I believe that Admiral McRaven has exceeded the bounds of permissible speech for an officer under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (which applies to retired officers as well as active):
Any commissioned officer who uses contemptuous words against the President, the Vice President, Congress, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of a military department, the Secretary of Homeland Security, or the Governor or legislature of any State, Commonwealth, or possession in which he is on duty or present shall be punished as a court-martial may direct.
But the Admiral and his retired cohort seem to think that the rules that are applicable to ordinary sailors and soldiers do not apply to them (or they just like the money they get from CNN and MSNBC for criticizing the President). That is, unfortunately, typical, but it is still regrettable that our leaders have become so politicized. A retired officer can think whatever he wants about the President, but he is bound by law to keep it to himself or in private conversations.
If he wants to become a commentator, he should resign his commission and decline his retired pay and benefits.
114
@Will Barto nonsense. Our current crisis of leadership and national security created by a dangerously ill-equipped and incompetent president requires those with influence to step outside their comfort zones. If that offends your comfort zone, so be it. Adm McRaven is performing EXCEPTIONAL service in the national interest. I applaud him.
1076
@Will Barto
So he should stay silent while our Republic goes down in flames? I think we've reached the point where a mad leader must be shown the door.
929
Even if the president is a mobster criminal ?
761
FRIGHTENING
It sounds like Admiral McCraven is calling for a military coup of a duly elected president.
That, sir, is TREASON.
It is YOU, sir, who is a threat to our Republic.
PS - Thank you for your service, but you do not speak for all Americans and you certainly do not speak for all of our brav men and women in the military. You are way out of line.
24
The sky is falling... the sky is falling... gimme a break.
16
In reference to the article's title, "If [...]" - it's sadly, abundantly clear that there is no "if."
411
McRaven 2020
56
Didn't you vote for him admiral ?
65
This is good, Admiral, but the NYT subheading? "If President Trump doesn't demonstrate the leadership..." There is no evidence that will ever happen. Time is up on this clown.
129
Vote Democratic or kiss America goodbye
181
Trump is a straight up want to be despot. But what of those who voted for him---what do they want. Do they want to be under a despots thumb. Does anyone thing he can straighten anything so that all will have piece of the pie---the answer is no. Has he visited the place of those who are in need? Are we destined to be those who know nothing but hate and loud voices who love clowns. Who love those who want to be under the thumb of Isis like rules and who love being told what to do what read or not to read at all and who wallow in ignorance for ignorance sake; ship of fools!
66
To me, the most interesting thing about the Admiral’s excellent editorial is that the only name he uses is Trump’s. I suspect he did it because the point is that for all their mistakes, for all their differences, our military serves with honor and with distinction.
And if you’re all hot and bothered about some of their missions, news flash: they don’t pick ‘em. We do.
I must say, I find the lazy leftists who chant about the military-industrial complex or the Mexican War and don’t even bother to read the article every bit as tiresome—and pretty much indistinguishable from—the Trumpists scrabbling about for alibis for their boy’s faithlessness and gutlessness. Just can’t see a diff among them, from their ignorance to their alibis for their own faithlessness and gutlessness.
Oh, and the kids ranting about how the Admiral oughta lead “a coup?” Not in this country, buster, and did you even READ this article?
19
I would encourage all readers to access the NYT of 10/14, read the article entitled "Where the Looney Libs are Self-Destructing..." and then compare to this editorial. Following that, ask which America best represents your views.
8
If the GOP cowards in the Senate would take these words to heart, we could excise this cancer on our nation now.
97
Admiral, you voted for him, didn't you? Its a fine guilt piece you write, but when you, (along with the four star general you mention, that doesn't like Democrats), voted for Trump in 2016, what were you telling yourself then? Surely you were smart enough then to see Trump for the virtueless bully and criminal that he's ALWAYS been. The stink of your 2016 vote isn't going away because you get to write this red, white, and blue Op-Ed.
125
Not the times or place I remember. In 51 moths of active service as a marine (1958-62) I never heard anyone declare “i’m serving for the right of life, liberty and the American way”. Never. What I do remember is that many Marines needed to explain to their kids why, back home in southern states, they needed to ‘sit in the back of the bus’ and be otherwise separated. Further, in the orient we referred to people as “gooks” and the hatred and disrespect ran both ways. When we did fight it was always for our own interests even if it meant insisting on our way, economic, social and even religious at gunpoint.
52
I appreciate your service and, here, your courage to tell the truth. I will read this column with my children and share the virtues you outline herein.
Let me - very respectfully - object to your inclusion of a friend's thoughts: “I don’t like the Democrats, but Trump is destroying the Republic!”
Can we assume that your friend, like so many voters in the United States, voted out of disdain for the opposing side and therefore did not properly assess his own party's candidate? Over and over, Trump voters have failed to exercise even the slightest of critical oversight. That you are surprised - surprised! - by the actions of this President proves beyond a doubt that you voted blindly, uncritically, perhaps dressed up in the aura of "patriotism" (as is often the case with Republicans). The President today is the same man who came down the escalator in Trump Tower. And yet only now have you the "seen the light"?
Honor is of course is to be esteemed. But where is the duty to the integrity and dignity of your own mind? To your capacity to think for yourself?
I'd love to know: how does it feel to have voted for a corrupt authoritarian...when that was plain on day one?
Go ahead and change the subject, I dare you: tell me now, for the millionth time, how much you hate Hillary Clinton.
3335
@Antslovehoney
Exactly.
I tell everyone that brings up the Trump presidency and acts like they didn't know what was coming that they really weren't paying attention. That their sense of "team" blinded them to the obvious. Candidate Trump is the very same President Trump. No surprises here, folks.
They were voting against Hillary Clinton and not for America.
903
@Timothy Mulherin I agree with you 100%. In great part that must be expected from having only a 2 party system. They continue to butt heads and ignore all other facts. I was disappointed that Ross Perot, when he had the chance, didn't create a 3rd US of A political party. He had the ground swell of people fed up with 2 party politics as usual.
With 3 'bulls' in the ring, none of them can continue to ignore the 3rd bull, meaning the current vacuum of middle ground policy becomes very important, and the far 'right' and for 'left' will find themselves very lonely as they should be, as there is no majority at the ends of the 'bell' curve.
73
@WJB
Better than a third party would be instant-run-off-voting (IRV). It has its problems, no voting system is perfect, but it does force candidates to appeal to the widest possible audience.
126
What if Trump found a general sympathetic to his demented dreams of dictatorship? Then what?
40
Amen.
6
Admiral mcRaven,
I wonder when The Dear White leader will start attacking you.
Even your outstanding service to the country he will try to diminish if not tarnish.
I just hope you will take heart knowing he is a vile revolting fraudster with no redeeming qualities whatsoever.
46
If they were still around to see Trump as the Republican candidate in 2020, Dwight Eisenhower and Ronald Reagan would vote for the Democrat.
The best Republican leaders of my youth—(war hero) Pete McCloskey, Chuck Percy, John Chaffee, John Lindsay, Bill Ruckelshaus, Dan Evans, Elliott Richardson, Russell Train, Earl Warren, Ed Brooke—would be shocked and appalled by what happened to their party.
Some may cavil that Admiral McRaven’s vision of “243 years” of unblemished virtue contains some patriotic airbrushing. In the interest of creating a sweeping narrative, he overlooks appalling periods of graft, corruption, and stupidity at the highest levels in the public and private sectors. Hell, we fought a civil war!
But, especially since 1932, the nation has aspired toward those values. When we have stumbled, even stumbled badly, we have been able to recover.
The last three years were not a “stumble.” They have been a forceful renunciation of all the best ideas that underpin the Constitution and the rule of law.
If the very "idea of America" is to have a future in the 21st century—if the new era is not to be dominated by the very different "idea of China”—we must not merely defeat Trump in a narrow election, waiting breathlessly for returns from the last final few swing states.
Rather, we must electorally crush the Trump-Barr-Giuliani-McConnell axis before it corrupts the American dream beyond resuscitation.
89
I have been a conservative since my parents taught me to think for myself during my adolescence. The vast majority of my votes over the past 40 years were cast for Republicans. My heart and mind have changed during the past 3 years. I vow to never vote for a Republican who has sold his/her country in exchange for betrayal of our values. I’m truly sorry for my voting mistake in the 2016 Presidential election. I promise to do everything I can to correct my mistake.
Thank you, Admiral McRaven, for your brave and honest words.
1420
The admiral need not run!! He needs to sit right where he is and enjoy the wreckage folks like him in the military who often say “they don’t like democrats” have heaped on everybody else!!!
43
"“I don’t like the Democrats, but Trump is destroying the Republic!”
Yet everyone who says this voted for Trump, continues to vote Republican, and will vote for him in 2020. Plus they defend him at every turn. Occasionally we get Romney and Susan Collins passively expressing "disappointment" but it stops there.
You say the above but your actual actions really tell us "Sure Trump is bad, but the Democrats (insert litany of excuses and straw men here)." And your side supports and votes for him anyway.
Your side is all talk, no action. I am not impressed with this meaningless, self serving, guilt ridden piece. Call me when your side takes active steps to remove him from office, or to vote him out, then I'll believe you really care.
73
Admiral McRaven probably dislikes us Democrats, because he thinks we're all wimps.
Well allow me to correct you, admiral:
We have just as much testosterone as you and your GOP egotistical tough-guy chums in Washington.
The difference is, ours is formulated for civility and respect.
67
The Admiral's comments remind me of the old Burt Lancaster movie "Seven Days in May".
9
“I don’t like the Democrats, but Trump is destroying the Republic!” says the retired four star general.
But the Democrats are not destroying our democracy - Republicans are. This illustrates the problem. The "conservative" blowhards who attack Democrats have convinced people that Republicans are patriots and Democrats are bad for our country. Black is white, war is peace.
92
Bush is not mentioned once. neither is Obama. As if our totalitarian magically appeared under Trump.
As if McRaven didn't serve under the command of two scofflaws of international law, two war criminals.
BLAH
13
We all sensed this the day Trump was sworn in
25
Bravo! Thank you Admiral. It gives me some hope to read of courageous Americans calling out this disgraceful Putin Puppet for who he is... Treasonous.
When you attack the U.S., their institutions, their democratic principles, distinguished and decorated heroes of our armed forces...that is treason.
PERIOD.
13
Amen brother!...trump is a huge error in judgement. An error is not a mistake unless you refuse to correct it! Come on republicans let's correct it! NOW!
24
Never thought I would see the day when one of our courageous and dedicated Admiral's must call the Predident basically a traitor.
28
Bravo, sir.
14
What's under attack is investments in the War Machine. War must be pretty profitable for 2000+ comments an what Trump is doing. You are all hypocrites.
6
That's funny, watching the debate, I feel like it's under attack from the Lunatic Left.
4
Thank You, Thank You, Thank You Admiral
11
From all that terror teaches,
From lies of tongue and pen,
From all the easy speeches
That comfort cruel men,
From sale and profanation
Of honour and the sword,
From Trump and from inflation,
Deliver us, good Lord.
Sorry, GK Chesterton
17
“IF” President Trump doesn’t demonstrate the leadership that America needs? What universe is this guy living in. Trump isn’t just incompetent. He is evil and malignant and is “leading” the executive branch into corruption and tyranny. Let’s stop waiting for Trump to get his act together. His greedy clown show has gone far beyond our worst fears and what is most disturbing of all is that there are more sober and serious greedy sociopaths willing to go along.
55
Thank you, Admiral McRaven. I'm very grateful for your willingness to 'stand up' for America and for those of us who serve.
I am a West Point graduate (USMA 1961). I served in Sp Opns in Laos and Cambodia during the Vietnam War, from 1966-1975. I then served with US Embassy Thailand 1977-1980 working with refugees from Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia.
I have tried to serve, to help the weak all my life. I believe America did stand up for the weak in the past. But today, I am sickened to see us walking away from our allies. And making alliances with a country that has just murdered a journalist, a country that is waging a horrible war against the weak in Yemen. What are US troops doing in the desert in Saudi Arabia? What values are they serving? $$$$ and Oil! What are US Troops doing on our southern border? On a mission to keep out the weak and the poor. They are 'standing up' for a President who separates mothers from their children.
I am 'retired' now but still working and serving others. My wife and I have been working in Asia for the past decade. We have have been teaching low income minority children in NE Thailand (Isan people) from 2011 to the present day. We are trying to 'stand up' for them and give them a chance for a good future. I pray that more Americans will hear your call and stand up to make America good and strong again. Thank you.
63
NYT, respectfully: how many days/weeks/months before your Editorial Board calls for Trump's resignation? Or would that be bad for business to not have Trump in office?
23
So let me get this straight... You want a coup against our President because he wont send our soldiers to die 7,000 miles away in a desert with no national security interests? You people are the threat to the Republic not Trump.
9
Come on, Republicans! Get rid of him now! Your only hope is a quick transition to a new leader (not Pence)!
15
It’s really not a good sign that so many people don’t know that in this country, elected civilians give the military its marching orders, or that you really, really, really don’t want the military marching into the Oval Office and setting things straight.
It appears to be stunning thoughtlessness. But I happen to think that it’s a combo of guilt—the “It’s all YOUR fault,” crowd just doesn’t want to face up to its irresponsibility in 2016 and keeps looking for scapegoats—and exactly the same sort of shorkong that we so often get from Congress, with a heavy dollop of exactly the, “Hey, this is EASY!” ridiculousness we get from Trump.
The Admiral didn’t elect this slob. We did—yes, all of us, by staying home or voting for Jill Stein or sneering at Hillary Clinton, just as much as the dumbest Trump voter in America.
And WE give the military its marching orders, in the end. WE do. Srop blaming the military for following those orders, when you’re not blaming the media for YOUR laziness or blaming somebody else, anybody else, for what WE did.
And for pete’s sake, stop demanding that some generals’ junta jump in and clean this mess up for us. Because if that ever happens, you’re gonna find out real quick and real ugly what am actual fascist dictatorship looks like. From underneath one.
Or to put this another way, might want to consider being embarassed about the fact that fhis guy understands democracy better than you.
12
I'm so sick of hearing "if trump doesn't show leadership", if, if. It was apparent before he was elected that he has no leadership qualities. You'd think people would stop the "ifs" and just say it for once for goodness sake. cowards all.
17
Are the trumpers out there reading this? Our grifter in chief has done so much damage on so many levels. “The sooner, the better”.
14
Our family has a long tradition of military service going back several generations. It's been a honor to represent the United States during several tours overseas. Since Trump, however, it has become the norm for Americans overseas in any capacity to endure pointed remarks about the stupidity of voters who put this idiot in the White House, and for Americans usually to insist that "I didn't vote for him". Sometimes we have to explain the electoral college system and then listen while we're told how stupid that system is, since it led to both GWB and now a corruption worse than we've ever seen before. I hope not only that our military leaders will speak truth, and even more important, raise their voices to support a Democratic candidate in 2020. Republicans have lost all credibility and to support the GOP is now a violation of an oath of office to support our Constitution.
38
Thank you, Sir. Thank you for your incredible service to our country and thank you for your courage to stand up to anti-American forces within the country led by trump.
The problem is that NYT readers already know all this. The question is how do you protect our country against the white nationalist trump base? trump is just the symptom. His radical white nationalist base is the problem
497
It's time for the House and the Senate to decide. Are they happy with being irrelevant to the governing the USA? Are they content to take a pass on the responsibility to be a check on the Executive branch? If so drop the whole damn show, if not, impeach the POTUS. it's as simple as that.
18
Well said.
I suggest the picture with House speaker Pelosi pointing her finger at the President with the following caption. " All Roads Lead to Putin ". The House speaker brilliantly captures the essence of what the President has done to this country for the past 3 years.
This picture with the caption should be posted in every Federal, State and City buildings to remind all of us what is actually going on. If not now, I am confident that it will be done in the future.
22
Perhaps I am too cynical—or too familiar with our history—to be swayed by the swelling violins of this column. A few words from it will have to suffice: heroism and sacrifice, character, nations principles, American values, humility, the world needed us, champions of the good and the right, champions of justice, the protectors of the less fortunate...Where is the history of 1619, slavery, genocide, supporting coups in Iran 1953 and Guatemala 1954, Vietnam and carpet bombing and agent orange, Guantanamo and black sites and torture of the falsely accused, Red baiting, structural racism and economic inequality?
As Malcolm X once said about the assassination of JFK, with the horror of Donald Trump, the chickens have come home to roost. Horrible to say, but we have the president we deserve. Some humility and recognition of hard truths are what we need now.
24
How has Trump, who was described by Comey as acting like a Mafia boss, got to be the president of the USA?
He is burrowing under the foundations, gnawing at the roots, walking the gray line, which no president before did.
Mixing his business interests with the nation's business, using simple but horrible language and telling hand signals, the man's primary character is criminal-in-hiding, careful to never be caught red handed, and sacrificing all those who worked for him.
I tend to think that he is mentally deranged, just 10 days ago he started a war in proxy, where US allies are being slaughtered by a dictator, those who shed blood to finish off ISIS have been given to Turkey, just so that media and congress would perhaps move an inch away from the impeachment talk.
This is Trumps value ladder: For a trivial change in media focus he is happy to see thousands of brave allied soldiers get killed.
25
In my 2 years in army i certainly don’t remember the army ever being honorable. There job is to kill , dot an period .
Don’t believe these hawks when they say it’s an honorable profession .
10
We are in uncharted territory. But this is not because of Trump's criminal acts. Oh, of course his conduct should not be tolerated in any true democracy. Clearly, he should be removed from office.
What is the real "uncharted territory" though, is his base, some 40% of Americans who are still in lockstep with him, not in spite of his lawlessness, but because of it.
2016 was a wake up call for many of us, who believed that the vast majority of Americans are fundamentally good people, who wanted what is best for our country. Little did we know, before election season, that nearly half of us wanted a profoundly racist, willfully ignorant criminal in our nation's highest office.
Three years on, Trump's followers are in lockstep with him. They weren't "hoodwinked". They didn't believe he'd get them their coal mining jobs back, or that "beautiful" health care plan. But he did give them what they wanted - permission to be as hateful and ugly as he is.
