Excellent article from The Los Angeles Times regarding General Milley.
In response to:
Column: Gen. Mark Milley deserves commendation in the face of Deranged Trump Syndrome
By Jackie Calmes (Columnist)
Sept. 16, 2021 8:34 PM PT
MAGA disciples talk of Trump Derangement Syndrome to dismiss the former president’s critics — the majority of Americans — as simply unhinged.
What we actually suffer from is Deranged Trump Syndrome — the sense that Donald Trump was and is capable of just about any noxious act.
Few would have more reason to be afflicted than the nation’s highest-ranking military officer, given his many encounters with the cracked commander in chief. DTS apparently drove Gen. Mark A. Milley, the four-star Army general who is the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, to contact his Chinese military counterpart, Gen. Li Zuocheng, twice — once before election day and again two days after the defeated Trump incited his MAGA army to insurrection Jan. 6 — to reassure the rival power that the United States had no hostile intentions.
We need more information about Milley’s thinking, and he’s sure to be asked to provide it when he testifies later this month before senators about the flawed withdrawal from Afghanistan. But based on what’s been leaked from a book by Bob Woodward and Robert Costa of the Washington Post, to be released next week, Milley mostly deserves our commendation.
Set aside for a moment that, as was often said, Trump put the country in uncharted territory given his penchant, delight even, in flouting norms, the Constitution and the rule of law.
For years, under presidents of both parties, national security officials kept lines of communication to their counterparts in the Soviet Union, now Russia, and China — to avert miscalculations that could provoke war. Milley continued that tradition. As his spokesman has said, Milley’s calls with Chinese and other foreign counterparts “were in keeping with” his responsibility “to maintain strategic stability,” and were coordinated with other officials at the Pentagon.
If Milley indeed had reason to fear what Trump might do to maintain his hold on power — stage a coup, order an attack, even a nuclear strike — then we should celebrate that Milley took action.
This is the same man who, in the summer of 2020, dressed in combat fatigues, accompanied the swaggering Trump through Lafayette Park, across from the White House, after it had been violently cleared of peaceful protesters for racial justice, to make way for Trump’s Bible-toting, electioneering photo op at the nearby historic church.
We already knew how desperately worried Milley was about a coup in Trump’s final days from another recent book by Washington Post reporters Carol D. Leonnig and Philip Rucker. “This is a Reichstag moment,” Milley reportedly warned his subordinates. “They may try, but they’re not going to f— succeed.”
The Woodward and Costa book disclosed more information about a previously reported conversation between Milley and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) on Jan. 8 — the same day as his call with Li — in which she fretted about Trump igniting a nuclear attack. When she called Trump “crazy,” the book relates, Milley replied, “I agree with you on everything.”
General, tell us more. For all the books that document just how crazy Trump was as president, it’s time to hear it directly from Milley, and others, so that the country knows what better guardrails might be erected against mad rulers.
Column: Gen. Mark Milley deserves commendation in the face of Deranged Trump Syndrome
By Jackie Calmes (Columnist)
Sept. 16, 2021 8:34 PM PT
MAGA disciples talk of Trump Derangement Syndrome to dismiss the former president’s critics — the majority of Americans — as simply unhinged.
What we actually suffer from is Deranged Trump Syndrome — the sense that Donald Trump was and is capable of just about any noxious act.
Few would have more reason to be afflicted than the nation’s highest-ranking military officer, given his many encounters with the cracked commander in chief. DTS apparently drove Gen. Mark A. Milley, the four-star Army general who is the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, to contact his Chinese military counterpart, Gen. Li Zuocheng, twice — once before election day and again two days after the defeated Trump incited his MAGA army to insurrection Jan. 6 — to reassure the rival power that the United States had no hostile intentions.
We need more information about Milley’s thinking, and he’s sure to be asked to provide it when he testifies later this month before senators about the flawed withdrawal from Afghanistan. But based on what’s been leaked from a book by Bob Woodward and Robert Costa of the Washington Post, to be released next week, Milley mostly deserves our commendation.
Set aside for a moment that, as was often said, Trump put the country in uncharted territory given his penchant, delight even, in flouting norms, the Constitution and the rule of law.
For years, under presidents of both parties, national security officials kept lines of communication to their counterparts in the Soviet Union, now Russia, and China — to avert miscalculations that could provoke war. Milley continued that tradition. As his spokesman has said, Milley’s calls with Chinese and other foreign counterparts “were in keeping with” his responsibility “to maintain strategic stability,” and were coordinated with other officials at the Pentagon.
If Milley indeed had reason to fear what Trump might do to maintain his hold on power — stage a coup, order an attack, even a nuclear strike — then we should celebrate that Milley took action.
