Veteran here. If it’s any consolation, basic training included a fairly lengthy course (well… relative to the other shit they teach there at least) about how to identify and what to do when given unlawful orders. Lots of emphasis on DO NOT FUCKING FOLLOW THEM. Lots of emphasis on the Nuremberg trials / if your defense is “just followed orders…” then you’re fucked. They talked about people like Hugh Thompson Jr. and the severe back pain he sustained from lugging around those massive balls.
The military does NOT want to become Nazis or stormtroopers. If Trump plays the whole ‘execute order 66’ card, military leadership will tell him to suck a dick.
It’s the cops I’m worried about. And the neonazi civilians responding to Trump’s stochastic terrorism.
What if I told you, there are PLENTY of soldiers in every branch ready and waiting to betray any oath for daddy trump. They went through the same classes you did and just nodded along to get through it. Now they’re trained, and ready to fill the void when Trump fires or demotes anyone who refuses his orders.
They better get ready for a fight because it’s coming. they will have to decide if they will just resign in protest or if they will fight. How many will actually fight? Who knows. Nearly everyone I know personally in the military, has said many times “it’s just a job”
They talked about people like Hugh Thompson Jr. and the severe back pain he sustained from lugging around those massive balls.
Did they talk about that absolutely nobody from the My Lai massacre - the example you brought up - saw any real consequences, with only one guy - who killed 22 - serving 3.5 years before Nixon got him out?
Or that the highest ranking surviving Nazi, who had a real say in German leadership during the war, was Hitler’s trusted advisor and unrepentant, unwavering follower, even after the war, got off with 10 years since the US and the UK committed similar war crimes as he did, so they didn’t sentence him for that?
Or the Hague invasion act and US war crimes that precipitated it? Or the US war crimes since?
I think those guys will be just fine saying “I was just following the orders of the magnificent Cheeto”.
Nope! This is basic training we’re talking about. They teach only the details that accomplish the lesson. And the lesson was don’t follow illegal orders. If there’s more to the story that contradicts the lesson, you bet your ass it was omitted.
They can force people to take the classes, but they can’t force them to agree with them. I’m glad they go over this, but they should probably test people on this stuff without warning them it’s a drill and see how they actually respond.
Officers in every branch are also trained to protect their people and be transparent with leadership about their limitations. Remember Captain Crozier?
Anyone who’s in long enough and is politically savvy enough to get stars, stopped caring about that stuff a long time ago.
Veteran here. If it’s any consolation, basic training included a fairly lengthy course (well… relative to the other shit they teach there at least) about how to identify and what to do when given unlawful orders. Lots of emphasis on DO NOT FUCKING FOLLOW THEM. Lots of emphasis on the Nuremberg trials / if your defense is “just followed orders…” then you’re fucked. They talked about people like Hugh Thompson Jr. and the severe back pain he sustained from lugging around those massive balls.
The military does NOT want to become Nazis or stormtroopers. If Trump plays the whole ‘execute order 66’ card, military leadership will tell him to suck a dick.
It’s the cops I’m worried about. And the neonazi civilians responding to Trump’s stochastic terrorism.
What if I told you, there are PLENTY of soldiers in every branch ready and waiting to betray any oath for daddy trump. They went through the same classes you did and just nodded along to get through it. Now they’re trained, and ready to fill the void when Trump fires or demotes anyone who refuses his orders.
And what if I told you that there’s also plenty of soldiers that will uphold the constitution and will be ready to fight for it.
They better get ready for a fight because it’s coming. they will have to decide if they will just resign in protest or if they will fight. How many will actually fight? Who knows. Nearly everyone I know personally in the military, has said many times “it’s just a job”
Did they talk about that absolutely nobody from the My Lai massacre - the example you brought up - saw any real consequences, with only one guy - who killed 22 - serving 3.5 years before Nixon got him out?
Or that the highest ranking surviving Nazi, who had a real say in German leadership during the war, was Hitler’s trusted advisor and unrepentant, unwavering follower, even after the war, got off with 10 years since the US and the UK committed similar war crimes as he did, so they didn’t sentence him for that?
Or the Hague invasion act and US war crimes that precipitated it? Or the US war crimes since?
I think those guys will be just fine saying “I was just following the orders of the magnificent Cheeto”.
Nope! This is basic training we’re talking about. They teach only the details that accomplish the lesson. And the lesson was don’t follow illegal orders. If there’s more to the story that contradicts the lesson, you bet your ass it was omitted.
Give the military time. Good people will get tired or will retire. No one wants to have to fight this much.
Except the military is trained to… y’know fight and defend the constitution.
They can force people to take the classes, but they can’t force them to agree with them. I’m glad they go over this, but they should probably test people on this stuff without warning them it’s a drill and see how they actually respond.
Officers in every branch are also trained to protect their people and be transparent with leadership about their limitations. Remember Captain Crozier?
Anyone who’s in long enough and is politically savvy enough to get stars, stopped caring about that stuff a long time ago.