And this precisely why, three years into this disaster of a presidency, the Republican Senate will not remove Trump from office. Republican Senators' re-election hinges on continuing to toady to Trump's base, and so they will continue to cower, to toady to an obviously unfit man at best, and a deranged criminal at worst.
Uncharted territory? At some point, Trump will be gone, but his supporters won't. And then the rest of us will have to live with people we could not ever imagine would support someone like Donald Trump.
36
Our republic is under attack from Republicans that allow the harm that Trump unleashes.
17
Thank you, sir. I swore my oath to uphold and defend the Constitution in 1962, just prior to the Cuban Missile Crisis. I had the privilege to serve under, and be mentored by, many men of the OSS generation you speak of. You have captured my feelings and concern about this President exactly.
20
Trump is a symptom, not the cause. And no, the solution is not returning to the America of the 1950s. The solutions is returning to the values of this country as so ably enunciated by Admiral McRaven. That said, we are not, and never have been perfect, but at least have been times time when one could at least sense that the American experiment was on a path toward something greater, albeit haltingly. I fear, though, that we have strayed so far from that path that we are forever lost -- and not just because of
Trump, but because of his republican enablers and, indeed, because of the 40% of the country, who, for reasons that I can't fathom, still support Trump.
In any event, I fear the Admiral is speaking in the wrong venue. The people who need to hear this aren't getting their new or views from the NY Times.
24
This made me cry.
8
Retired Admiral William McRaven is a traitor he should be brought up on Article 88 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice and stripped of all rank and pay.
Funny, the Trump administration doesn't fire one shot, lose one solider, or spend trillions and gets a seize fire between Turkey and the Kurds with out millions lost, like under McRaven command.
5
Brilliant Sir - fancy running for president?
7
Excellent article.
BUT if you have racist feelings - even if they are mild and barely recognized by yourself - you are going to ditch all those values that the Admiral is describing so well.
You can be a racist individual and rationalize your thoughts in such a way that you can and will condone racist policies practiced by others.
Look at mad dog Mathis and so many others - they just stood by Trump and they still say nothing. Silence is not a sign of opposition to Trump, silence is acceptance of Trump.
9
Perhaps we needed Trump or a Trump-like person in the WH to finally recognize that the country needs quick “intervention”. Our values and ethics were long ago hijacked by a mercantile mentality. Merchants’ goal is profit at all costs, not doing the right thing. Matt Zuckerberg indicated that Facebook won’t monitor invasive bots or trolls attacking our country, as long as he gets his money. Everything has a tag and price. Hotelier Gordon Sondland, was named US Ambassador to the E.U. by donating Trump $1M. Today he testified in Congress on his role in the Ukrainian shakedown. Sondland knows he betrayed our country and can’t be exonerated by claiming the “President made me do it
Mick Mulvaney finally admitted to all Trump crimes under investigation, but brazenly attempted to normalize crime by claiming that malfeasance is the price of doing business. It’s not. We need to reclaim our Anglo-American value system: think Lincoln, FDR, Johnson or Obama. As imperfect as it is and was, it was far superior to the mercantile hold-up that Americans are in.
15
Correction: Our republic is under attack from our President AND Republican enablers in the Senate.
34
It has been said that when you elect a clown, you should expect a circus. The only question now is how long do we dare let this three ring circus perform? It will take many more patriots speaking out to turn the quivering Senate sycophants into "heroes".
As an independent voter, I will make them pay if the Senate fails to remove those who perform at the direction of the ringmaster in Moscow.
16
Admiral McRaven: Please become a candidate for President. I don’t care which party you choose.
5
As abhorrent as it seems, a military coup is starting to sound pretty good...Seven Days In November, anyone?
3
Step up and run for office.
4
So the unnamed General doesn’t like the Democrats.
What could that be about. Maybe he’s a fan of the 6 trillion dollars wasted on the useless and unnecessary wars in Iraq and Afghanistan by Bush Jr. or was he a fan of Desert Storm, the other invasion of Iraq by his old man?
17
If our promises are meaningless
"If" ? The author acts like this is the first time our nation hasn't kept it's promise..... See Vietnam.
6
Benedict Arnold and Arron Burr welcome another to their ranks. Our republic is under attack by people who think they should demand forced removal of a duly elected President.
2
Sir, well said! As a veteran of the United States Air Force, I am grateful that you shared your views. You are a person of honor who has integrity. Be well.
35
The retired general said: “I don’t like the Democrats, but Trump is destroying the Republic!”
Therein lies part of the problem. I would guess that this general supported or voted for Trump in 2016, despite that it was quite obvious back then that Trump was not suited to be president. Why? Simply because he did not like Democrats, or perhaps Hillary Clinton.
I once served at a nonprofit with a very young, severely wounded and disabled veteran. He was a vociferous Trump supporter, visibly angry when vocalizing his support. Repeated surveys indicate that the military support Trump and Republicans in higher numbers than a Democrat alternative.
Why is there such a disconnect, such that any member of the US military would support a president who has done so much to damage the country in which they pledged their lives to defend?
That is the question I wish General McRaven had addressed in this op ed article.
21
Boy am I glad to hear these thoughts from a former Commander of Special Ops. I desperately hope our military would not support a conservative coup to keep Trump & family in office indefinitely.
11
I'm afraid this will fall on deaf ears. I've spoken to many Republican friends who disapprove of Trump for many of the reasons outlined here, but who are satisfied with his economic outcomes to the point where they care little about anything else. I often point out to them that they can have the same economic policies, tax cuts, deregulation, judges etc under say William Weld, John Kasich, or Mitt Romney (capable and respectable Republicans), without all of the nonsense and corruption, but they dismiss it or call them Democrats.
Stop pleading with Republicans to come to their senses. It's a waste of time. This is what they are now. Trump is a symptom, not the cause. Better to focus on driving turnout among the 55% of the electorate who realizes this.
19
"The America that they believed in was under attack, not from without, but from within."
The current president has a long history of deceptive branding, slapping his cheap, flashy fool's gold logo on other people's buildings and pretending they're his. That's exactly what he's doing with the country. He sold out America to foreign mobsters, oligarchs, and despots and wants us to believe we live in the United States of Trump.
This is the president our founders warned us about, the very personality our system of checks and balances was designed to protect us against. We are living through the definition of a "constitutional crisis" -- a struggle over our core principles the president is trying to frame as a civil war.
18
There is no better voice for the values that our country holds dear, our founding principles than that of long time military members. Now that we are under threat from within all service members need to speak out. When generals were in the White House I had the feeling that they would do the right thing, keep some leash on the mad orange dog. Now that they are gone we are in extreme danger. Thank you for your service, please keep speaking out.
6
Trump has never served his country or its people. He has only helped himself. The people of this country who elected him should be ashamed of themselves for disregarding his lifelong history of avoiding service and taking from others and the government.
11
Thoughtful article but it's unbalanced. Hillary Clinton was no leader either. Smoother in delivery and steeped in politics for sure; but she got troops killed in Benghazi, has her own corrupt baggage with her foundation, she obstructed justice by destroying her illegal server and the list goes on. The press was behind her but the press is completely biased and without objective credibility. Obama could have united us as never before in the modern era but instead he left us divided and it was that division which created the awful choices. Now the Democrat candidates are shrieking simps and the Republicans have no alternatives to offer us. So Admiral, the blame is everywhere. It's not Trump - he's a symptom. It's with a biased media, a poorly educated electorate, and a nation that is losing its soul.
2
Thank you to all who serve our nation and its ideals. I am ashamed for those whose efforts are directed toward self-service and abuse of others, including Donald Trump. Judgement of his presidency will be harsh.
7
Applauding the Admiral. There is a level of credibility that our men and women of our armed forces earn by defending our nation. They're not fakes; they sacrifice; they are trained by experienced personnel to defend themselves, and our nation's positions on the battle field. This isn't 'reality t.v., where one millionaire dunce pantomimes a 'wrestling bout' with another millionaire dunce. We need to get a grip, and elect candidates who want all of us to succeed, be healthy, safe, and prosper. This partisan vitriol that is prevalent in our politics and our society diminishes us, and strengthens those that envy us. Enough.
3
And it all goes back to the Russians who decided to help Trump win. They had done their homework on him and knew how he would disrupt our democracy, our nation. And this is what they wanted: undermine their chief rival. And along with that would come the weakening of alliances against them and the trashing of our democratic example.
What better way to do that than to help Trump get elected.
12
@Pete Thurlow
Who was the "backup" Manchurian Candidate? Is it some one involved in politics now? Who would Putin have used if one fatal artery clogging hamberder had been ingested, or one more extra marital affair proved too much for that blackened heart? Who? How will we find and neuter that threat? Surely we.cannot count on McConnell and Barr to do the right thing--- it's not in their.craven natures. Who?
4
While I agree with most of the comments and sentiments, there is one thing I haven't seen mentioned: This opinion piece should be required reading in every high school and college classroom in America. And not just one reading, it should be discussed and debated as a course credit requirement. Too bad it can't be required reading for every voter as well.
Maybe then voters will be able to answer the questions "What makes America great?" "What will make America Great Again?" when they enter the voting booths.
6
Neither Trump’s Presidency, nor his political decisions, nor his personality is a military matter, unless military officer like retired Naval Admiral McRaven have forgotten why our President outranks all military officers and is a civilian. Trump is the highest elected officer in our government. Unless McRaven suggests a military coup, Trump remains President and Commander-in-Chief. See: Article II, Section 2 of the Constitution states, "The President shall be the Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States when called into the actual Service of the United States."
The roles of Congress outlined in Article I, Section 8 include, "To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water; To raise and support Armies, but no Appropriation of Money to that Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years; To provide and maintain a Navy."
1
@Bayou Houma William McRaven is retired. He is a private citizen and thus free to express whatever political opinions he wishes. See First Amendment.
16
@Bayou Houma MCraven's oath was and remains to defend America against all enemies "foreign and domestic". Clearly, he has concern that Trump may fall within the latter category.
18
@Bayou Houma No coup needed. An impeachment will work fine.
20
It is nice that some retired flag officers are starting to speak up. When is a serving officer going to resign their commission rather that implement policies and resulting atrocities that are the obvious outcome of the President's outrageous decisions?
Just how careerist has our officer corps become?
Anyone with a star on their shoulders in the chain of command responsible for the Kurds who are currently being betrayed and slaughtered has failed the test of moral courage.
Sorry the "Just following orders" and he's the "Commander in Chief" excuses won't fly.
11
This brilliant and disturbing essay by Gen. McRaven should be re-purposed into his live testimony in front of the entire U.S. Senate and the American public. Senators especially need to understand and act on the gravity of the current crisis created by the lack of a competent commander-in-chief at the helm of the our country.
9
I served. Did you?
Presently the U.S.S. Pueblo is docked in North Korea. It’s still a registered U.S. war ship. It was an intelligence gathering ship and it was left unprotected by the U.S. Navy making it easy prey for the Kim family to illegally highjack it at gunpoint just outside the international boarder line of North Korea during the 1960s.
Where was the honor in that negligence?
Why is the ship still there in that harbor of that ruthless dictator?
The answer is: We got used to back-stabbing and President Trump is just the tip of the iceberg!
4
Trump supporters have voted in (and still support) a man who is a threat to their own Republic. Why? Fox News. Improverished education systems. Unmonitored Evangelical pastors. Unmonitored online conspiracy theory culture. All of these things need to be cleaned up or the Republic will continue to decline, whether Trump is in power or not.
18
Thank you admiral for shoring up my faith that the military will not back Trump's attempt to become "president for life."
It takes courage to write a letter like this.
No patriot should take this piece as an excuse to let the system save us from Trump, however. We all have to do the hard work of being responsible citizens, and save Our Constitutional Republic from Right-wing fascism.
9
For our republic to survive, we must, regardless of party, respect the values of honesty, integrity, loyalty, leadership and humanity. Thankyou Admiral for your words here....and may all our military men and women rally the many troops who in blind faith to a corrupted Republican Party, must understand that our democracy is in peril. Otherwise, we goose-step to our demise.
4
"I don't like Democrats, but Trump is destroying the Republic."
Poor Republican and Independent voters being asked to,
"hold their nose and vote Democrat." Such a terrible experience for them having to save our country by voting for a qualified candidate that isn't the monster who is a traitor to our country, the president you voted into office.
I say do your duty and vote Democrat in order to save the Republic!
It is also abhorrent to me that the citizens of this country would refuse to vote in the most consequential election in our nation's history because they are not "personally" excited about this or that Democratic candidate.
Voters need to be set straight as to where their duty lies, it lies with saving our democracy, not their own personal gratification.
I'm tired of the media abandoning their posts by putting an almost impossible burden on the Democratic candidate to not only save the nation, but do it in a way that excites every voter. Civics education is a powerful focus, not hand wringing.
"Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country."
When did we as a nation of citizens abandon our civic duty to do the right thing by petulantly demanding to be excited about every single detail of that candidate's policies.
If citizens refuse to vote for a capable Democratic presidential candidate, then we are handing over our democracy with a self-serving, wimpy bang barely audible above the sound of the crickets coming from the GOP.
17
Question --
Besides Trump, what 'leaders stand beside despots and strongmen, preferring their government narrative to our own." ?
Why the plural? What other leader besides Trump does this? He's the only one.
And why include the quote "“I don’t like the Democrats, but Trump is destroying the Republic!”
'don't like Democrats'..... ? Welll, that's a relief!
Does the author use this line to fend off accusations that he's just a political enemy of Trump/GOP? That's Trump's usual response to any critic.
6
@Meredith Pompeo and Espey come to mind.
4
No it is more than Trump, it is a conspiracy of the whole Republican party witch has abdicated all ethics and patriotism for maintaining and gaining more POWER. There is NO red line for them. The most recently, rapid abdication of Lindsey Graham is a prime example. He once stood by his beliefs, now he is the lapdog of corruption.
11
Dear Admiral McRaven: May it be from your "lips to God's ears." Yes, yes, yes. Our country is in great danger. "It is time for a new person in the Oval Office — Republican, Democrat or independent — the sooner, the better. The fate of our Republic depends upon it."
7
The Republican Party is standing by en masse in support of the man whose behaviors you decry. You speak of them in future conditional terms (If he does this, if he can’t do that). He’s already done them hundreds of times! Your friend doesn’t like Democrats. What does he think of Republicans? The party of “No” is now also the party of “Do Nothing” about protecting America from the evil within, abetted by the evil without.
10
My dad served in WWII, and I feel sad that his sacrifices have been so dishonored by today's president.
I wish, though, that you hadn't told us that a 4 star general dislikes Democrats. Thank God that Democrat, my dad, didn't know that when he was fighting in the swamps of the Philippines.
19
If Admiral McRaven and his fellow officers truly believe this they have a duty to make their vouces heard on right-leaning media outlets, and in public forums through the country. Telling the readers of the NYTIMES this is essentially preaching to the choir.
8
“I don’t like the Democrats, but Trump is destroying the Republic!”
This phrase keeps sticking in my brain. You have a clear choice between a democratic party that wants to stop children being murdered at school. A republican party that gets bundles of money from the NRA at the expense of children. You have the democratic party that wants to keep are air and water clean. A republican party that is in the pocket of the Coch brothers and wants to gut the protections put in place to help save the planet. You have a democratic party that wants to make sure every child gets a good education and a republication party that wants to privatize students for profit. You have a democratic party that is for humane treatment of people seeking immigration and sanctuary and a republican party that keeps children in cages. You have a democratic party that wants to have health care for all citizens and a republican party that wants to give tax breaks to the rich. You have a democratic party that wants to preserve the rights of women and a republican party that wants to control them. You have a democratic party that wants to preserve the separation between church and state and a republican party that wants to force their "christian values" on the people. You have a republican party that is turning it's back on our allies. Oh yes, and then there are the white supremacists.
So tell me, what exactly is it that you don't like about democrats?
26
It took 1000 days of this “administration” to come to this?
Most literate adults who could think critically knew DJT was a threat to our country BEFORE he was even elected.
While McRavens comments are welcomed... they truly are too little too late.
13
Yes, Admiral McRaven, "the sooner the better".
And would that you could relieve the occupant in the Oval Office of his command.
For it to be "sooner", meaning now—
It's time for a Mitt Romney with 20+ Republican senators to go to the White House—
To inform Trump they have the votes to remove him and that if he doesn't RESIGN immediately, conviction in the Senate can be quickly arranged.
8
No doubt Trump and his supporters will now call McRaven a "the world's most overrated Admiral" just as he called Mattis "the world's most overrated general"
All this from someone whose entire family across multiple generations has served exactly zero days in defense of our nation.
Trump's attack on people like Mattis and our intelligence and law enforcement agencies is unprecedented and beyond issues of partisanship. No President from either party has stooped so low. The concerning part is how many people continue to support him for doing so.
9
Well said, Admiral. Hopefully your words have resonance among Trump's supporters, but I wouldn't count on it.
10
The Admiral makes me wonder whether the role of our war heroes need to change. The military has always been an apolitical institution. Under any normal circumstance that is optimal. However, given that the only government institution Republicans trust is the military, I wonder if retired soldiers like Admiral McRaven need to voice these kind of opinion pieces in hostile territory (no pun intended). I understand the risk of an Admiral or Four Star General appearing on Hannity, or writing an opinion piece in The Wall Street Journal, but the four star general is correct, the Republic is under attack. Since the Republican Party has lost its moral compass, perhaps only military heroes can restore honor to their values.
4
Thank you Admiral, not only for your service but for speaking your truth which represents so many of us. My late father, a Republican, served in WWII and I believe he would be appalled at how Trump is destroying our Republic. I've decided to email your column to all Republican senators as part of my campaign to reinforce that a majority of ordinary Americans denounce Trump's dangerous and erratic behavior and decisions. Senators need to vote for removal.
6
When Joseph Stalin was told about the Roman Catholic's opposition to the actions of the USSR, he (I have read) sardonically replied, "And how many divisions does the Pope have?".
For the next number of years that question seemed to matter.
In the longer run the USSR collapsed. The Roman Catholic church, perhaps especially under the "Polish" Pope carries on.