This is the same man who, in the summer of 2020, dressed in combat fatigues, accompanied the swaggering Trump through Lafayette Park, across from the White House, after it had been violently cleared of peaceful protesters for racial justice, to make way for Trump’s Bible-toting, electioneering photo op at the nearby historic church.
We already knew how desperately worried Milley was about a coup in Trump’s final days from another recent book by Washington Post reporters Carol D. Leonnig and Philip Rucker. “This is a Reichstag moment,” Milley reportedly warned his subordinates. “They may try, but they’re not going to f— succeed.”
The Woodward and Costa book disclosed more information about a previously reported conversation between Milley and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) on Jan. 8 — the same day as his call with Li — in which she fretted about Trump igniting a nuclear attack. When she called Trump “crazy,” the book relates, Milley replied, “I agree with you on everything.”
General, tell us more. For all the books that document just how crazy Trump was as president, it’s time to hear it directly from Milley, and others, so that the country knows what better guardrails might be erected against mad rulers.
Comments (31)
Maybe in the next election, you will allow a real president to emerge
The choice is yours.
and saying he's the worst ?
The people who know presidential history best, far better than you and I,
determined that Trump was the worst in our lifetime.
Trump did nothing for the average American in 4 years !!
I take that back. He did plenty. None of it good and lots of it horrible.
but the USA has not been destroyed.
It's about the end of the Trump presidency, when Trump was off the rails with lies and irrational behavior and General Milley's response to assure China that the irrational behavior would not result in an attack of China.
Many things Trump said have came true...China put COVID into the world..from a lab that Fauci deeply funded..
China just identified it earlier BECAUSE they had a covid research facility there.
So, Trump was wrong about that also.
So are you suggesting Covid was released by the US Government?
According to Bohemund, the US had designed coronavirus decades ago, so why are you blaming China?
Or are you too influenced by Infowars and other extreme right-wing propaganda?
"Donald Trump’s Legal Troubles: A Guide
From tax evasion to election tampering to inciting an insurrection, a comprehensive list of the criminal and civil allegations against the former president"
August 27 2021
you should see a doctor.
Considering your depression and your belief in bizzarre fantasies and lies,
a team of experts in mental health would be highly recommended
before you do additional damage to yourself.
Pelosi and the rest of the Democratic Party said nothing about BLM..BTW it is terrorism in it’s actions..it intimidated people into their beliefs. It was not peaceful demonstrations.
Just as the January incident at the Capitol..were by mostly peaceful people...who had no idea what was going to happen.
Why I do not want Trump to run again..he should have known that it was going to end bad.
I tried to respect him as my president..Biden..but after the last few weeks...I do not respect him at all..
My son..very left leaning..also, sees that is is an inept president in foreign policy...He wishes he didn’t vote for him..and, many people are feeling that way.
The choice is yours.
Biden is better than Trump, Heck Donald Duck would be better, but you guys had a choice between an egotistical pathological liar and an old man who should be enjoying retirement.
350 million people in the US and you came up with those two, that is why the US is the laughing stock of the world, nothing to do with Biden, who at least is trying to get your country back on line after the derailment left by the German womaniser.
you can attack my mental health all you want
It seems you need it. Your projection brought up the topic and further indicates your need.
Our allies trusted Trump...they do not trust Biden
The only countries cheering Biden are China and Russia..
Certainly not allies.
Even his loving press, are seeing he is inept...
He was told that the Taliban was taking over at a quicker rate than thought...he chose not to give air support for the Afghans..he refused to listen or did not care...
I can tell you one thing, most people I talk to who did support Biden..do not now..and how he pulled out of Afghanistan..is the main reason why.
Biden has been in office around 240 days. How is his net approval compared to other US Presidents?
1. Bush GW +72%
2. Kennedy +64%
3. Truman +61%
4. Eisenhower +60%
5. Johnson +59%
6. Bush GHW +53%
7. Nixon +42%
8. Reagan +31%
9. Carter+26%
10. Obama +13%
11. Clinton +7%
12. Biden -3%
13. Ford -9%
14. Trump -16%
Not doing that well when the only ones you are ahead of is Ford and Trump.
Source...
It will probably recover some. He got handed an unfortunate situation with regard to
Afghanistan.
I think it is reassuring that there are military leaders who would stand up and question the veracity of a President known to be mentally unstable.
You can bet your bottom dollar they would not be calling for his resignation if this had happened under Biden's presidency.
Biden Claims You Can’t Get COVID if You’re Vaccinated
Biden Claims He Was a Professor After the Obama Administration, but He Never Taught a Class
how many of Trump’s orders did he undo
Swamie•14 hrs ago•Happy Valley, Pennsylvania USA
Trump claimed he thought of injecting Clorox to eliminate COVID. In a way he was right since that would be fatal in any large quantity.
Trump isn't in office so why keep going on about the past.