this post was submitted on 29 Sep 2023
666 points (98.5% liked)

politics

19097 readers
3191 users here now

Welcome to the discussion of US Politics!

Rules:

  1. Post only links to articles, Title must fairly describe link contents. If your title differs from the site’s, it should only be to add context or be more descriptive. Do not post entire articles in the body or in the comments.

Links must be to the original source, not an aggregator like Google Amp, MSN, or Yahoo.

Example:

  1. Articles must be relevant to politics. Links must be to quality and original content. Articles should be worth reading. Clickbait, stub articles, and rehosted or stolen content are not allowed. Check your source for Reliability and Bias here.
  2. Be civil, No violations of TOS. It’s OK to say the subject of an article is behaving like a (pejorative, pejorative). It’s NOT OK to say another USER is (pejorative). Strong language is fine, just not directed at other members. Engage in good-faith and with respect! This includes accusing another user of being a bot or paid actor. Trolling is uncivil and is grounds for removal and/or a community ban.
  3. No memes, trolling, or low-effort comments. Reposts, misinformation, off-topic, trolling, or offensive. Similarly, if you see posts along these lines, do not engage. Report them, block them, and live a happier life than they do. We see too many slapfights that boil down to "Mom! He's bugging me!" and "I'm not touching you!" Going forward, slapfights will result in removed comments and temp bans to cool off.
  4. Vote based on comment quality, not agreement. This community aims to foster discussion; please reward people for putting effort into articulating their viewpoint, even if you disagree with it.
  5. No hate speech, slurs, celebrating death, advocating violence, or abusive language. This will result in a ban. Usernames containing racist, or inappropriate slurs will be banned without warning

We ask that the users report any comment or post that violate the rules, to use critical thinking when reading, posting or commenting. Users that post off-topic spam, advocate violence, have multiple comments or posts removed, weaponize reports or violate the code of conduct will be banned.

All posts and comments will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. This means that some content that violates the rules may be allowed, while other content that does not violate the rules may be removed. The moderators retain the right to remove any content and ban users.

That's all the rules!

Civic Links

Register To Vote

Citizenship Resource Center

Congressional Awards Program

Federal Government Agencies

Library of Congress Legislative Resources

The White House

U.S. House of Representatives

U.S. Senate

Partnered Communities:

News

World News

Business News

Political Discussion

Ask Politics

Military News

Global Politics

Moderate Politics

Progressive Politics

UK Politics

Canadian Politics

Australian Politics

New Zealand Politics

founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS
 

In an impassioned and at times furious speech, departing Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley defiantly proclaimed that the US military does not swear an oath to a “wannabe dictator.”

It was a bitter and pointed swipe that appeared unmistakably targeted at former President Donald Trump, who has in recent days accused Milley of “treason” and suggested that he should be put to death for his conduct surrounding Trump’s bid in 2021 to remain in office despite losing the presidential election.

“We are unique among the world’s militaries,” Milley said. “We don’t take an oath to a country, we don’t take an oath to a tribe, we don’t take an oath to a religion. We don’t take an oath to a king, or a queen, or a tyrant or a dictator.”

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] fuzz00713@lemmy.world 41 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

The Constitution...

United States Army Oath of Enlistment

"I, _____, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God"

[–] auraness@lemmy.world 10 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

This is the oath of enlistment, not the oath commissioned officers take. Officers only swear to uphold the Constitution.

[–] fuzz00713@lemmy.world 19 points 1 year ago

United States Army Oath of Commissioned Officers

"I ___, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God"

Only difference is no promise to follow the presidents orders.

[–] Kolanaki@yiffit.net -3 points 1 year ago (8 children)

and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me

They may not swear an oath to him, but they do swear to follow his orders.

[–] Nougat@kbin.social 41 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

... according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

That last bit negates any requirement to obey unlawful orders.

[–] PM_Your_Nudes_Please@lemmy.world 17 points 1 year ago (1 children)

…according to regulations and the UCMJ

You missed that part. If the POTUS orders them to do something against regulations (and against the constitution) then they have a duty to refuse those orders.

[–] Weirdfish@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

They really hammered this home in basic. I remember being really suprised by it, having thought as an airman basic I had to do anything I was ordered without question.

Now, the truth is, for your everyday enlisted person, the chances of being given an actually illegal order is basically 0.

Still, it was nice to know that there are mechanisms is place to protect me if I was told to do something truly horrible.

Yeah, watching Nazis get prosecuted after World War 2 was a good wake-up call. The armed forces realized that “I was just following orders” wasn’t a viable defense, and they really started pushing the fact that service members had a duty to refuse obviously illegal orders.

[–] just_change_it@lemmy.world 16 points 1 year ago (3 children)

Does no one remember Captain John Sheridan?

Do not follow illegal orders.

[–] fox2263@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago

There’s are YOUR sons, YOUR daughters! And they have come home.

[–] CosmicCleric@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago

I think about the overall "President Clark" scenario a lot more these days, after the last former president.

[–] fuzz00713@lemmy.world 12 points 1 year ago

That is true. The President also swears to uphold and defend the constitution. Ordinarily that isn't a problem.
Sadly in Milleys case it was a problem and he was left in a a largly untenable position.

[–] kirklennon@kbin.social 9 points 1 year ago

Just to add, officers take a different oath that doesn't include the obeying orders line:

I ___, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God.

[–] mateomaui@reddthat.com 5 points 1 year ago

You say that like they swear specifically to obey Trump’s orders. Not their fault who was voted into office.

[–] auraness@lemmy.world 5 points 1 year ago

Not in the oath for Officers.

Not "him" the office.