The question?
With whom might Trump have agreed? Stalin, or Cardinal (then Father) Karol Joseph Wojtyla?
3
"As I stood on the parade field at Fort Bragg, one retired four-star general, grabbed my arm, shook me and shouted, 'I don’t like the Democrats, but Trump is destroying the Republic!' But Republicans are aiding the President in destroying the Republic by not holding him accountable and the Democrats are; yet you "don't like them". There is no more glaring example of cognitive dissonance than this line of thought.
10
Constant war, for no purpose, sounds really good. But someone's kids are sent out to do the killing and dying. I am so tired of the pointless wars. No one in my family is available to die for no reason. So sad to see that so many citizens would be willing to sacrifice someone else's child to stick it to Trump. Every war, since WWII, has been a war of choice and unneccessary. We are destroying our own future to uphold violence. I voted for Barack Obama because he said he would end the wars. I will vote for any candidate who promises the same in the future. I don't care if Russia gets to sacrifice it's kids to fight in religious civil wars. Murdering people isn't leadership.
6
Hoping and praying men and women in uniform will lead and follow Admiral McRaven's example swaying calcified and corrupt Senators to finally realize what a Faustian bargain they've made. The price of selling your soul is too high for the good of the nation. We need twenty Americans of honor in the senate.
6
The old saying goes: "We get the leaders we deserve". 62,900,000 citizens pressed that button for the man currently sitting in the Big Chair. And most of those good citizens continue to believe that they made the right choice. THAT is our challenge, not one small man sitting for 4-years in an oval office in a white house. 62,900,000 people have their minds in an unfathomable place. That is our challenge. -C
12
Truer words were never spoken ... yet I continue to ask why it is when facing a grave constitutional threat from the inside I don’t see more action re the part of the oath to ‘defend against enemies from within...’ Does this president not require exercising that defense of our nation by those sworn to do so? Crickets....
3
Well said Admiral McRaven.
When I was serving in the Navy back in the 80's, we didn't care about politics, we were there to serve our country, not some political party. President Trump is supposed to be the President of both Republicans and Democrats. What a shame that it has gotten to where the Public Servants are now Self Servants!
5
Members of the military who support Trump are people I just don't get. We have an alleged coward in the prime leadership role - how does that work? How can you take orders from a coward who would not himself do what you are asked to do? I feel bad for all military commanders for having to put up with this utter nonsense, not to mention outright dishonor, wrought to America by Trump and the GOP.
8
How many commentators here work for defense contractors? About all of them is the short answer. Fighting for their jobs. All these patriotic answers are so much nonsense. Trump may accidentally be the greatest President of all time if he can extricate us from of of their grip.
4
These are also my values, the values of my Parents (both were WW II Army Veterans), and the ones I try to encourage in my students. Thank you Admiral.
4
If one believes that American values are to protect the poor and weak, they cannot justifiably claim that those values are only now being attacked. They have been attack since lobbyists began paving the way for an Oligarchic distribution of wealth in the 1970's. They were under attack when Southern slave-owners refused to ratify a constitution that outlawed slavery and when Northerners catered to them. They were under attack when the descendants of those slaves were deliberately targeted by the War on Drugs and again when Reagan doubled down on it. They are now under attack from every influential political figure who refuses to acknowledge the war on drugs or rail for environmental justice. Trump may be the worst of it, but he certainly is not the first to attack those values, if we ever held them at all.
4
In three years, eight months, and 22 days the United States and its allies were victorious in World War II under the leadership of Dwight D. Eisenhower, George S. Patton, Douglas MacArthur, Omar Bradley and Chester William Nimitz et al. We are now in the 18th year of the Afghanistan war with the Iraq war not lagging far behind and these retired generals and admirals are crying that Trump is withdrawing a paltry 2200 troops from Syria.
Our military leaders have failed us miserably by going along with these counterproductive political policies of constant occupation. The press reports that the generals are experts in their fields, experts on terrorism, experts on foreign policy, experts on counter insurgency etc, etc, yet hardly any of them has chosen to stand up to the disastrous actions the United States has pursued in the Middle East and other parts of the world nor have they submitted a plan to actually win the wars in which they are now engaged.
The crop of senior military leaders for the last 20 years have been abject failures and have accepted a state of perpetual warfare which has been disastrous for our country. Of course when they retire they can't get those lucrative defense contractor director seats without talking up future wars and pontificating about the current conflicts. They are the spearhead of the military industrial government complex that is destroying the United States.
2
Admiral, with the greatest respect...
I agree, but would also go a step farther and include all members of our legislative branch of government. We are very nearly in a free fall. It is too late...too far gone to attempt to resolve anything by casting blame. Both branches of our government have failed us, the citizens, miserably.
Thank you for your service. Hopefully one day soon, the bravery, sacrifice, and commitment that women and men like you display everyday in our armed forces...will compel someone to rise above the political mess and help our country heal and get back on track.
1
"We are the most powerful nation in the world because we try to be the good guys. We are the most powerful nation in the world because our ideals of universal freedom and equality have been backed up by our belief that we were champions of justice, the protectors of the less fortunate."
Many things comical about the above, but to focus on just one thing - a country that doesn't provide healthcare for its citizens is neither good nor interested in freedom or equality.
11
Thanks you so much, sir. So many of us feel so devastated while being trapped in this Orwellian nightmare. Your column, along with Mitt Romney’s words and John Kasich’s call for impeachment today, give me hope. I am a loyal and committed Democrat who would give my eye teeth to see anyone but Trump in the White House. If I thought Romney or Kasich would win, I’d vote for my first Republican. We are in an emergency situation. This is it for this country. It’s now or never.
6
Oh, spare me.
The “values” that this man speaks of? Do they include sponsoring the overthrow of every single democratically elected government in Latin America during the Cold War? Do they include going to war in Iraq? Do they include making sure that weapons manufacturers maintain a good profit margin?
One can only wonder how incredible our country would be if we had spent our financial resources on machinery not devoted to weapons, at a level on par with other nations. If we had not idolized solders. If we had not made sure that the military industrial complex is preserved above anything else.
And let’s be honest: the vast majority of service members will vote for him again.
13
Admiral McRaven needs to step forward and run for President. He is exactly the leader we need in times like this, and the type of non-politician that would stand in stark contrast to everyone else. If he runs I would enthusiastically support and campaign for him, as I know many others would.
1
There may be some 2000 comments before mine, but I too must record my gratitude to Admiral McRaven for speaking out, so elegantly and so truthfully. Would someone close to the immature Trump please tell him how petty and small he looks, compared to real patriots like Adm. McRaven and the late Sen. McCain?
5
Thank you very much Admiral McRaven for your op-ed and eloquent words.
It was so refreshing to read your words than those used by Trump ("stable genius", "great and unmatched wisdom", "my generals". and the gibberish of a 6-year old child contained in Trump's letter to Turkish President Erdogan).
A nation does not abandon and throw ans ally - the Kurds - under a bus, and then also runs the bus over them.
The qualities, values and virtues that you mentioned are what made America great. They are honorable. They are important. They matter. They are worthwhile. They are what sustain us. They are what inspire us.
Trump doesn't understand their importance or care. The only thing he understands is what benefits him, his family and his businesses. He has not grown at all in the presidency. Instead, he has diminished the office, our nation and our stature in the world.
Trump has utterly failed the test of leadership. As the Admiral suggests, it is time for a new person sitting behind that desk in the Oval Office who understands what it means to be a leader. Because the fate of our democracy and governmental institutions depends upon it.
And it needs to be done now.
8
As a former member of the United States Navy it is my great honor to salute you Admiral.
I feel a bit safer knowing that so many of our military understands what is happening in our country today.
thank you sir.
Robert A Walker
4
As a former Naval officer- and more importantly thinking citizen- I am appalled and shocked- not so much any longer by Trump's traitorous behavior- but by the acquiescence of the Republican Senate. It is time to end this scourge upon the nation.
11
Well said, Admiral McRaven. Thank you again for your courage and forthrightness that you have demonstrated throughout this horrible period in our history. It cannot be over soon enough.
1
My response is to those who condemn the military for "voting for Trump." Trump lied to the military as he has lied to us all and has all along the way. Let's not single out one group over another. This will continue to divide us. There are still elected Republicans in Washington who continue to support him who will never know how to salute. Let us not blame the military any more than the rest of the people who voted this imposter into office. And let us always remember who gave us this president. 2.8 million people DID NOT vote for this entertainer. We have the electoral college to thank for this disaster.
8
We are under attack from this president and the people, the republican politicians, protecting him.
I believe that the attack can flip into open conflict in an instant.
It is as if Trump is working his way through a list of instructions in order to destroy our country.
That is just how effective he has been.
From the perspective of our enemies Trump must be the best President money can buy.
We abandoned our Kurdish allies.
Now they are under attack and dying.
Our other allies have to be reconsidering their future prospects as Trump and his rabid Republican enablers continue to deconstruct our democracy.
When will citizens of this country begin to die as a result of what Trump is doing?
5
Thank you, Admiral McRaven.
Yes, "the sooner, the better" it will be that Trump is gone and we can recover and rebuild from his destruction of so much that matters.
Trump has not reached the level of development, maturity, and wisdom that he should have reached in adolescence.
Trump does not understand, live by, nor lead by the values, honor, and humility about which McRaven wrote.
More and more people are recognizing that Trump is not just a pathological liar, manipulator, and criminal -- he is a disgrace to himself and to us all -- and his disgraceful presidency is rightfully ending in disgrace.
2
When trump lies, cheats, acts unethically/immorally/unlawfully, each of us does the same in the eyes and minds of the world.
Our "ideals of universal freedom and equality", our being "the champions of justice, the protectors of less fortunate" have not been the true belief of GOP, and actually being practiced by Democrats, albeit, we might disagree to some of the policies being endorsed by the Dems, how could the author and his four-star retired general keep on saying, " I don't like the Democrats"?
As bad as it is I will point out that Donald Trump is not an aberration from the Republican Party, he is the result of where that party has been going for the last 40 years. They have so muddled the meaning of the word conservative. Where is the smart measured approche? What have the conservatives, conserved? The Republicans have taken a butchers knife to the country and gone at it full till with the Greed and Fear. Not a bit of building (read schools and roads) just gutting the country and taking the wealth to the top 1%. The Military tend to say they do not mix in domestic politics, and then throw their lot in with the Republicans in general. As Adm. McRaven must surely believe to be a person of integrity you must act with integrity at all times. If you vote you are responsible for that vote too. How many new Aircraft Carriers do we really need and at what cost to the rest of the Nation? And finally when push comes to shove how will we all acted when asked to carry out unconstitutional orders? No wonder he is worried, at this point we are all worried.
3
I have the highest respect for the Admiral and all of his accomplishments. Having said that, I have to disagree with him in that his hatred for Trump is blinding him to the reality of electing one of the democratic candidates. I cannot fathom a socialist as the President of the USA. If he feels so strongly he should throw his hat into the ring or endorse a suitable Republican candidate. The economy and the military will suffer greatly if a democrat is elected.
@Donald: I see a conflation between what you refer to as "Socialism," and what Bernie Sanders has defined as "Democratic Socialism," which at this point, is both an improvement and the lesser of two evils; the latter being what we've had to endure since January 23, 2017.
6
If officers and generals are so "cleareyed and strong of character", why is it that no active duty generals are speaking out about the president? Following the commands of an unhinged leader without protest is the opposite of "cleareyed and strong of character".
4
This is inane. The main heading and subheading really make me wonder: All of this has been obvious fact from the day DJ Trump came into office. As far as the subheading goes, how can Mr. McRaven honestly believe Trump will ever demonstrate any sense of statesmanship, let alone any non-pathological human traits? And, the time for a new person in the Oval Office was clearly on Trump's inauguration day, i.e. he was never fit to be in office.
3
Where was the Admiral's voice when he was *serving* this administration? Where is Jim Mattis' voice now? He thinks Trump is something to joke about. Or that removing Trump from office will somehow wash away the corruption his election revealed.
This corruption runs deep. I moved away from Oakland and now live near a very large US military base, one of the largest in the world. Trump 2020 flags and MAGA hats are everywhere. There's even a "Trump City" store selling this stuff not a mile from the base entrance. You had best not advertise your opposition to Trump in any of the military bars and clubs and restaurants off base. You're likely to get a beating.
I have no confidence that the military leadership the Admiral was once a member of actually shares the values he speaks of. I doubt the majority of them ever did. Ever notice how many members of the nation's police departments are loyal Trump supporters? How many first responders? They're the real voice of today's "protectors".
Let's face it. Trump embodies the real American values: Anger, pettiness, greed. And above all: Racism and Empire.
9
I've said it before but I'll repeat it until I die: if you really can't tell that Donald Trump is neither smart nor honorable, then it's fair to seriously doubt your character and intelligence as well. This is not a political judgment, as I have had many intelligent and decent Republican friends over the years. Trump is so obviously dishonest, corrupt, narcissistic and dim that if he were a fictional character in a book or movie just five years ago, it would be dismissed immediately as ridiculously unbelievable and an unfair depiction of Republicans.
9
Putin has Trump in office as "acting" President and if he doesn't please Mr. Putin he might be replaced just like the acting secretaries of the cabinet.
3
Recognize that Trump is only the Leader of this insurgency but our Republic has been under attack from the likes of politicians, judges and their army of so-called Christians aligned with the GOP and their billionaire backers
2
“I don’t like the Democrats, but Trump is destroying the Republic” says a 4 star General. That attitude is precisely how this country ended up with Trump. Fealty to labels and not paying attention to the qualifications, history, morals of the person wearing the label, the sheep’s clothing. Grow up General and adopt the maturity and stature an individual of the rank you bear should require to shoulder those stars and what this country deserves of the person that wears them. And that applies equally to the former defense secretary James Mattis!
1
"If President Trump doesn’t demonstrate the leadership that America needs, then it is time for a new person in the Oval Office."
It's been three years. When, exactly are you expecting that demonstration of leadership, Admiral? On the last day of his Presidency?
Three years should have been obvious for even the most willfully blind individual, that the only knack for leadership this demagogue has is the ability to rope in people and have them abandon all sense, reason and logic as they cheer for him in a cult-like trance.
4
"And if this president doesn’t understand their importance, if this president doesn’t demonstrate the leadership that America needs, both domestically and abroad, then it is time for a new person in the Oval Office."
I agree general, however, the jury is in. We are past asking the question. Answer; this president doesn't understand the importance of our values and demonstrates the very opposite of the leadership our country needs. He is quickly turning us into a banana republic. Let's stop asking the question and start demanding the solution.
2
The generals and Pentagon are freaking out because the people and the presdient want an end to the decades of nonstop wars, half a million American soldiers wounded or killed,and millions worldwide globally. America has left behind failed states in iraq, Libya, Ukraine etc. but NOT Syria where Assad has rebuilt 1,500 kindergartens. Our country has become the failed state after spending $8 trillion. In this sole instance I agree with and support President Trump. He is speaking for the antiwar sentiments of thousands of veterans in this country who have had enough. If they cannot listen to the president and Tulsi Gabbard, it's time the veterans and enlisted men took tot he streets the way they did during the Vietnam war.
2
Well written and thoughtful. Thank you for taking the time to write and express your observation from a military perspective. From my perspective, trump is taking orders from Putin. trump is destroying America from within by dividing us and by actions through greed, bluster, and buffoonery.
3
Every American who truly loves this country should be moved to action after reading this article.
2
As Donald Trump's political security evaporates even faster than America's standing in the world, Vladimir Putin is rapidly approaching his last chance to play the hand he dealt himself from the bottom of the deck in 2016. Based on Trump's words & deeds over the last month, Putin's objectives can be easily seen. Trump has been directed to recreate the illusion of Russian innocence despite Putin's crimes during his tenure as the new czar. Russian interference in our 2016 election must be obscured from view. (Get to work Rudy & Bob, blame the Ukrainians & Hunter Biden!) The Russian invasion of Ukrainian territory must be rendered legitimate by a phony retro-active vote. Blame for the murder of Russian dissidents in the U.K. must be deflected, however implausibly, to be the work of some other source of polonium and nova-chuk nerve agent (there are no other possible sources). All of these must be completed in order to end the sanctions that seriously crimp Putin's cash flow. Only Trump has any chance of accomplishing this list of Putin's top priority tasks. Almost all of Trump's crimes & lies are directed to this purpose. And every one of these is a direct assault on our national security & the geopolitical security of the Western Democracies that rely on the U.S. to counter-balance Russian power in Europe & Asia. As Putin becomes increasingly threatened by Trump's incompetence, he is likely to demand more dangerous and destabilizing actions from his agent in the White House.
2
With all due respect to the Admiral and his anonymous friend, it is the Republicans who invaded Iraq on false pretense, endangered national security by disparaging brave military and civilians, stole billions form the Pentagon budget to fund a ridiculous war and lied to all of us by declaring ISIS contained. It was President Obama that pursued Bin Laden and respected McRaven enough to believe in his risky plan to find and kill him. Both Michele Obama and Jill Biden made military families the focus of their tenures. I am really angry that the anonymous man stated that he does not like Democrats and that Admiral McCraven agreed with him. I am not sure what we Democrats need to do to win the support of our fighting men and women.
7
"if this president doesn’t understand their importance, if this president doesn’t demonstrate the leadership that America needs,"
I think that ship has sailed.
3
the military doesn't like to get political and they really don't like criticizing the commander in chief, so when a general speaks out, it's forceful
3
Thank you, Admiral ~ WeThePeople need your voice, loud and clear, to be heard by the Republican senate during the impeachment trials coming their way. Please, it is of utmost importance that voices like yours be heard, to literally save our country, from Trump's duplicitous tyranny.
2
Dear Admiral McRaven: May it be from your "lips to God's ears." Yes, yes, yes. Our country is in great danger from Trump. "It is time for a new person in the Oval Office — Republican, Democrat or independent — the sooner, the better. The fate of our Republic depends upon it."
1
"...if not us, then who?"
Indeed! If we are not the police of the world, then someone else will be.
And who will police the world according to their own rules?
China? Russia? Iran? Saudi Arabia?
