Star Member babylonsister (163,248 posts)
https://www.democraticunderground.com/100212969041
Lt. Col. Vindman Fights Back And Calls Trump A Petty Liar
https://www.politicususa.com/2020/02/08/vindman-fights-back-calls-trump-petty-liar.html
Donald Trump has spent the past 24 hours attacking decorated war veteran Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, who was physically removed from the White House on Friday as part of the president’s post-impeachment purge.
But the Purple Heart recipient fought back on Saturday in a statement from his lawyer, basically calling Trump a petty liar who is trying to intimidate anybody who stands up to him.
For Vindman, it appears Trump’s bullying isn’t working, and he’s punching back.
“The President this morning made a series of obviously false statements concerning Lieutenant Colonel Vindman,” the statement read. “While the most powerful man in the world continues his campaign of intimidation … Lieutenant Colonel Vindman continues his service to our country as a decorated, active duty member of our military.”
The full statement:
The President this morning made a series of obviously false statements concerning Lieutenant Colonel Vindman; they conflict with the clear personnel record and the entirety of the impeachment record of which the President is well aware. While the most powerful man in the world continues his campaign of intimidation, while too many entrusted with political office continue to remain silent, Lieutenant Colonel Vindman continues his service to our country as a decorated, active duty member of our military.
Trump is picking another fight with the military
Donald Trump and his supporters like to push the absurd idea that this president is a tough commander-in-chief with strong ties to the military, but time and again he has attacked decorated veterans.
It started early in Trump’s political career when he claimed late Sen. John McCain wasn’t a war hero because he was captured. It continued throughout the 2016 campaign when he waged an all-out assault on the Gold Star Khan family.
Now, Trump didn’t just drag a Purple Heart recipient out of the White House for speaking the truth about his Ukraine crimes, but he took to Twitter to smear him with lies and question his military service altogether.
At the end of the day, Trump seems to enjoy picking fights with men and women he knows are respected and revered in a way he’ll never be.
That’s clear in his latest back-and-forth with Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, a man who has done something this president never has: honorably serve his country.
Oh, my.... When I was serving as an Infantry Officer in the US Army (30 years, btw) we were ordered not to make political comments or slander the Commander in Chief, no matter what we thought of him, because he was your commander- and respecting that is key to the function of the military. THIS was during both Clinton's years and Obama's years as president. Funny- no one had to 'force us' to be respectful during Reagan's, Bush (I and II), terms of office.
In the military, officers are expected to behave like ladies and gentlemen. Conduct unbecoming is an Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) rule that is easily added as a second offense if the officer, cadet, or midshipman is convicted of a more harsh crime like larceny, underage drinking, or getting arrested for a bar fight (assault). Some examples of conduct unbecoming include the following:
Cheating on a test or training event
Lie - Knowingly making a false official statement
Being drunk and disorderly in public or on base
Using insulting or defamatory language to an officer (The Commander in Chief is the Senior officer in the Armed Forces of the USA.)
Though these are not crimes that normally get people arrested and in trouble with the civilian authorities, they can be UCMJ crimes that get an officer in such trouble with the military, that he/she may not make the next rank and be forced to leave the military. If a midshipman or cadet commit any of the above crimes it is highly unlikely they will graduate their officer training program (Service Academy, ROTC, OCS). If a junior officer, what are normal advancements from 0-1 to 0-2, or 0-2 to 0-3 given time in the military, could be what prevents a junior officer from making the next rank.
Here are the details of the UCMJ offense - Conduct Unbecoming an Officer.
Text.
“Any commissioned officer, cadet, or midshipman who is convicted of conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman shall be punished as a court-martial may direct.”
Elements.
(1) That the accused did or omitted to do certain acts; and
(2) That, under the circumstances, these acts or omissions constituted conduct unbecoming an officer and gentleman.
Explanation.
(1) Gentleman. As used in this article, “gentleman” includes both male and female commissioned officers, cadets, and midshipmen.
(2) Nature of offense. Conduct violative of this article is action or behavior in an official capacity which, in dishonoring or disgracing the person as an officer, seriously compromises the officer’s character as a gentleman, or action or behavior in an unofficial or private capacity which, in dishonoring or disgracing the officer personally, seriously compromises the person’s standing as an officer. There are certain moral attributes common to the ideal officer and the perfect gentleman, a lack of which is indicated by acts of dishonesty, unfair dealing, indecency, indecorum, lawlessness, injustice, or cruelty. Not everyone is or can be expected to meet unrealistically high moral standards, but there is a limit of tolerance based on customs of the service and military necessity below which the personal standards of an officer, cadet, or midshipman cannot fall without seriously compromising the person’s standing as an officer, cadet, or midshipman or the person’s character as a gentleman. This article prohibits conduct by a commissioned officer, cadet or midshipman which, taking all the circumstances into consideration, is thus compromising. This article includes acts made punishable by any other article, provided these acts amount to conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman. Thus, a commissioned officer who steals property violates both this article and Article 121. Whenever the offense charged is the same as a specific offense set forth in this Manual, the elements of proof are the same as those set forth in the paragraph which treats that specific offense, with the additional requirement that the act or omission constitutes conduct unbecoming an officer and gentleman.
