. Ryan C. Knauss, 23, of Corryton, TN

[By Andrea Scott, editor of Marine Corps Times.]

I must be missing something. If what has been reported to be written in the book is an accurate representation of his actions, why is this not considered treason? What would be considered treason? Does treason exist in the USA?

    Brave Sir Robbin in reply to tejas. | September 17, 2021 at 9:12 am

    It’s not treason as we are not at war with the PRC. It would be treason if he actually did warn the PRC of impending military operations. He had no orders to execute that would render a charge of willful disobedience. What he did was closer to mutiny. A very, very serious offense.

    The easy route is reduction in rank to two-star and forced retirement.

    Prosecution via the UCMJ will be difficult for a variety of reasons. One is risk of failure to convict. In military circles, a reduction in rank and forced retirement would be considered a severe rebuke.

    A real slight would be to give him an Army Achievement Medal as a “good bye kiss.” It would be like leaving a penny on the table for your waiter to ensure he knows you noticed his service and simply did not forget to leave a tip.

WHY IS MILLEY STILL WEARING THE UNIFORM ?

Almost 48 hours since news of his treason broke. He has not disputed one word of it.

Is this the USA ? Or a banana republic ?

    felixrigidus in reply to Ben Kent. | September 17, 2021 at 3:31 am

    President Biden probably has his staff bring him some ice cream, first and then prepare legislation to create a new rank for Milley. Maybe something fancy like 陸軍元帥將軍 (which google translate informs me means Field Marshal General) in honor of Milley’s good friend, Li?