2
If???... then??? Trump hasn't shown a shred of real leadership or the slightest desire to unite us... and he won't all of a sudden change. It is FAR past time for him to be removed.
4
BZ, Admiral. Somebody needs to say this, loud and clear. Men and women currently serving in, or out, of uniform simply have to see the constant assault on the oath we all took by the occupant of the White House. I'm speaking as a nine year veteran.
2
As much a foreign invader would be Trump is a clear and present danger to our country. He is an incredible weakling play acting at dominance at whatever cost. He fawns over powerful male tyrants to inhale their power vibes while trying to gain their admiration in the hope that he will feel stronger. He always fails. They take him exactly for the fool he is, laughing at him, manipulating him, throwing away his jaw dropping letters. And in the meantime he is decidedly destroying our country. He goes on the road for his Trumpite fix, bad mouthing our nation to fools. Yes, Admiral, he must be stopped. The damage is mounting by the hour.
2
Great. Then do something. Enough words. Take action.
1
“I don’t like Democrats”? What’s not to like? In the military, and after serving, you get a lot of what the Democrats are advocating: healthcare, assistance with paying for education, retirement benefits...But I guess you call it “socialism” when it benefits everyone.
7
Admiral McRaven your commentary brought tears of pride to my eyes. My dad served as a pilot in WWII and helped save us from the Nazis. He always said that he had hated the war but was proud of what America had accomplished with our allies.
The pride trump expresses is a false pride, pride he reserves for himself and his alleged accomplishments. He has no pride in his fellow Americans and our allies and denigrates those that have served and sacrificed for our democracy. No doubt after he is aware of your article in the NYT he will be tweeting that you are the "worst Admiral ever, the worst in the world".
I watched a clip of him at his "rally" last night. His followers have lost their pride in America and replaced it with anger. I don't like Republicans and I fear the man that they keep enabling in the WH who is destroying our fragile democracy.
Thank you for your dedicated service to our country, for supporting our allies, for putting a "good" face on America and keeping us safe. Trump shall pass, I have faith that our democracy will survive in spite of him and those that would undermine our republic. We are much better than that.
4
Why is some general grabbing the author's arm and shouting he doesn't like Democrats? Generals are apolitical I thought. Does he dislike Democrats because he has economic anxiety (aka racism) so that's why he desperately wants to support the dottard? I'm just saying that is quite disturbing.
1
"I don't like the Democrats" is part of the problem. A blanket denunciation of Democrats makes as much sense as saying Trump proves that all Republicans lack any trace of human decency.
3
Thank you so much for a reasoned analysis and statement on the crisis we are now facing in our current Presidency. I cannot agree more. Know that you are not the only citizen who is distressed by the recent events in the White House. Let us all work to change the occupant of the White House and to elect a new one who has reasonable ambitions for the country.
2
Good for Admiral McRaven. It would be helpful if more former military and public servants exercised their first amendment rights regarding this President, while they still have first amendment rights.
4
The Trump administrations is making Congress irrelevant. The Supreme Court is packed with conservative Justices who will rule in Trump's favor. What are the the alternatives to save the Republic without becoming a military ruled Nation?
1
"If President Trump doesn’t demonstrate the leadership that America needs, then it is time for a new person in the Oval Office."
As a country, we can't afford any more evidence that Trump is incapable of leadership and can only act in his own perceived interests. The bar is lowered daily so that we're continually digging a deeper pit. This is not a man who will be controlled, norm to rules, or suddenly develop ethics and leadership. Unless he is directly removed, he will continue to act at the expense of our nation and the world.
If 10% more of the voting population says enough, clearly in polls, the Senate Republicans will see the inevitable and act to save their own hides. Unfortunately, it's that craven a calculation. It's also not that far away.
3
Under attach from the Present together with his cabinet and the republican senate led by Moscow Mitch. I also agree with a writer below who notes it is a waste of time and energy to expect that Trump (or I am beginning to suspect his rep. senate, congress) will ever change.
2
Interesting read. Two thoughts based on trying to understand the motivation and timing behind writing this Opinion.
1. No mention that Admiral McRaven is on the board of ConocoPhillips. If Admiral McRaven were not on an oil and gas company board with operations in the Middle East, I might believe this story, but Admiral McRaven is, and has personal monitarily interest in never having military leave any situation because this is viewed (my opinion) as a slippery slope, (what if a president starts removing troops from "insert region of oil and gas" next?) As of right now, Trump is removing 50 troops. Admiral McRaven must realize that there was a reason other than how "honorable" he is, to be hired to a board seat for an oil and gas company, right? What does $220,000 in restricted stock annually, along with $132,500 annually pay for?
2. Do people in our military really believe "we were champions of justice, the protectors of the less fortunate." This is in my opinion opposite of what I read in the NYT everyday. (endless wars to support the US "economic" interests.
7
Yes these are important considerations AND so is fighting for universal healthcare, which could be achieved with a cut to the military. Let us not forget a key reason why Trump’s base veers towards isolationism-the terror of losing everything if you land in the hospital is a despicable fate that many of us have lived with for too long. Please, more military standing up for universal healthcare.
1
Hear, hear. The words of Joseph de Maistre in the early 19th century have never been more true: "Every nation gets the government it deserves." If Americans don't wake up and see this soon, we will lose our Republic for not having deserved it.
4
Thank you Admiral for standing up for democracy. As a retired U.S. Navy veteran and Vietnam veteran, you have spoken for me. I took Trump’s place in Vietnam like thousands of other citizens without a bone spur.
8
Agreed. That's what elections are for, right? We have one coming in November 2020. We also have rules outlining impeachment. And since we don't do the things other countries (and their militaries) do when they no longer like the guy in power, we must follow one of those two options. I trust this is something we all agree on.
2
“And if this president doesn’t understand...” Admiral McRaven, given the lucidity of your expressed position, why are you holding out for this president to understand? This reluctance to condemn Trump unequivocally gives Trump and all his supporters cover and is exactly what will get Trump re-elected. With all due respect Admiral, this is not leading.
5
While I appreciate the Admiral's piece here so much, I am wondering what we can do about the millions of Americans who would immediately dismiss the words of an honored member of our military as "liberal propaganda," or just more proof of the "deep state" attempting a "coup" against the "greatest president in US history." Therein lies the problem, and I am scared at how powerless I feel to be able to do anything about it. The system is blinking red, the truth is out for anyone to see, and yet half the nation refuses to see it, and would say that I'm part of the problem for even suggesting something is wrong.
10
Thank you Admiral McRaven. I hope other men and women speak out before it is too late.
5
Thank you, Admiral McRaven. Unfortunately, given the level of incompetence by this president and the grave national threat he poses to our democracy, it is time for more senior-ranking officials, both government and military, to step up and give the American people a clear-eyed view into what is occurring in the White House and how it affects our democracy and our standing around the world.
There is a reason military officials do not typically comment on policy or politics. There is a reason that our military did not show political bias in the past. (It turns my stomach to see our young service people wearing MAGA hats.) We have civilian control over our military, and not the other way around, precisely to ensure a democracy and not a military dictatorship.
I understand why General Mark Milley had his head bowed. I can understand why General Mattis feels restricted by "convention" not to speak out right now. But these are unusual and grave times for our nation.
You and other officials are uniquely positioned with a platform and a voice. Conventional norms must be set aside because if we wait too much longer, it may be too late.
My family members served in WWII and the Korean War. But we don't have your voice or platform, and waiting for the next election may jeopardize everything Americans have fought for. Please, it is time for those who have been closest to this president to speak.
8
Beautifully and movingly said. Thank you.
One is reminded, in the course of reading your essay, of the ending scene of "A Few Good Men", in which the two enlisted Marines are acquitted -- because they were ordered to do so by the Colonel (Jack Nicholson) -- of abusing a fellow enlisted man (which led to his death). But they were found guilty of Conduct Unbecoming a Marine.
One Marine asks the other why they were guilty of that: the Colonel had ordered the abuse so they "did nothing wrong".
The other Marine reflects a moment and responds, (I paraphrase):
Yeah, we did. We were supposed to protect those who weren't strong enough to protect themselves.
This is the purpose of our government and the enduring mission of the country. It is this mission that is in jeopardy by Trump and his supporters.
5
Is anybody listening? Does anybody care? Can a man as patriotic as Admiral McRaven do more than write an op-ed in the NYTimes? Maybe we can organize a counter rally at the places where the MAGA crowd gathers. we need to be doing much more than we are. We as a nation are just sitting alone in front of computers reading and writing op-eds. It isn't enough. If McRaven spoke to a MAGA crowd, would it help? Would the media cover it? Now is the time for all good men and women to come to the aid of their country.
9
If the Republicans don't pay attention to these eloquent words written by Admiral McCraven, our country may be doomed, but the Senate Republicans along with their steady, highly intelligent president will have been the singular cause.
3
Thoughtful and well written opinion. I would just make a small observation in regard to the retired four-star general's comment, “I don’t like the Democrats, but Trump is destroying the Republic!” It is not just Trump alone who is destroying the Republic, it is almost the entire GOP/Republican party who are either silent or enabling of Trump. The Republicans seem to feel no shame nor concern for the country, why would the retired general be supportive of Republicans now? And if the retired general is honest about not liking the Democrats, he really must detest the Republicans for what the GOP is supporting and enabling.
13
I'm glad that McRaven is speaking out, but his gushing about military honor pales given the fact that a majority of the military always votes R, including for Trump.
7
Take a look at the 2016 candidate and the current Democratic contenders and maybe you’ll see why that is. And I held my nose and voted for Clinton anyway.
1
THANK YOU SO MUCH Admiral McRaven for the truth and light you shine on this dark time! We need more of our leaders, of all kinds, to come forward and speak theses words of truth to our nation. If enough of our best and brightest did so it would move the impeachment process forward in a faster pace and move the Senate to get it done. This is the best way to proceed ,if we want to be returned to a nation of honor and truth.
Once again Admiral thank you for your service and we will never forget.
5
Spot on analysis, sublime, and eloquent. I only hope that it is read by those in elected office on both sides of the aisle. But more importantly, I hope it is read by those who voted fro him.
8
Thank you for finally speaking out on behalf of our nation. It’s way past time that your colleagues, in or out of uniform, do the same. Same goes for Republicans. Stop triangulating and start defending our values and the Constitution. We’re gratified to know there are still good men such as yourself in our service.
5
How about Tulsi Gabbard as the Democratic nominee? She seems like a solid choice to beat Trump if she gets the nomination. I can’t say that about ANY of the other candidates. I bet that four star general and many like him would vote for Tulsi over Trump with zero hesitation. I don’t think that will be the case with a Biden, Warren, or Sanders.
2
The words of the retired four-star general, “I don’t like the Democrats, but Trump is destroying the Republic!” This is very true, but sad that democrats are all lumped together. We are people too, with love for our country and devotion to service. It is time to look past the labels and into the hearts of all people.
15
Admiral, thank you for reminding US what no one should ever forget.
Or overlook. Democracy, it’s types, forms, culture influenced variations,
hues, colors, contrast, textures and vibrancies is a living process, and not a static end result.
Democracy, with its civilities, mutual trust, mutual respect, sensitive caringness,principles, values, norms and ethics, and mutual help, when and if required- asked for as well as not,needs constant care.
Seeding. Feeding. Attention.
Thank you for remembering those who, dying, losing limbs, traumatized,
having been drafted or volunteered, secure(d) both the rights and
responsibilities gifted to those who live, cope, adapt and function within
America’s geographical boundaries. Revised histories. Traditions and legacies to be proud of, as well as not.
THEIR sacrifices have and continue to enable the freedom to be passively complacent.
To be actively complicit in...
THEIR bodies, psyches and all too often tortured souls, desecrated;
NOW freely-enable the violating of the Constitution.
Now freely being ravished, by words and deeds, of all too many
personally unaccountable policymakers. At ALL levels. Ideologies.
Thank you, Admiral, for reminding each of US, that American democracy,
even in a divided nation of diverse Peoples continues to enable the free
choice to contribute to making a needed difference that can create a
sustainable difference for equitable menschlichkeit. For ALL.
Thank you for your contribution in protecting...
2
Looks like two America can't co-exist...
Too much culture shock for one part of America vs. not enough progressive vision for another part of America.
Time to go separate ways in a most possible peaceful manner.
Don't ask me how it could be done...i have no clue.
3
“Looks like two America can’t coexist”? What?
I don’t think I can agree with that.
I do agree with your statement at the end of your comment.
1
Thank you, sir.
The U.S. is just as often the bad guys as the good guys. Maybe more. Our invasion of Iraq; the Vietnam War, democratically elected leaders we deposed in Guatemala, Iran and many other places. and many other military operations in the interest of American dominance that caused unnecessary suffering.
The bloodshed over the last week and resulting Syrian and Turkish gains are only the latest development in a completely unnecessary conflict started by Bush and Cheney. The only good thing about the current man in office is his reluctance to commit America to foreign conflicts. The removal of troops in this case was undoubtedly wrong, but overall his score in this area is good.
The current man loves dictators and hates the limitations Democracy places upon his power. That is the danger he poses to our country, along with the danger his environmental policies pose to the entire world.
10
Ever ask yourself who gives the military their orders in a democracy? Ever wonder what YOUR responsibility might be?
WHEW! Thank you, Admiral for your clear voice and your service, both military and to clearing a path through the mines threatening our ship of state.
Even before he took the oath of office Trump was tearing down the bulwark that our Constitution serves to protect us from tyranny. In the three years since, we've seen that assault continue, even accelerate.
I believe that one of Trump's most effective tactics is to keep the people from getting their feet under them. Every day brings a new series of outrages that serve to keep the opposition off-balance and the people stupefied.
Republicans in Congress are more concerned with retaining power and jamming through their agenda than preserving what oceans of blood has bought. They welcome the chaos because the people are fooled by the slight of hand and don't see that they are being robbed of what is most precious.
7
Were it not for Putin's insurrection of the election, along with a complicit media (hundreds of free hours for Trump), a social media that was ripe for seeding hatred, division and lies, and a culture that no longer cares about truth and embraces conspiracy theories, along with an angry mob mentality, we might not have Trump as President. Most of these elements are still there, in fact Putin will probably do even more damage this time around, and Trump is now in power and doesn't seem to care about maintaining Democracy. So, without some mass uprising or a sudden change of heart from the GOP enablers and Trump's base, why should we expect anything to change? I shudder at the thought of Trump winning in 2020, please let's not let this nightmare go on. We need to create a wave like no other in history, a wide so huge, that not only does it wipe out Trump, it wipes out all the ills that he has so loved to embrace and exploit. I think we all want that, Dem or Republican. Let's choose country over party, and get back to a nation of rule of law, respect and unity.
14
I would say that this is not just about Trump. He is just echoing what many Americans (not including myself) believe. Too many of our fellow Americans have grown not to have empathy for the many peoples around the globe who live in tyranny. Therefore there is now an attitude of "what's in it for me?" of global involvement. Why should the US care about Kurds, Central Americans etc? There is nothing new in this, it is what Trumps is acting on.
7
Sir, thank you for all of the thought and care you put into this. I am so grateful that myself as well as my brothers and sisters in arms have you, and leaders like you, to look up to and emulate.
I'm no longer active duty, but I'm continuing in this career field as a contractor, and it truly is humiliating to see the way my job and peers have been denigrated in the last few years. We work grueling (at times) hours to deliver timely and actionable information, and our efforts are independent of political views, but clearly what our leader wants, is people on His Side. I love my job, I hope to do it for many years to come - but it's demoralizing to constantly see the intelligence leaders in this country being ignored or disrespected, and our hard work repudiated (more often than not by Republicans). No matter, I will continue to do what I do best, and hope that things change soon. Thanks again for such a great column.
6
wonderful. If any good comes out of this nightmare, it is we have all come to appreciate our Constitution, our democracy, our values. Everyone is waking up that involves all of us in a democracy.
3
Admiral, I'm of a mind with you and the four star general who stated his worry about Trump.
I urge you to consider, though, that Trump is not an aberration of the Republican Party. He's the culmination of decades of delegitimizing of the press, our government and--when convenient--our values. I worry that people look at Trump as an isolated blip of political chaos instead of one point on a large data graph.
I have no issue with people being patriotic. Had I the capacity to serve in government in some way, I would love to do so. I want to give something back and pay something forward. In the meantime I worry for my cousin, who joined State in the midst of one of the largest downsizing of our diplomatic corps in our history; I worry also for my friends who are veterans, and hope they will get proper medical care.
Our priorities as a country are out of whack with our stated values. We very much need to sort this out. While it is more difficult with Trump in office, getting rid of him will not automatically end the lies and attacks on our institutions. The work goes on.
10
Excellent column, which begs a question: how the views of Trump by veterans today compare to this Military Times poll from 10 July 2019:
"Strong support for Trump among veterans in new national poll"
https://www.militarytimes.com/news/pentagon-congress/2019/07/10/strong-support-for-trump-among-veterans-in-new-national-poll/
4
This piece is as much a plea to the president to keep America's promises, as it is a warning that the military won't have his back should he not vacate the Oval Office when legally ordered to do so.
2
Admiral McRaven undoubtedly knows the quote from Edmund Burke to Thomas Mercer, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” Trump is evil, and there are very few good men (or women) in position to do anything. Those who are trying (Democrats) may well be doing so to serve their own political goals, but they are on the side of right, and should be supported in the impeachment inquiry.
Trump is not a leader, you can see it reflected in his cabinet and administration as the people come and go as if there were a revolving door at the White House. You can see his lack of leadership as he's weakened America's role on the world stage, as he created divisions with our historical allies, as he's left allies on the battlefield twisting in the wind.
It is time for good men and women to do what needs to be done.
8
“I don’t like the Democrats, but Trump is destroying the Republic!” Unnamed Retired General
He doesn't say he hates Democrats, but there is a dramatic reversal in the statement. If not for Trump, Democrats are unworthy of his support, a complete division. This borders on a toxic sentiment. But I read opposite sentiments in this journal. The lack of trust between the parties has gotten too radical. Our disdain for the opposite view has lead to a breach of trust so bad that we can't get anything done. Let us be hard on the opponent's views but leave some space for trust.