(3) Examples of offenses. Instances of violation of this article include knowingly making a false official statement; dishonorable failure to pay a debt; cheating on an exam; opening and reading a letter of another without authority; using insulting or defamatory language to another officer in that officer’s presence or about that officer to other military persons; being drunk and disorderly in a public place; public association with known prostitutes; committing or attempting to commit a crime involving moral turpitude; and failing without good cause to support the officer’s family.
Lesser included offense.
Article 80—attempts
Maximum punishment .
Dismissal, forfeiture of all pay and allowances, and confinement for a period not in excess of that authorized for the most analogous (similar) offense for which a punishment is prescribed in this Manual, or, if none is prescribed, for 1 year.
I personally hope they burn this piece of shit.
Article 107: False Statements
This short article prohibits making false official statements. It reads, "Any person subject to this chapter who, with intent to deceive, signs any false record, return, regulation, order, or other official document, knowing it to be false, or makes any other false official statement knowing it to be false, shall be punished as a court-martial may direct."
matt819 (8,059 posts)
3. If the pentagon truly supports one of their own...
They should assign Vindman to a position that requires the wh to coordinate with vindman on all military matters involving Europe.
patphil (939 posts)
10. I don't think they'll handle it that way.
Remember, Trump is the Commander and Chief of the Military, even if he is a first rate jerk. No good would come from keeping Vindman out there in Trump's face.
Vindman will get a position out of the limelight for a while. If Trump loses, Vindman could get put back in a job similar to, or exactly the same as, the job he just left.
It's a matter of protecting him for now.
Star Member kag (2,865 posts)
5. I said this in an OP that went nowhere:
Whichever Dem wins in November needs to give Vindman the Medal of Freedom (or whatever the military equivalent is).
dware (935 posts)
28. It's the Medal of Honor,
and this wouldn't qualify Lt. Col. Vindman for it.
Star Member sarge43 (25,701 posts)
33. The Army should give him the Distinguished Service Medal
It's one of highest non-combat awards.
Star Member 2naSalit (33,703 posts)
6. I wonder when
the rank and file will literally turn on him. We may need them if things get too nasty.
He's dissed them all so much, I can see how a large number might not obey commands after a point.
jimfields33 (212 posts)
9. I can see him getting courts martial for UCMJ article about bashing
Commander in Chief. He has to be careful. He’s still on active duty.
dware (935 posts)
30. Yep.
Those that have never been in the military don't understand that.
I wish Lt. Col. Vindman all the best in the world, but don't give the Mango Menace another reason to retaliate.
Star Member 0rganism (22,433 posts)
15. trump needs a different kind of military to do his bidding without limit or question
already some in the military are sufficiently vapid and bloodthirsty but there remains a core of patriotic leadership loyal to the Constitution and the Republic, men and women who have actually read the Constitution and know precisely what they took an oath to protect. those people must be purged for Trump to finally have his way.
he needs an army of devoted unreasoning criminal fanatics, ready to commit arbitrary murder on his behalf. true patriots stand in the way of such madness.
this is where the "deep state" bullshit will be called in, for use in propaganda to explain the military purge. the next step in seizing absolute power is to destroy and denigrate the ideals of the past -- honesty, loyalty, decency, compassion. everything must go. once that mentality is sufficiently prevalent, peer pressure will sufficiently restrain the rest. only then can a widespread purge of the general population begin. the army can be deployed abroad to spread his ridiculous imperial decrees or do paid gigs for some Saudi prince while paramilitary cultist militias patrol America's streets with the blessing of local police, enforcing the "Trump Codes".
Perseus (3,925 posts)
26. Stop calling this asshole "the most powerful man in the World, he is not, he is Putin's bitch!
How can that be a powerful man? Please! don't they know how big his head (not the brain), but the head gets when he is called that? the biggest problem is that he believes it.
HE IS NOT THE MOST POWERFUL MAN IN THE WORLD, HE IS PUTIN'S BITCH! HE IS A SERVANT OF PUTIN< HOW CAN THAT MAKE HIM POWERFUL?