2
Great column except, I went cold when I read,
“I don’t like the Democrats".
Those words are the reason so many Republican voters never vetted Trump properly and just voted for him without considering HIS words during the campaign. Hate for Dems is real in Trump's Base.
Trump showed us who he is with his words the day he came down that escalator. I guess people chose not to take him at his word(s) or they liked all the hateful rhetoric that spewed from Trump's strongman act to win voters.
Didn't the majority of the military vote for Trump?They fell for someone whose intentions were and are to wreck OUR Republic and he's got help from Republicans in Congress!
For the last 2-1/2 years Trump has shown us how much he meant that hateful speech in his Tower. On the campaign trail, he showed us how hateful he could be to people who don't agree with him, won't flatter him and won't agree that he can do WHATEVER he wants, which he assumes incorrectly is in the constitution. Again, he's got many helpers who support him in his megalomaniac thinking.
Trump is the same person now, as the day he announced his candidacy that people voted for. He hasn't changed. The Dems knew who Trump was from the get go. We knew he was bad for the country.
And what do we get for trying to keep Trump from completely using his wrecking ball on the Republic? A 4 Star General says, he doesn't like Democrats. That's insulting AND that attitude is what got Trump elected in the first place.
19
More leaders and commentators should be pointing out how many Americans have been killed or wounded fighting ISIS to prevent another attack on the United States.
Now Trump abandons our allies the Kurds and hundreds of ISIS prisoners have been set free.
4
The problem with this article is it’s from a man who has failed everywhere he has sought to intervene. Americans being sent to fight and die overseas has been a dismal failure. President Trump is owning up to the reality he inherited and deciding to bring our men and women home. God bless him!
8
@John : Then why is he sending our troops to Saudi Arabia? I understand Trump said "They are paying us". Who is Saudi Arabia paying for our soldiers? Are they mercenaries now? Trump is a danger to our country and our planet.
7
Rather than talking about Trump's attacks on the Republic, which are obvious to anyone with half a brain and don't need much clarification, it would be more useful for a high-ranking officer to discuss why is it that the American Military is so servile to Trump.
I am not referring to their duty to obey their Commander in Chief unconditionally, that goes without saying. I am referring to the fact that military men and women support Trump, a draft dodger, as private citizens. This statistical fact suggests there is a connection between Trump, the immoral narcissist, and the Military. Exploring that connection from the viewpoint of a senior military officer would be interest to many thinking people.
5
Nice article, but this means nothing. You are a voice in the wilderness among millions of Americans who don't care or can't care.
2
These military deans need to remember their place in this republic, and stop with the political moralizing. Leveraging your career in the armed services against a duly elected representative (of whatever stripes) is decidedly dishonorable, Admiral.
9
@Walter
I guess you have a point as long as you're willing to ignore the decidedly dishonorable actions on the part of Trump that prompted this "political moralizing".
2
@Walter, uninformed and inexplicably arrogant civilians need to be reminded that retired military officers do not surrender the rights of citizenship. They sacrifice their public voice while serving on active duty. That obligations ends with the termination of their military command authority. As a nation, we benefit greatly from the experience & insight gained at great peril & sacrifice during their years of frontline service. Our security would be greatly diminished if their voices were not available at the end of their military careers.
4
The creature who occupies the Oval Office and those around him have no clue as to what Admiral McRaven is talking about. They don't have a clue because they would have to be men and women of honor, integrity, sterling character, and a commitment to the welfare of the country not the welfare of themselves. The comments of General Mathis last night tells us all we need to know about Trump and his lack of morals and character.
Our country is in mortal danger from these people. And the Republicans in the Senate and the House are no different. For the good of the country we must turn these creatures out and begin to restore the greatness of our country.We can't be trusted as a country, and that must be restored.
5
For reasons of space, even this thoroughly thought-out commentary omits many of Trump's warped abuses of power. One of the most absurd was the literal hiding of the USS John McCain during Trump's visit to North Korea; that ship's sailors were not even allowed to be seen wearing their uniforms with their ship's identity. This was a shameful message to send to our troops - that their ship was an embarrassment to the President and - and the cheap pettiness of it is representative of all that is Trump.
More recently, Trump has attempted to take funds appropriated for our military to use for his mythic wall.
I am under the impression that the military supported Trump in the election. I find this incomprehensible. Do the rank and file of our troops not understand the facts that Admiral McRaven has so clearly laid out? If not, why not?
4
It's time for the commander in chief of the armed services, Mr. Trump, to be court-martialed: for conduct unbecoming, for denigrating a US General, General Mattis, and for failing to follow the chain of command, backwards, leading our own military to destroy our military bases as they beat a hasty, unprepared retreat, leaving our nuclear arms in Turkish hands.
2
In their oath of office, our military officers swear to "...support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic..."
I think Admiral McRaven has acquitted himself well.
May he be the first of many.
6
Yes, Our Republic Is Under Attack From the President.
The question is now what do we do about it.
5
Eisenhower warned us about the military industrial complex and how it breeds men like McRaven.
How prescient he was.
10
Am truly humbled by your integrity and bravery. it is your one per cent that is most important, to our country, those of courage who put their lives on the line. to follow a commander in chief unworthy of your service and sacrifice is a security issue for our country. your sane voices must be more outspoken every day at every opportunity. Somehow this insulting irrational president who rules by gut must be replaced with a more sane and balanced leader. somehow
This is another wishy-washy indictment of the president, and by a Special Ops Commander no less. "If this president doesn’t understand their importance ..."? Of course he does not. He respects autocrats, behaves obsequiously toward them, wants to be them. Further, he has no understanding of policy and no interest in learning.
"I don’t like the Democrats, but Trump is destroying the Republic”? How about just "Trump is destroying the Republic," with no qualifier?
I'll say it again: "Trump is destroying the Republic." He has put a dollar sign on the US, everything (including our values) is for sale, and he is the cashier. Why is Admiral McRaven unable to speak strongly and pointedly about this ignorant and traitorous president? He's not running for reelection.
3
Your morals and integrity Sir unfortunately fall on deaf ears on the thousands of Trump supporters wearing their hateful red MAGA hats and cowardly Republicans who are afraid of losing their jobs. Only when the destructive policies and practices of Trump cause true pain amongst his supporters will there ever be a chance of turning this around. And given Trump’s cult-like popularity, the damaging propaganda of Fox News and false talking points of a Republicans, this even this will in no way be an easy task.
2
Admiral McRaven, I respectfully disagree with you. Our republic, our nation, is not under attack by the president. It is under attack by the Republican party. Yes, Donald Trump is by far the worst in the Republican party in so highly visible a position, but he is not the only one. More importantly, Donald Trump is not the disease, he is the symptom of the disease. The disease is the Republican party, and you can tell 100% for sure that Donald is merely the symptom by the full support he receives from the diseased party.
6
So run. Because right now all other viable options strike me as an even bigger threat to our Republic.
1
“A house divided against itself, cannot stand. I believe this government cannot endure, permanently, half slave and half free. I do not expect the Union to be dissolved — I do not expect the house to fall — but I do expect it will cease to be divided. It will become all one thing or all the other. Either the opponents of slavery will arrest the further spread of it, and place it where the public mind shall rest in the belief that it is in the course of ultimate extinction; or its advocates will push it forward, till it shall become lawful in all the States, old as well as new — North as well as South”...Abraham Lincoln.
No matter the issue, what is different in the year 2019 between all Americans and between the 7.7 billion humans on earth???
This president is like a rotten egg, it is not going to improve with time, it just gets worse.
Some individuals develop a tolerance to the staunch, but the odor doesn't go away, till you chuck it away.
4
How can a man as decent, as intelligent, as brave, as Admiral McRaven say '...If President Trump doesn’t demonstrate the leadership that America needs, then it is time for a new person in the Oval Office...'. After almost three years of demonstrating, day after day, his total lack of leadership qualities, how can anyone suggest it is still possible to demonstrate? That said, thank you, Admiral. We need more people like you.
2
Lets look at the heading for a minute, "If President Trump doesn’t demonstrate the leadership that America needs, then it is time for a new person in the Oval Office". This we know he IS DOING. However, we are not fools, what the general really means is represented by replacing "America" with "the Washington Establishment". That he IS NOT DOING. We know Kennedy was assassinated for doing exactly what Trump is doing, doing what the people wants and not what the Washington Establishment wants. You look at Trump's Rally last night, you think all those people give a schitick about what this general is saying? To remove Trump by force means civil war in this country, period. The general is an utter fool, he IS on the losing side now or will be on the losing side in the civil war he wants to start. What give you liberals to be the custodians of the vision for tomorrow's America? The widespread corruption you have done over the decades?
2
I wonder if the general even knows why he "doesn't like the Democrats..."
2
Jingoism and whitewashing go hand-in-hand and History is written by those who hang heroes. The US got in World War II late, protected by two oceans and only after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. Fascism and oppression were clear for all to see. As per all those military bases all over the world, it's just a way to keep the US military supremacy and guard the US economic interests.
The US also propped up fascism, oppression and tyranny in South and Central America, sometimes supporting coups for freely elected governments only to usher in the most despicable of regimes.
One cannot wrap himself in the flag and be so oblivious to History and all the pain and suffering the US has inflicted all over the planet.
5
Yesterday morning on CSPAN, a woman called up and said, "Let's get real - Obama banned Christians from entering the United States". She said Trump defeated ISIS hours before he took sole credit - this is what we are dealing with - she'll never read this op-ed. Let's get real.
4
Thank you, Admiral Mc Craven for honestly speaking your truth. Let's hope you will be joined by many more honorable officers in the military.
2
Does this apply to retired officers?
"Any commissioned officer who uses contemptuous words against the President, the Vice President, Congress, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of a military department, the Secretary of Homeland Security, or the Governor or legislature of any State, Commonwealth, or possession in which he is on duty or present shall be punished as a court-martial may direct."
(Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 67; Pub. L. 96–513, title V, § 511(25), Dec. 12, 1980, 94 Stat. 2922; Pub. L. 107–296, title XVII, § 1704(b)(1), Nov. 25, 2002, 116 Stat. 2314; Pub. L. 109–163, div. A, title X, § 1057(a)(3), Jan. 6, 2006, 119 Stat. 3440.)
4
I’m sure the Admiral appreciates these little threats.
1
What did Obama do for "the Kurds, the Iraqis, the Afghans, the Syrians, the Rohingyas, the South Sudanese and the millions of people under the boot of tyranny or left abandoned by their failing states?"
What should we do for "the Kurds, the Iraqis, the Afghans, the Syrians, the Rohingyas, the South Sudanese and the millions [actually billions] of people under the boot of tyranny or left abandoned by their failing states?"
4
@Gregory Brittain Apparently, yell "Avengers Assemble" and go take out all of the world's bad guys. But first, how do we figure out who the good guys and who the bad guys are?
1
Admiral McRaven metaphorically won his spurs on the battlefield. The Current Occupant of the White House won his spurs in a doctor's letter.
2
You've led us out of other messes. How about one more time....Based on your history, this OpEd and the state of the Republic, I'd vote for you.
Why so late? Doesn't speak very well to your strategic abilities if you couldn't recognize a despot in the makings.
5
BTW--need to add some numbers that civilians are COMPLETELY unaware of.
1% of the population of the US will serve in the military.
1% of the military is combat arms.
10% of combat arms will ever see combat.
99% of our military will never be in a potential combat position! So all those folks you see in BDUs (Battle Dress Uniforms--camos) are support. Managers, secretaries, quartermasters (Q like in James Bond--but really just shopkeepers).
Yet they’re ALL treated like heroes, get discounts, $100K GI loans for school and housing. Free health care for life if you spent 4 years as a Marine and pregnant the entire time.
As a vet and widow of a vet I am embarrassed that the military gets socialism--“Medicare for all” and you never have to apply for another job in your life. As long as you don’t screw up badly, you keep getting promoted then after so many years, pension and UNBELIEVABLE perquisites!
No. this needs to stop. EVERY person needs to put in 2 years minimum national service...military, school aides, hospital and hospice workers, National Park maintenance, highway construction...THEN they can get the same $60K loans for college or a house.
We MUST stop this bubble universe of people never worrying about food, housing, school, healthcare for life that the military gets.
My god, there’s even parking for Purple Heart recipients at Home Depot!
Roofers and linemen have the most dangerous jobs in the USA! Why don’t THEY get Purple Hearts and health care for life?
9
@Nuschler
And disabled vets? My late military spouse was given a 50% disability retirement for breaking his collarbone in a pickup basketball games. Considered on duty 24/7.
A retiring Marine colonel wanted me to give him 100% disability, yet he played golf at Dam Neck VA naval base EVERY DAY! I played with him on my day off and he was a scratch golfer! By now I was a civilian and tired of the perks the military got. I refused so he found a military flight surgeon to get him that 100% disability. Now he’ll get double pension at $13K/month and young enough to find a civil service job--“double dipping” is basically illegal but no one enforces it.
Yes I’m proud of my fellow service members--I just don’t think that we/they get so many perks that many harder working civilians never do.
3
Yes! $$$Tax Cuts for the $$$Rich (Ant Right wing judges) = All Republicans care about.
2
Hear, hear!!
Admiral, you are the paradigm of leadership.
I can't think of anything to say.
Pence? (Urk...)
1
HINT: grabbing someone by the arm, shaking them and screaming into their face that they may "not like Democrats" isn't a strong sign of good mental health.
This article is really nothing more than a love-fest of all the words ever used since Pericles, to amp people up.
Sorry, but even I can find the smelly-underbelly in every sentence and recognize that more than 50% of this opinion is simply oratory.
The military has almost 2 TRILLION DOLLARS this year in the budget and it has 63% of all discretionary monies.
(Russia, in comparison, has an economy the size of Italy.)
I truly hate it when those with all the marbles whine that they have nothing, have no power, need more, etc.
Sorry you can't do anything about Trump, but like your 4-star general said, he doesn't like Democrats.
Well, I guess we know how HE voted, don't we?
In fact, I'll bet that 99% of everyone you know, voted Republican.... even after McConnell's stealing a Supreme Court seat.
No, sir.
I don't believe you understand that first half you wrote.
This was not a screed against the criminality of Donald J. Trump or even the incompetence of his Cabinet.
It was simply a typical speech, circa 450 BCE, from a MIC general who had access to public monies and he also had one mention of women: He told his audience to ignore those weeping women over on the next hill (who weren't allowed closer). That that's just what women do - wail over dead sons.
There was nothing new in this, sir.
We deserve better.
Try again.
7
You couldn’t have told your story without the totally unnecessary dig at the Democrats?
5
Why is it necessary to word it as “a young female sailor...?” The following sentence begins, “Her husband...” so her gender would be understood.
For that matter, why would her gender be germane at all? You don’t reference the gender of the officers in the preceding paragraph, and her being female had no bearing on how she was honored or why you referenced her.
Imagine the sentence “a young male sailor,” or the subjects of the prior paragraph referred to as ”a male Army Special Forces warrant officer,” “a male intelligence officer,” or “ a male retired Marine general.” Sounds silly, right? If it sounds silly to reference a man as a “male xyz” then there’s no reason to reference a woman as a “female xyz.”
NYT, you can do better than this. It’s also well past the time that you SHOULD do better.
2
Since corporations captured our gov't, it's up to them to fix the mess they've made. Do you really want your kids growing up under a dictatorship by a mentally ill criminal who has no allegiance to this country nor anyone else but himself? Do you really want a king? If not, do something!!
4
The wages of racism is Trump.
1
Just yesterday I was writing that Nancy Pelosi has become today's Golda Meir: "The Only Man in the Room."
We have a president who is truly either what his former sec state called him, "a moron," or a traitor. Neither one should be in, or near, the White House.
Many thousands of us are ashamed we ever voted for any Republican. GOP officeholders OBVIOUSLY put power over anything resembling a "principle" -- those things they sold us on for years. Those things that Admiral McRaven is attempting to remind Americans.
2
“The Greatest Generation went to war because they knew we were the good guys”. No. They went to war because they were drafted. At least my Dad and three uncles were. They didn’t know beans about Why we were fighting.. They were farmers. My great uncles and grandfather were drafted in WWI. They were new immigrants and also ignorant of European affairs and why they were fighting.
Vietnam? Young kids drafted into a war that killed millions of people in a tiny country that only wanted self determination and set off a whole chain of events that spawned oppression, tyranny, and genocide in the region. Same story in the Middle East.
There is no glory and honor in war. People who serve in the military are not necessarily high minded or honorable men as you portray them to be. In fact few are. Even Generals.
The military is inherently conservative in every country. That’s why they “don’t like democrats” and continue to take orders from a president that has committed treason and is “destroying the Republic. The military- industrial complex and the billions of dollars of taxpayer money that is thrown at is one of the biggest reasons we are where we are today politically.
So spare me all the fancy spit and polish rhetoric. Hitler’s professional officer class followed his orders until the very end of the war, when, finally, a few generals had the courage to disobey orders that only wasted men in the certainty of total defeat. And the American military would do the same.
7
@Gwen Vilen “People who serve in the military are not necessarily high minded or honorable men...”. Don’t forget the high numbers of sexual assault in the military and the cover ups when reported!
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/02/us/military-sexual-assault.amp.html
1
Thank you Sir.
Thank you sir.
Thank you SIR.
Admiral McRaven: Enough with the “if...then” constructions. Just say it man! Trump needs to go!
2
Dear General McRaven,
I know you have served your nation well. I know you are probably enjoying your well deserved retirement. But, please kind sir, please run to be the next POTUS.
If the Republic is under attack by the President, it's under attack by his "armed services", i.e. the Republicans-- or most of them. The Republican Party is now a far-right populist party, more the party of George Wallace and Pat Buchanan than the party of Lincoln.
2
I would recommend that every American read Admiral McRaven's comments. I would also suggest that his comments be published in the Army Times, Stars and Stripes, and other places where it is likely to be read by those who serve our nation.
4
The only reason the military likes republicans is because of all the money that flows to red states from blue states - the biggest wealth transfer sham our country has ever seen. Bush and Cheney were both draft dodgers who led our country into the most disastrous war ever. The military needs to think about the 4000 plus soldiers who died in that war, and how unnecessary those deaths were.
And now we have the biggest draft dodger ever, and they supposedly like him. I respect those who serve our country, but I can't respect anyone who likes trump.
7
This is heavy duty and the current must run deep if he has come forward like this.
4
Thank you, Admiral McRaven. I wholeheartedly agree, we need a leader. I worry, when I look at the 2020 polls, I only see and hear socialism. We need to get back to our core, not revolutionize it.
If you are referring to the Democrats .... they are not socialists. Medicare for all, if it even happens, is not socialism. I recommend reading about what socialism really is. We need to stop spreading this misconception.
3
Thank you, Admiral.
Donald Trump recently commented that the Kurds "didn't help us with Normandy." I wonder if he knows why we were there.
5
For all the commenters here who are bad mouthing the military I would seriously recommend some history lessons. Then you can thank your lucky stars for the US military. Some conflicts have been debacles thanks to politicians. But the US military, our brave sons and daughters, have kept wars off our soil. That is something for which I am exceedingly grateful. Now, thanks to Trump, I’m not so sure we can count on peace in our backyards, especially since he’s let ISIS free to roam.
3
Take the “If” and “then” out of the first sentence, and Sir, you have a great opinion piece.
2
Yes, Sir! Spoken like a true patriot and leader.
3
I remain baffled by the comment “I don’t like Democrats”. Ever since Newt Gingrich demonized Democrats in 1994, that party has moved steadily to the right politically. At the same time, those who identify as Republicans have moved further to the right. When I hear, “ Free stuff for everyone!” as the anti Liberal chant, my blood pressure rises. It is the Republicans who completely abandoned fiscal responsibility in order to make lavish gifts of federal largess to military contractors and to the Red States who do not seem to produce much of value. Tax and spend Liberals have given way to borrow heavily and spend conservatives. I am so sorry that it has taken battlefield abandonment to cause military heroes to get their minds right. My mind got right when Mr Nixon left me hanging out in South East Asia. It’s about time.
9
I had the same exact thoughts. Thanks for airing them.
2
“Name calling, denigrating comments, and questioning a person’s motives...”
You talking’ ‘bout trump?
3
Wow! Bravo!
1
10/18/2019 "But, if we don’t care about our values, if we don’t care about duty and honor, if we don’t help the weak and stand up against oppression and injustice — what will happen to the Kurds, the Iraqis, the Afghans, the Syrians, the Rohingyas, the South Sudanese and the millions of people under the boot of tyranny or left abandoned by their failing states?"
With all due respect Admiral, I beg to disagree with you. I am a supporter of our American values like you. My father was a captain in the Army counter-intelligence during WWII in the India-Burma and Pacific theaters and was on Gen. MacArthur's staff from the Philippines on to Tokyo. He served after the war as a Major in the reserves and advised our government for several more years. My uncle glided in on D-Day and survived the advance to Germany and came home when 80% of his buddies who glided in on D-Day did not.
That said, our nation has given over a million lives in the defense of our allies and democracy since WWI. My generation lost over 52,000 lives in Vietnam to the consternation of most of the nation. To what end then? To what end now? When do we say enough is enough?
President Trump campaigned on bringing our troops home. Has he really abandoned our allies? He beefed up our military - President Obama didn't. We're ready to go to war...when and if necessary. ISIS was defeated. I seriously doubt they will re-emerge. No nation, including Russia, Syria or the other Arab nations will allow that to happen.
7
To what end, you ask? When was the last war fought in your backyard? Loss, as horrible as it is, cannot be prevented in the name of freedom. Americans don’t know anything about war because we’ve been spared having it in our doorsteps. So, that’s a pretty significant end.
2
@Hortencia Not counting 9/11? 'Cause if you don't want another 9/11 you need to deal with the immigration problem.
As far as conventional, two oceans and a strong Navy solves most of the problem. Canada is not threat and a big beautiful wall will take care of Mexico.
1
I’m not surprised at all to see a Trumpist pushing the Big Fat Lie that Obama let the military collapse, or the Big Fat Lie that the troops we had in Syria weren’t doing a great job of keeping what peace could be kept and anyway who cares what them people do, or the Big Fat Lie that we can just walk away from the world tra-la-lalling, but I must confess that it’s a bit shocking to see somebody claim this kind of ancestry who needs to have it explained to him why we fought World War 2.
2
More jingoism.
Good grief...
10
This is a powerful and moving statement by someone with far more than his own interests at heart -- thank you, William H McRaven. Public servants who serve, often for a lifetime, are quietly doing the duty that President Kennedy spoke about decades ago -- something our current 'president' is incapable of understanding.
While it is not fashionable to raise the concept, I fear we continue to drift toward a pre-fascist form of leadership. A charismatic leader who stirs his followers to a dangerous frenzy. The leader who rises above the established law of the land, shaping established institutions to his own ends. The leader who can capitalize on those in business to further his purpose. The leader who stigmatizes a race or ethnic group and is willing to sacrifice them. A leader whose narcissism cannot recognize the humanity of others, allowing war-like conditions to develop.
A Trump re-elected in 2020 is a Trump unhinged. Surviving impeachment will be the first step. Democrats -- I am one -- taking a law book to a knife fight have a hard slog ahead. I can only hope that there are enough Republicans to speak up, and vote against a man who is hellbent on taking our country -- to hell.
4
Thank you Sir.
2
Rome is falling.
1
@Jeffrey
The republic.
The empire is just beginning.
There are three things that stand between us and regaining the honor that Admirial McRaven speaks of. There is of course Donald Trump. But just as dangerous are his millions of followers who blindly accept everything he says and who refuse the see the danger he poses. And, perhaps most dangerous of all, there are the Republican members of the U.S. Senate, led by Mitch McConnell, who so far have made it clear that they intend to back Trump to the bitter end no matter what he does so long as doing so allows them to keep their grip on power, their ability to thwart any legislation that originates with the Democrats and their power to pack the courts with judges who by any measure are unqualified ideologues.
9
I voted for Donald Trump. Unless he corrects his mistake here, he will not have my vote again. I joined the Army as a PV1 for some of the precise reasons laid out by the author. I continue to serve, as I believe in my brothers and sisters serving in uniform.
Some of the comments made by the President really grated on me. During the surge in 2007-2008, I lived and fought with the Kurds from Sulaymaniyah, in NE Iraq. The only way to lock down Bagdhad was to bring the Kurdish units from the North. Every Kurd fighter on our missions that were killed or maimed was an American that was not.
To the Author, and the 4 stars out there. Maybe it is time to stop Op-Ed'ing, and show up at the Whitehouse, as a platoon, and talk some sense into the CiC.
There are many Kurdish immigrants in the rust belt. Most of my interpreters were from MI. Not going to win MI, treating our allies as such. These people are not the EU or China, stacked with cash and able to print money when they want. The Pesh fighters were rewarded with a tractor and a plot of land after defeating Sadam in their area.
Mr. President, if you support farmers in America, let us support farmers, cultivating and fighting for their own freedom, among our allies.
5
I thank you for the hard service you did in the military. My only disagreement with you is that there is no talking sense into Donald Trump. This is who he is. And at his age, he is not going to change. But for the money his daddy had, Mr. Trump would have had a very hard life.
6
Entertainment has been confused as leadership by those who voted for and (still) believe in Trump. He is not a president. He is an entertainer. People are entertained. People like being entertained. What we need desperately, right now, is a leader.
7
Admiral, were you actually involved in combat yourself? Real combat, not just training. I vividly recall being in high school and witnessing generals and admirals forcefully pushing into Vietnam. Enjoy your pension and stop making threats against our president.
5
SP, that’s your response to this plea for the future of the Republic? A personal attack on a long serving Admiral?
Without waiting for a response, you conclude indeed he did not serve in combat and therefor his opinion is not valid? What??
Since our President also did not serve in combat (through a false note from his doctor) does that mean we shouldn’t listen to his opinions either?
I still remember the rhetoric and logic classes I took on college. And the one thing they were adamant about was that when responding to an an argued position, a personal attack is the weakest response possible because it addresses neither the facts nor evidence offered to support the other person’s position. And therefor it is easily dismissed as irrelevant.
Whether the Admiral did or did not serve in combat is neither relevant nor evidence in response to his argument here that we are in trouble as a Republic.
Please try again!
11
What exactly is the “threat”?
5
@SP
Is that all you got out of this? Yes, I'm accusing you, is THAT all you get out of this? That he's "threatening" the President? You have a strange conception of what constitutes a threat.
5
It appears that Mr. Trump has enjoyed the unwavering support of military personnel and veterans. The statement “I don’t like the Democrats, but Trump is destroying the Republic!” sums up the partisan bent of the armed forces. For years, the GOP had masqueraded as the champion of the military, increasing budgets, but not always in the most effective ways.
Many Democrats have not been as flag-wavingly supportive. They have had the courage, or gall as some may call it, to call the military to task when bad things happen, or money is wasted while defense contractors prosper.
I am glad that there are a few in the Military who not only recognize the un-American behavior of Mr. Trump, but are willing to speak up as well. But I fear that the majority of our veterans and active duty personnel stand firmly behind the President, regardless of his actions.
I would like to know how those in the military feel about Mr. Trump's personal intervention in the trial of Navy SEALs who have been accused of illegal behavior. Is this considered a bug or a feature of the President's embrace of our armed forces?
9
The President can act this way because other politicians support him, because a very significant portion of the public support him. Replacing the President might help, but the fundamental problem is the spirit of Fox country. Which seems intractable. It's tragic.
7
While I appreciate the General's opinions, we have to be very careful to remember that the military is ruled by civilian bosses, not the other way around. We have developed a blind spot in this country where it is somehow un-patriotic to criticize the military, ever.
I liken the military to the old saw that the hammer sees every problem as a nail.
The military has never seen a war that they did not like.
What The Donald has done to the Kurds IS reprehensible, but we have to be careful not to see the World through a gun-sight only.
3
@bobbybow
"We have developed a blind spot in this country where it is somehow un-patriotic to criticize the military, ever."
It's called FASCISM.
2
@bobbybow Unfortunately, when the civilian bosses are both incompetent and corrupt, the military sometimes decides it's time not to take those orders, and to do something about it. Thank God there has never been a military coup in this country, but then again there has never been a President who treated the military with such disrespect, ignoring the advice of generals, blithely trashing important alliances, and violating every rule of decorum -- such as remaining seated and continuing to talk during the retreat ceremony at a military base, which was fairly minor, or saluting a North Korean officer, which was a lot more serious. I don't want to see a coup any more than I want to see Trump re-elected, but I'm afraid of what could happen if the military thinks they have no other option left.
@matty Let me phrase that a little differently. "We have developed a blind spot in this country where anyone who criticizes the policies of the civilian command comes under attack as unpatriotic for supposedly failing to support the military." We saw this in 1988, when G.H.W. Bush outrageously accused Geraldine Ferraro of saying that the marines in Beirut had "died in shame" because she had criticized the blundering policy that put them in harm's way. We saw it on steroids during the Bush 43 administration, when a couple of chickenhawks who had never seen combat launched a disastrous and pointless war based on falsified information. And we see it now, whenever Trump wants to drape himself in the flag as "commander in chief," bone spurs and all.
4
By not resisting Mr. Trump, the republicans demonstrate to me that they do not believe any more in the Republic. The irony is sharp and cutting. They have pledged fealty to an aspiring monarch. As soon as Trump demanded loyalty from his vassals his monarchical intentions were clear. Now they are being enacted and the vassals remain faithful. In essence we now have two parties, the Democrats and the Monarchists.
14
This is a timely piece and incredibly important. Why can't this sentiment unite the nation? It should be enough. Unfortunately greed and selfishness are standing in the way and are not easily discarded. The truth is that one party has lost their way in this fashion more than the other but we all need to look in the mirror.
3
I'm sorry but removing Trump from the oval office in favor of one of the Democractic candidates for President is not going to save the Republic. The Democrats advocate for systematic destruction of our institutions, such as, packing the Supreme Court, abolishing the electoral college, a partisan impeachment process being done in secret without due process, and bone headed environmental policy AKA the New Green Deal. The Democrats represent the true threat to the Republic.
4
We do? Hih. Guess I didn’t get the newsletter.
Did get the Trump one, though. You know—the one with all the excuses for throwing kids in cages, making bank off being President, and cutting and running and leaving the Kurds to die?
6
@johnny
"a partisan impeachment process being done in secret without due process...:"
you need to read up on this pesky legal thing called A GRAND JURY.
It's a cornerstone legal principle. It convenes behind closed doors. Always. It deposes witnesses, and it gathers evidence to decide whether or not there's enough evidence to indict.
Now, how upset were you about the REAL closed-door tax break for the 0.001% that was done behind closed doors and deliberately excluded all Democrats? You were just fine with that, right, tell me because it was just "legislation" and not an impeachment inquiry?????
2
At this moment, military and professionals are the glory of our country.
In the other side of the street, the current generation of politicians show a very poor image of America.
1
Because of true Americans like respected and esteemed Admiral McRaven, I still have hope in the ideal and idea of America. We will actually come out to be a stronger nation, only if we can keep the Republic alive.
6
Admiral. The choice, as you know, wasn't to stay or go. It was to send in more troops or go. The ~1000 soldiers in Syria were certainly not enough to stop Turkey from moving in.
So unless you were advocating a change in policy to one that Canada employed as UN Peacekeepers, namely to put people in harms way with insufficient support because no one would dare attack them and provoke a backlash - a strategy that is antithetical to America. Then you are suggesting that this was a fight worth escalating.
So then the question becomes, how long do you intend to stay in that section of the world? You want to commit for another 10 years. Because the Kurds are not going to move to a different geography. They will be between Turkey, Syria and Iraq forever. At some point they will need to fend for themselves, unless you see this as a permanent arrangement.
And that begs the question of why. Is this strategic? And why is it that not a single country in Europe is willing to make this stand? They are certainly more at risk of any potential future ISIS attack. Perhaps because Turkey is housing millions of Syrian refugees who would otherwise be migrating to Europe.
ISIS was defeated sir. When does a mission stop?
As for the sacrifices made by brave Americans? You're calling for more. Is fighting Turkey, a key NATO partner really a strategic priority. Are there other ways?
And should a recently retired admiral advocate removal of an elected president. Poor form sir. Maybe worse.
5
@Dred I would say that it would be the duty of an Admiral to protect the country he has given his life to serve. Trump is a clear and present danger to the Republic.
6
@Dred
Turkey would never have dared "move in" without Trump giving Erdogan the green light. And you know that.
Impeachment is WRITTEN INTO THE CONSTITUTION as a process for removing an elected president. Yes, I know you regressives have BIG problems with that pesky document, aka the US Constitution, but it is what it is. Trump deserves nothing less than impeachment for his HIGH crimes and misdemeanors
5
Thank you Admiral. As a former serving soldier I am thrilled to see you lay out the core principles of service in our democracy so lucidly, and also the threats. No matter how I vote, I have always believed that the person who took the office of the President adhered to the same principles, and was honorable and humble in his duties. I am ashamed and humiliated that the current office holder not only does not adhere, but actively ignores his leadership role and seemingly acts in an almost traitorous manner.
1230
Trump is not doing anything he said he wouldn’t do before the military voted for him. Why are they complaining now?
55
@Bobotheclown
The real question is why does the military "vote" republican? Why, because they always needlessly increase the military budget.
74
@Joe
As a veteran I agree with you 100%, but there were 60 million voters that knew what Trump was and voted for him anyway. Some will turn away in 2020, but many will stay with him. The office of the presidency has been tarnished forever as there will be opportunists that will follow Trump's model if he'snot impeached and thrown out of office.
165
We have had an advantage that few other nations in the world have had. We are a nation with huge bodies of water separating us from most of the rest of the world. During times of war, we have never suffered a major attack on our shores. We have peaceful neighbors to the north and to the south. The vast expanse of our continent and the wealth of resources have allowed our democracy and economy to thrive for nearly 240 years.
Since the end of WWII, we have been the dominant power, both economic and military, of the world. We have tried to lead by example. Our desire has been to live in a world free from tyranny and want. It is a goal that still eludes us.
And now we have Trump. In a little more than two and a half years he has destroyed nearly everything good that America has stood for. He has replaced it with a pettiness and depravity that is stunning in its scope. More stunning still is the capitulation to his whims by the entire Republican party.
Who will lead when we are no longer willing or able too?
Who has the stability and the military might to stand up to tyrants and defend our allies when necessary?
Yes, there are many "Good Guys" out there. But not one is in a position to take up the reins and lead. Nor should we want to see a European or Asian nation again develop the offensive military might that led us into WWII.
As long as Trump is in the White House and the Republican party continues to pamper him, this nation will continue the downward spiral.
10
"If President Trump doesn’t demonstrate the leadership that America needs, then it is time for a new person in the Oval Office."
"doesn't" ?!?
How much more proof do we need? Trump has repeatedly failed to demonstrate leadership of any kind. I have always been very wary of a President Pence, but for the good of the nation and the world it is time.
4
As I enter my 29th year of service to our nation, I am concerned for our republic. I am concerned because of how easy it was for a man devoid of honor to ascend to the presidency. More importantly, I am concerned about the number of my fellow citizens who actually defend such a man without honor and who threatens our republic.
1841
The mess will be cleaned up with the lives of the same military who voted for him and their children who sign up to serve.
41
Has there ever been a Republican president (since Eisenhower) who was a man of honor?
88
@Citizen I am concerned about the number of Republicans in Congress who continue to support and defend such a man as Trump. They took an oath to defend the Constitution of the United States and they are derelict in their duty.
178
I'm about to turn 50, and I have been a Democrat all 32 years of my voting life. For all 32 of those years, honorable people, like that four-star general the author quotes, have made me feel as though I've done something wrong by believing that the government can and should be a force for good, providing for the general welfare and protecting our civil liberties. But I accept that each of us defines freedom differently.
But why should it take the worst Presidential example in history, by far, to wrench honorable conservatives away from the Republican party. Republicans have been gradually “destroying the republic” for decades, from Reagan's campaign launch in Mississippi, through the machinations of Newt Gingrich, to Citizens United and the further appointment by this administration of extremist judges to overwhelm the federal courts. Maybe Admiral McRaven just needed the ongoing disintegration of our democracy to turn into a reality show train wreck for him to notice.
When conservatives sat back and admired Mitch McConnell for refusing to seat Judge Garland (effectively a domestic coup), when North Carolina disenfranchised the majority of its voters by extreme Gerrymandering, when Republicans cheered a sleazy, entitled frat boy all the way to the Supreme Court, when Ohio inaccurately and egregiously purged its voting roles, suppressing the vote, the republic those men and women who were honored in those ceremonies for so bravely defending was already all but gone.
18
@A Christian Agreed! Trump and everything and everyone around him have been coming for a long, long time in just the sequence you described. The evangelical/pro-life/anti-abortion movement is hand-in-hand with it through time as well.
2
@A Christian Government is a force for government at the expense of liberty. Protecting civil liberties? Do you have a fox guard a henhouse?
1
This is very similar to how I have felt every single day since the evening of November 8, 2016. Every single day. Although I know I am not alone, it is very encouraging to read words like these from a man like this.
2091
@Michael Hynes I share your "every single day" with just one exception. A glimmer of hope - which turned out to be a meaningless promise of unifying our nation.
From president-elect Trump's victory speech, Nov. 9, 2016: "Thank you very much. I’ve just received a call from Secretary Clinton. She congratulated us — it’s about us — on our victory, and I congratulated her and her family on a very, very hard-fought campaign. I mean, she — she fought very hard. Hillary has worked very long and very hard over a long period of time, and we owe her a major debt of gratitude for her service to our country. I mean that very sincerely. Now it’s time for America to bind the wounds of division; have to get together. To all Republicans and Democrats and independents across this nation, I say it is time for us to come together as one united people. It’s time. I pledge to every citizen of our land that I will be president for all Americans, and this is so important to me."
He was actually "presidential". This was probably Trump's finest five minutes of his life, but it rang hollow - it didn't come from his heart.
42
@Michael Hynes
The ugly truth is that Trump engineered a successful movement, empowered by white pride.
It is an uncomfortable fact.
The more racist his message the more his poll numbers began to rise.
We can talk about the "forgotten farmers" all we want but the plain fact of the matter is that a message of white pride got him elected.
It is sad but true.
53
@Michael Hynes Don't despair, it will be over in 5 years.
3
It's a shame it's taken a foreign policy crisis to finally raise the eyebrows of conservatives from both the military and the legislature. Trump should have been universally dismissed by those with an influential voice the second he took the reins of the birther bandwagon a half-dozen years ago.
9
@Bruce
"It's a shame it's taken a foreign policy crisis to finally raise the eyebrows of conservatives"
Do you realize that Syria is a sovereign country? Our presence there and our support for the toppling of Assad was an act of war. For all the criticism of him seizing dictatorial powers it's ironic that president Trump is the one ending a "war" that Obama started by decree. Meanwhile, the cowards in congress who insist hat we continue to wage it refuse to put their constitutional powers where their mouths are.
1
"If President Trump doesn’t demonstrate the leadership that America needs, then it is time for a new person in the Oval Office."
Oh come on now. How many Presidents did we have who weren't real leaders? Trump is the worst of the lot, but not the only one.
@Rodrian Roadeye
He's the only one NOW, and something needs to be done about it, NOW.
2
It's telling that no where in the diatribe general McRaven directs at president Trump does he offer a single reason why our soldiers should risk their lives and limbs in a foreign land that most Americans couldn't find on a map. Perhaps he could have shared any words he offered the husband of the "young female sailor who had been killed in Syria serving alongside our allies in the fight against ISIS" to justify hers and his sacrifice. I can't help but wonder if he said anything at all. I'm more certain that any musing about "duty and honor", and standing "up against oppression and injustice" for people who for the most part hate us would not provide solace.
No where in his diatribe did the retired general speak of the hollowing out our military experienced while he actively served. He didn't speak of the needless deaths suffered by naval airmen in crashes resulting from reduced training and maintenance required because of budget cuts made during the previous administration. No where does he discuss the toll imposed on our soldiers and their families from repeated deployments. Where is his outrage over the staggering number of suicides of returning vets left to struggle alone with depression and PTSD? No where does he explain what their sacrifice achieved.
Frankly, McRaven's willingness to send our young off to foreign lands to fight and die after so many have sacrificed for no other reason than to satisfy his sanctimonious sense of noblesse oblige disgusts me.
8
@tim k All very true. Well the good thing is that the admiral is retired. How is it possible that the military, with the help of the FBI, couldn't even recognize a jihadi in their midst. I could have identified Major Hasan as a jihadist with just a brief conversation. I have no military training; I just read books about Islam. We have spent trillions fighting terrorism and we don't even have a threat assessment on the enemy. This admiral wants to remove the president I think because he is the only one who gets it. How honorable is that?
4
@tim k, Thank you for bring to our attention the problems discussed in your comment. Please note the high military officials don't get make decisions to go into foreign lands. Our civilian government does that.
Unfortunately, our commander in chief is appears to be owned by various foreign governments. That is amazingly dangerous problem.
Oceans haven't protected us from foreign bad actors, in any meaningful way for at least a century now. Thus we have to be engaged with people and governments from foreign lands. Thus we need allies.
The suicide rates should be addressed by our government, which only our Congress can really address as any solution will require resources.
Our military seems to be over stretched which our government should find ways to address; one way or another. Again that is something for us, the American people need to do by putting pressure on our government to fix.
Complaining about a retired Navy admiral who is underlining a grave internal danger from our erratic compromised commander in chief is somewhat misplaced. To fix that problem is something only we, the people, can attempt to address, by putting pressure on Congress.
There is much work for we the people to do.
@tim k
Hey, take it easy on McRaven and cut him break.
Endless wars. It's just what leaders like McRaven and Mattis are trained to support. They can't help themselves.
3
The retired four-star general exclaims "I don’t like the Democrats, but Trump is destroying the Republic." What does he believe the GOP is if not the fecklessly willing foot soldier corps for a woefully, ignorantly malevolent tyrant?
It is the Republican Party that is destroying the Republic. Donald J. Trump is nothing more than a particularly loud and garish figurehead.
12
Our Republic is not only under attack by Trump. Republicans in Congress and Trump supporters are equally to blame.
14
Why call out Democrats with that quote? Democrats are standing up for decency, equality and the call to government to help hold up the weak and those who live on the margin whether it be here at home or our international allies. When will everyone see the hypocrisy of being a republican?
10
Adm. McRaven, you are doing what you committed to do when you took your oath of service. You are protecting this nation from foreign and domestic enemies and I appreciate your service, sir.
Thank you for standing up for what is right. Donald Trump and his craven disciples are domestic enemies that must be defeated. You spoke truth to this nation. You are warning us of what ultimately destroys, but most importantly, you are reminding us of what truly matters.
We have our faults. We've made horrible mistakes, and have enslaved man. Yet, through it all, through our peculiar and unique system of governance, and the blood of millions, we have corrected our errors in the pursuit of a better state.
You represent the best of us. Our greatest desires, hopes, and dreams. We the people...are responsible and accountable to achieving our destiny. Integrity, honor, valor are the founding stones of our republic and it is the purpose of the executive to ensure that the foundation of this nation is stable.
The executive is the ultimate servant for his people. Our current president ignominiously insults the sacrifice of our people, the greatness of our accomplishments, and the progress of our state. Partisanship must end. This isn't a matter of party, but of nation and it depends on the GOP. Will this be an era of courage? Will the GOP put its house in order and restore honor to our nation by standing against tyranny? Yours is a voice of conscience that should not be ignored.
3
"...what will happen to the Kurds, the Iraqis, the Afghans, the Syrians, the Rohingyas, the South Sudanese and the millions of people under the boot of tyranny or left abandoned by their failing states?"
Mammals that live in groups, packs, prides, pods, troops and bands have their rules to govern their lives. No one wants to see the adult male lion kill the cubs he did not sire, but that is how lions do it.
Why is it a good idea to put Americans between two warring factions? Groups that have been at odds, since each learned of the others existence. And will remain so long after all of us have passed.
I say, fix our house first, maybe later go help others.
4
Thank you! As a Vietnam vet I have always thought our military is our last defense against autocracy and traitorous
behavior by our leaders.
4
@Alan MacHardy It is not, the Militia is.
1
The retired four-star general exclaims "I don’t like the Democrats, but Trump is destroying the Republic." What does he believe the GOP is if not the fecklessly willing foot soldier corps for a woefully, ignorantly malevolent tyrant?
It is the Republican Party that is destroying the Republic. Donald J. Trump is nothing more than a particularly loud and garish figurehead.
4
"It is easy to destroy an organization if you have no appreciation for what makes that organization great."
You nailed it. Unfortunately, President Trump is a really sick narcissist through and through and the only thing he sees or understands is that person he sees in the mirror. Nothing else matters. No person. No ideals. No sense of right or wrong. And on top of that, he is willfully ignorant.
And tell your General friend that I am a Democrat, and a Vietnam combat vet who earned a Combat Infantry Badge and a Purple Heart the hard way.
4
This continent has been at War non-stop since before Leif Erikson. War is in the North American DNA. It is who we are. And, like all Warriors, we are self-justified, we are rationalized and we rank our Wars and Battles. We argue over which of our Wars were most Righteous. We franchise our Wars like some fast-food joints spreading around the world. We are Sick.
3
The New York Times today — and every day for the past 33 months — is replete with news reports and op-ed columns enumerating the myriad reasons why Trump is an awful president. There is ample empirical evidence to back up these observations, thanks to dogged reporting by The Times. Our republic has, indeed, been under attack since January 20, 2017, yet the sycophants in the GOP, Trump's cabinet and his phalanx of handlers have chosen to look the other way (unless they have a book to hawk, in which case they wait a few years to spill the beans). Trump's lame attempt to hide behind semantics doesn't shield him from culpability in committing myriad high crimes and misdemeanors. We all sit back, ruminate about what a disaster this administration is, then turn off the lights and go to sleep, only to awaken to another Trump-inspired atrocity. He has to be stopped before he destroys the nation, and he will destroy the nation. There is nothing this sadist wants more than to see average Americans suffer. Yet until the GOP and others awaken to his horrendous behavior and deplorable acts, the nightmare will continue. Woe is us, indeed.
4
You know things are bad when Bill McRaven is trying to assert that we're "the good guys".
5
Thank you for continuing to serve our country. You give me hope that we may recover from this toxin that has infected the White House. I hope you will inspire others to speak out, as well.
4
Well put Admiral, one wonders what the Joint Chiefs and other high ranking military leaders would do if the current occupant of the oval office orders an unwarranted nuclear missile launch? Follow the order or not?
2
Quoting back,
"And if this president doesn’t understand their importance, if this president doesn’t demonstrate the leadership that America needs, both domestically and abroad, then it is time for a new person in the Oval Office — Republican, Democrat or independent — the sooner, the better. The fate of our Republic depends upon it."
Republican, Democrat or independent — the sooner, the better. The fate of our Republic depends upon it."
2
“I don’t like the Democrats, but Trump is destroying the Republic!”
As a Vietnam veteran and widow of a veteran I have always been flummoxed by such idiocy.
Thank God for the Dems! Our enlisted make so little money that they depend on food stamps. The military is COMPLETE socialism! Each four star general officer E10 to E-1 enlisted recruit has their salaries paid for by taxpayers.
Free housing, cheap groceries, clothes, house furnishings at the local base exchanges and commissaries. Everyone moves to a different part of the world every 6 months to 3 years. It’s an ancient tradition of acquainting each service member with different areas of expertise.
YOU the taxpayer pay for every move. They don’t have to look for boxes, or have buddies help you move for pizza; it’s COMPLETELY handled by the best private moving companies.You’re given a place to stay before you find housing off or on the base. If you own a 42 ft sailboat they’ll transport that too!
The health care for active duty is excellent--now we have the best civilian MDs as active duty is overseas.Shift work at Tripler Army Med Center--no call, beaches of Waikiki.
PLUS there are resorts, cabins, and bungalows around the world at CHEAP prices--only for military both active duty and retired.
Free health care for LIFE! Even if you only served 4 years. Free medications for life.
My buddies a 3 star USAF general at NORAD. Limousine and driver.
And a $60,000 to $100K GI loans for college and homes.
SOCIALISM!
5
At this point nothing could be valuable enough ( taxes, judges, women healthcare, Jesus,oil) for any politician to abandon what The United States of America stands for. Shame on any politician who allows this abomination of a president to continue. Shame on every last politician who hides from the oath of office to support and defend the Constitution.
3
This guy sounds like the total Social Justice Warrior type. I am glad he is retired.
6
Our country is also under attack from spineless, feckless Republicans, who bow and scrape in the face of the cowardly criminal in the White House.
Trump got there, because Republicans placed him there. You'd have to be deaf, dumb, and blind to not see what was going on summer of 2016. The "Never Trump"ers got themselves in a lather for a month or two, then got supine and got rolled over with the rest of 'em.
Trump told the whole world exactly who he was, starting the day he rode down his golden escalator. What a surprise. The wolf in wolf's clothing, is a monster.
Fingers should also point at the entire party for selling out our country to the lowest bidder.
5
Great column until he says “if” trump does this and that. Trump is a disaster. He’s done it. Call him out. Say it. No more maybes.
5
You should also add that it is high time for some new Republicans to step up and replace the spineless doormats we currently have serving us, especially in the Senate —a truly pathetic lot.
4
I’m a military brat. My father served in Vietnam and for more than 30 years proudly went anywhere his Commander called him. I’m glad my father and many of the greatest generation are not here to see the disgrace of this “Commander in Chief”. If Congress does not get rid of this national shame, we MUST VOTE! Vote out this scoundrel and every single one of his enablers. WAKE UP AMERICA!!!
7
Thank you Admiral for making this important statement.
5
Excuse me, General, where was your voice when President Reagan authorized our military to participate in the slaughter of innocent indigenous people in Central America? your gratuitous comments on our "sacred" military flies in the face of real history. Many of our citizens want our enormous, bloated military budget cut drastically so we can build in America a more just and equitable society.
1
There seems to be a certain percentage of the American public prone to fascist leanings.
If Trump is re-elected, that would be confirmation.
If there's one compelling lesson coming out of the Trump presidency, it's that American democracy is more fragile than most might have suspected.
Step up and guard your freedom while you can.
4
Impeach Trump and get out the vote in massive numbers against the Republican Party that brought this Trumpian disaster down on our nation. They have betrayed America and they are shameless.
5
"If we can’t have faith in our nation’s principles, why would the men and women of this nation join the military?"
Maybe most of them join to protect America and Americans rather than "the Kurds, the Iraqis, the Afghans, the Syrians, the Rohingyas, the South Sudanese and the millions of people under the boot of tyranny or left abandoned by their failing states."
This article proves that Clemenceau was correct when he said, "War is much too important to be left to the Generals."
3
Will anyone commenting here state that their son’s or daughter’s life was worth dying in Syria over a war between Turkey and the Kurds? Will Admiral McRaven? Haven’t we sacrificed enough already in Iraq, freeing up northern Iraq to create a free Kurdistan?
4
Admiral McRaven, if only you could be persuaded to run...please. Continue your service to our country.
2
Mr. McRaven - if you, sir, ran for the presidency, I would vote for you no matter what party you ran under or who you were running against.
1
Hear very strong Eto's
1st Country
2nd Look after those under your leadership
3rd Look after yourself.
When 3rd becomes 1st, country in trouble.
“... one retired four-star general, grabbed my arm, shook me and shouted, “I don’t like the Democrats..”
Why not?
I’m serious. Why not?
2
Thank you for your perspective, Admiral McRaven.
Now we need to hear from others who have been close to the administration.
Mathis
Tillerson
Priebus
McMaster
Kelly
Cohn
Where's your op-ed? Your country needs you!
4
It's telling of the times that the general who told the author that Trump is destroying the republic felt obliged to qualify the statement by beginning with "I don't like the Democrats, but [...]". No General, the D's are not your enemy, 25 years' worth of noise-machine propaganda to the contrary.
3
Republicans, or at least their voters, would destroy our democracy to “save unwanted fetuses “ via more reactionary federal judges, and cut taxes on our wealthiest citizens. This admiral might reconsider “hating democrats”. Fear the current Senate is of no help with our madman in the WH. Only 3 years so for this conservative to cry uncle. What will another 5 bring? If Senate doesn’t change it’s mind or party I fear we’ll truly see what “burn it all down” means.
3
Hmmm, okay so, intelligence community, you see the problem, you know what you have to do. (We know your community has worked in the past to depose leaders from other countries -- come on don't deny it -- so it looks like you're gonna have to take on this one now.) Talk about your "Brave New World" ;who'd have thunk it? You'll have to go against your pledge to the president, in order to save the country.
1
Amen, Admiral McRaven. Thank you for your service and for your powerful affirmation of what our nation stands for.
To anyone who views Admiral McRaven’s words as somehow politically motivated, you are blind to the assault on our country’s values presently underway in the White House. Please get some perspective.
4
It is time for General Mattis to put aside his circumspect attitude and publicly tell America exactly what this most incompetent president is like to work for. General Mattis, like Admiral Raven, is respected by the powers that be in the GOP in the Senate. They need to understand that when patriots like Mattis and Raven speak out about this president that it will fall on the GOP Senate to place, for once, country over party! And impeach this menace before he does more damage to our National honor!
1
Thank you for this essay! Please now say it on Fox News, there needs to be a reckoning !
2
Has this view been expressed on Fox News.
Its a waste of effort and space putting it here, preaching to the choir.
2
Which President would that be? And who is "we?" What, in fact, is a Republic? He has his gun aimed at the wrong target, and is hunting in the wrong geography, which underscores the problematic nature in lateral applications of the military mind. His target (and the Republic's) is at his rear, not in front. Otherwise this is merely an effective poison pen (with other ramifications in the Articles) by a disgruntled and conflicted ideologue, as his friends in misery, Brennan and Comey.
I bet Trump has never made his own bed. And, he certainly has not lay in it.
University of Texas at Austin 2014 Commencement Address - Admiral William H. McRaven
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxBQLFLei70
Republicans that are silent about the current occupant of our White House are contributing to the nations demise. You don't have to be in the Senate to take action. You can use your phone -----make a call to your senator. It might be the most important call you make today, Don't allow this man to further destroy the Republic. Our military risk their lives for the country.What have you risked?
3
“it’s time for a new person...”
A nice lilting mantra! For a tee-shirt.
For a demonstration-placard.
The time is long overdue!
The person, to be elected by a one person,
one vote ungerrymandered simple majority
is to BE personally accountable for ALL of
his/her voiced and written words, and
done-deeds, as well as needed ones, not
planned. Not implemented. Not assessed
in order to learn from, and to “Fail better,”
next time. Which is inevitable!
“It’s time,” NOW, to confront the passively complacent.
The actively complicit. In institutionalized corruption!
In enabling a toxic WE-THEY culture which violates, by
words and deeds, created, selected, and targeted “the other(s).”
“It’s time “ NOW, to take on those shameless known, as
well as more hidden, influential individual and
systemic stakeholders who threaten and
challenge those necessary principles,
norms, values and ethics which underpin democracy
in its types, qualities, hues, contrasts and vibrancies.
“It’s time for” US to CHOOSE to ACTUALLY contribute to
making a much needed sustainable difference for
equitable menschlichkeit! Moving beyond words! Mantras!
Thank you sir!
3
There's a lot of "my father was a so and so in the Army, Navy, Marines etc". Yeah but Boomers, what did you do? Oh really. Well, I don't want to hear your opinion on the matter.
1
I do believe trump is a national disaster, but the view presented here leaves out a few facts about the U.S. goal of promoting democracy across the globe.
https://www.salon.com/2014/03/08/35_countries_the_u_s_has_backed_international_crime_partner/
1
Admiral McRaven,
Those American values you speak of, "universal freedom and equality... champions of justice, the protectors of the less fortunate" those are the values that drive democrats. Thank you for so eloquently highlighting the difference between our current conservative and liberal values. I find it sad that your four starred friend cannot understand that.
Amen. There is a time for all good people to stand up and be counted. This is one of them. Thank you Admiral McRaven for doing so.
Republicans have lost our collective soul. They have substituted profit at all costs for business as usual. It doesn't matter to them if the 'profit' comes through pay for play, either foreign or domestic. That is their biggest and most profound mistake. It enables foreign governments for a few million dollars to influence our behavior and policy in ways they never do so ideologically, or via actual or cold wars. It will haunt our country until we undo it. Citizens United must be rescinded, and curbs placed upon foreign money in our political process. Additionally, Facebook, Twitter, etc. must be required to have a truth filter if they won't pay for actual news editors. It used to be 'All the news that is fit to print.' Now it's any fairy tale which is repeatedly tweaked until made highly inflammatory, or remotely credible by the unscrupulous likes of Brad Parscale. What happened to the majority of conservatives, both fiscal and religious, who believed in truth, justice and the American way? Clearly Admiral McRaven is one of the few still standing. Shame on all the others.
2
“I don’t like the Democrats, but Trump is destroying the Republic!” - Words that will come back to Trump in his quest for re-election. As an independent who still cannot reconcile to vote for Warren at the least I'll stay out of this election or hoping that Dems will allow me to vote for Mayor Pete as the commander in chief of this nation.
3
@Observer
So then, you want to vote for someone who has the policies(or lack of them) that got Trump elected in the first place.
1
I was a 21 yr. old college graduate in 1966. I'd protested the war on the Berkeley campus in the previous years, but I became a naval officer rather than take my chances with the draft. I did a tour in Vietnam. The majority of the junior officers I served with were well educated and liberal, in contrast to the career senior officers who were conservative and rigid. Most of us left when our commitment was up, leaving the officer corps very republican again, but they, unlike our current president, held dear the oath they swore to serve!
Most senior military officers would probably be considered Eisenhower and Nixon republicans now, but must serve our current commander-in-chief. While cadet bone spurs may put them in harms way, they can perform a coup de tat at the ballot box.
Since the admiral is retired, he can speak truth to power and remind us all of the national tragedy that is dTrump.
Vote as if your country depends upon it!
IT DOES!!!
7
An excellent comment . Grew up at the same time with the same values. It's a little disorienting to me to understand that every value i grew up with is now disrespected and not even considered.
Thanks for your letter.
5
Thank you for this article, Admiral McRaven. Outstanding. Let's hope it resonates with all of the people of this great nation, and that we can all work to ensure that our best days still remain ahead.
6
They just don't care.
2
Run sir.
It’s about time for men of honor to stand up against this would-be tyrant Trump and his mob of enablers.
I respect the military code of honor which dictates service and respect to the office, and the safeguards to democracy that usually put a civilian as Commander in Chief, but I appreciate that admiral voicing his outrage. A military dictatorship is anathema too, but if Trump wins a second term, the good men and women of our armed services may be, paradoxically, the last best hope of democracy.
3
Lindsey Graham, are you listening?
4
Trump is in this for fun and profit and our nation be damned. All things government including our laws and constitution are of little use unless Trump sees a profit or benefit to him. At the same time, he wants the attention and admiration given to a king or a Putin. We made a terrible mistake letting him into office, but let's not make another by not attending to the lax vetting we have for our presidency.
7
Thank you, Admiral.
3
Mick Mulvaney says: "Get Over It!"
3
What are you talking about?...so much winning...
1
McRaven for President
1
Thank you, sir.
2
Kurdish allies have two choices: genocide or homelessness.
ISIS resurgent.
Erdogan Putin get it all for free.
Is there any doubt that Trump serves the world's dictators? MBS ... el-Sisi ... Duterte ... Kim Jong Un ...
He does envy those who can ignore the welfare of their "subjects", reward themselves bigly, and jail/torture/kill the press and any other opposition.
3
One need not be a retired general or admiral to see what Trump is doing to our country. But what Admiral McRaven writes from his position is what will catch our attention; at least it does mine. Although military leadership must remain neutral in matters of politics, they don't have to stand by and watch as the President takes us down, one Tweet or bathroom induced decision at a time. Yes, Trump must be replaced, and soon. But that will require action and voices from every corner. McConnel, of course, will fight to the end his right to remain in office, but McConnel and his cowardly crew be damned. Mattis should be next on this page.
2
Finally.
3
While this is a good statement, it is far from being as powerful and direct as it could be. Most of the article is spent giving kudos to those who have served in the armed forces. It does little to call out those in Congress and the current administration who enable Trump and Trump's unforgivable policies.
And for the record, given the amount of conflicts in which our country's military have recently been engaged, what percentage of those conflicts have actually directly protected your or my freedoms? Let's get real folks! Since WWII (or at least since Korea, about which I honestly do not know much), the vast number of those who served and died in the US military have been for naught. Being in the military and going to (undeclared) war is, to me, akin to being a member of a neighborhood street gang. You might be brave and fight valiantly, but you're fighting needlessly and for the wrong reasons. AND, I am not equating those in the military to street gang members; just that most of our military war deaths since WWII have been for unworthy causes. i.e. Vietnam & Iraq.
7
Bravo and well said. This should be required reading for every member of Congress.
4
As an immigrant citizen for this country, I salute the Admiral for these beliefs and opinions. Over the years we've become too polarized and have lost respect for those working in public service, especially those who toil daily to make our lives better and enjoy the freedom we all cherish.
Today's elected official is primarily interested in enriching him/herself, then supporting the Party they belong and then their Country. It used to be the Country, their constituents, their Party and then themselves. Somewhere in between the constituents have been dropped off and are remembered only during election times roll around. We the citizens can make a change at the up coming elections. If we fail to make this change, it is largely because of our egos, false beliefs, lack of basic ethics and ignorance and no one can help us - not even the US military because we would go against a military coup - or would be too disinterested to challenge it.
The country has run into massive debts, China is dictating us what we should be doing, the Russians (and probably other countries) are controlling our elections, abandoned our allies, lost our competitive edge in technology and manufacturing; and the worst of all have lost our morality, ethics and empathy. In about a year form now, we will know where the future of this Country lies. It's not individuals like the Admiral who can help tune the tide around, it's going to take every one of us to do so.
It is high time for current and past public servants of character and integrity to denounce the crass indecency, rank opportunism and utter contempt for democratic institutions our president has come to personify. No service could be more valuable at this particular time.
4991
@Christian Brachvogel
The fact that this clear consistent statement of conscience about preserving, protecting and defending our republic comes from the top of one of the most elite branches of uniformed military service is both comforting and frightening.
America is a very peculiar kind of republic. A divided limited different power constitutional republic of united states where the people are the ultimate sovereign power over their elected and selected hired help.
The Senate, Electoral College, Cabinet and federal courts stand as barriers to any democratic expression of equal individual human preference.
The complicit silence of the partisan political minority aka Republicans in the most democratic branch of our republic aka the House of Representatives is very disturbing.
Senate Majority Republican Party Leader Mitch McConnell spent 8 years trying to make Barack Obama a one-term President. Mitch is a bigoted anarchist secessionist son of Confederate Alabama bent on reversing the outcomes of the Civil War and Civil Rights eras.
The federal courts particularly the Supreme Court of the United States are the least democratic branch. Settling political questions in the courts is a dark descent into deep cynicism.
Admiral William McRaven's brave honorable patriotism invokes the sprit and substance of America's three greatest military uniform winning heroes George Washington, U.S. Grant and Dwight Eisenhower.
202
@Christian Brachvogel going further, I hope that leaders of the stature of Admiral McRaven who share his feelings are not only writing editorials--which is good--but using the force of their positions and influence even more directly and having direct conversations with the members of congress who are impeding the exercise of justice; in effect, petitioning them to change course and save this republic.
In another time, it might have been unseemly or even patently ill advised, but these are no longer ordinary times.
186
It’s a little late for military leaders to complain about the political process. They have long been part of the corruption in the Pentagon and no longer have any moral basis to suppose that their opinions mean anything to the rest of us.
13
It's funny to see the left upset about leaving a war. They have no material substance to anything they say ever. It's always just about getting Trump. One who has listened to the loudest voices of the left for decades would have assumed that Trump taking on the "industrial military complex" would be a good thing. One thing is for sure; Trumps tenure has proven there is a deep state and they are scared to death of any one who will expose them and they see destroying Trump as a sure fire way of avoiding another threat to their buffet down the road. Love him or hate him we all owe him a debt of thanks for exposing what we've all suspected for decades.
4
I don’t spoze it occurred that there might just be something seriously wrong with ranting about the Deep State in response to a senior officer and combat veteran’s talking about duty, honor and country.
9
The left never likes anyone talking about the Deep State because that gets too close to the truth. When they start getting nervous that they’ll be exposed, they usually wrap themselves in the flag, as you can see here.
2
@RJW
"Exposing what we've all suspected for decades"?
You've got that right, The Republican party is a complete "fraud"!
3
Yeah, but. The USA is not under attack, but the Military Industrial Complex, you know the people who get the bulk of the One Trillion Dollars is. Stop the 30 years of fighting and scare tactics designed the keep us fighting indefinitely.
5
A U.S. commitment to another nation no longer means what it used to mean under 44 previous presidents. No leader wants to engage with Trump for fear that either it will just be a show for the cameras or Trump will say anything but mean nothing. The stature of the U.S. on the world stage is now the equivalent of a corrupt banana republic. The Foreign Service is a shell of its former self (I am a retired Foreign Service Officer.) When history records why the US disappeared, it will be traceable to this week when all America's allies decided the United States could never be trusted again. The blood of the Kurds is on Trump, and when the bully-in-chief dies God will have some choice words for how Trump behaved in betraying every ally. The United States is no longer a trusted partner to any country. No smart ally would stand with us, in war or in peace. Mourn for the nation. Mourn for ourselves.
3
@Michael V. US disappeared when it got swallowed up by unassimilable aliens, and could no longer service their debt.
The Admiral writes: "If our promises are meaningless, how will our allies ever trust us? If we can’t have faith in our nation’s principles, why would the men and women of this nation join the military? And if they don’t join, who will protect us? If we are not the champions of the good and the right, then who will follow us? And if no one follows us — where will the world end up?"
General Mattis also strongly reacted last night to what is going on in Syria under this president.
Is this the beginning of the crack in the Republican Wall that has protected this tyrant in the Oval Office? When that wall does collapse, it will be fast and complete.
There's an Italian proverb: what doesn't happen in the year, happens in a day. This Democrat cannot wait for that day to come.
4
force a resignation, pence goes into a run off and loses to warren.
republicans KNOW this.
they will NOT let trump go because of this,
they want to retain power.
doesn't take a genius to know
2
You got the title right, Mr. McRaven. The subtitle is puzzling. After three years are you really still waiting for Donald Trump to deliver leadership? He is incapable of ii and that was obvious before he was even elected. That we need to get rid of him is equally obvious. Donald Trump is what he is. The far greater threat to this nation is the Republican Party which has turned its back on democracy. If your “four star general” friend has not yet figured that out, he is part of the problem.
2
Do not forget that the strength of the military is in its neutrality. They do not like to get involved in domestic politics. This is a massive change from the way things have always been done and indicates how upset the military actually is.
1
Around 1840, this was the situation in Central America:
The Liberals were out to erase every vestige of colonial, in this case Hispanic rule, much as liberals in our country, but the indigenous population of Central America were devout Catholics, and horrified at the deportation and exile of priests, the wreckage of churches, and confiscation of monastical property. Some of the priests were indeed corrupt, but not so much as the Conservatives, who countered the liberals by arresting and executing people suspected of Liberal ties, constructing new prisons to hold those they didn't kill outright, and attacking the freedom of the press.There was a horrendous cholera epidemic, which the Conservatives blamed on the Liberals' war on the church. In the later stages of the war the Liberals burned a village or two. A lot of people on both sides died.
Banana republic? We may be closer than we think.
1
This column is right on point. One can only hope that all of those American voters who do not like the Democrats will understand that we should not and can not tolerate the plague on our constitution and democracy that Trump represents and choose the lesser of 2 evils and vote Democratic.
1
Run for office, please.
1
Bravo Zulu Admiral McRaven for an outstanding editorial. Our nation is at a critical juncture and articles like yours are tremendously helpful in giving the country the perspective it so desperately needs at this point in time. May truth and justice prevail as we work toward getting our ship of state back on the straight course of freedom, democracy and the rule of law as expressed in the Constitution of the United States of America. And may you "fare winds and following seas" for your many years of service and love of country.
3
Sorry to say, but: this is all mealy-mouthed nonsense.
our military is not a pure institution, bearing only virtue.
let's stop this post-9/11 veneration of our military as if it were on a pedestal cast of honor.
there are great folks in our military - I've served with them in conflict zones abroad - and there are racists, and fascists too.
why does Adm. McRaven lack the courage to speak openly at the end of this piece? does he ever even mention Trump's name as the one who is daily destroying America? No.
This is a cowardly opinion piece, camouflaged in misplaced honor.
4
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
1
As the likelihood of impeachment grows, expect Putin to cash in his chips. It'll be time for his puppet to deliver the goods. First domino: Syria.
1
He started with the “Mexicans” and immigrants. You kept quiet. Now, he has gotten to the gates of the democracy itself. There’s few left to defend it.
4
The nexus of Russia and Putin's obsession to suck Ukraine back into the crib, as well as the "Soviet" desire to create further instability in the Middle East is so clear that the light is almost too bright illuminating it all.
Yes, there is an agent in the White House, an evil agent clumsily working to satisfy the whims of the Kremlin. We don't yet know why, but when the "why" is divulged our collective soul as a nation will feel shamefully duped.
This is an incredulous thought to ponder, but one I believe history will prove valid.
4
Why are we millions not in the streets blowing our whistles?
3
@Kate Probably because Soros hasn’t funded the overthrow movement yet. One assumes you have bills to pay?
1
Where are the Republicans?
Moody's Analytics, which has only been wrong once (2016) predicts Trump, the incumbent, will readily win. If so, Americans are getting what they deserve but the rest of the world does not.
https://www.cnn.com/2019/10/17/politics/trump-moodys-analytics-2020-election-model/index.html
Do people really still hate the Democrats? They are the ones who will rescue you from this madness, not the GOP. Wake up.
@SLS Part of it is due to the Democrats not realistically trying to present themselves as a reasonable alternative. Republicans are convinced that Dems want open borders, the taking away of all guns, handouts to "undeserving " individuals, the stripping away of decent health benefits for those that have them, taxation of the wealthy, pie in the sky wasteful projects, a tearing down of bathroom walls (unisex bathrooms), and many more freebies, freebies, freebies, while running up the deficit even more.
To the author: Your NY Times Opinion piece is merely preaching to the choir and will have zero impact. Have you thought about taking your message to Fox News, to the leaders of the GOP, to the red states? Again, and again, and again. Until you can impact the views of the aforementioned groups, we are, sadly, destined to be no more than spectators witnessing the unraveling of the greatest nation in modern times. So heartbreaking, so unnecessary, and ultimately, so tragic!
2
The crazy thing is Trump actually 'liked' this opinion article on his Twitter yesterday.....
And he has the nuclear codes
How much longer are the sycophantic congressional and Senate Republicans going to kowtow to this tyrant? Every dangerous day that goes by with Trump still in office opens the door to yet more opportunities for grave damage to be inflicted on our country.
Republicans, there is still a way to save your skins. McConnell, show us your stuff. Have your minions drum him out of office by Christmas. You know you could get those votes to convict. Use Trump’s own tactics. Tell him “release your taxes and stop your obstruction of the House Impeachment inquiry, or we’ll vote to remove you.” You can bet they would be released the very next day. Then you can go back to your daily scheduled corruption with President Pence as your leader in January. Problem solved. Don’t you realize yet that you are frogs sitting in the pot of water with the heat turned on?
1
Thank you, exactly
1
Sadly, it's too late to reverse course for this, the dumbest, clueless US preident of all time.
1
But Trump claims, “I defeated ISIS” so he must be a very stable military genius too.
1
Way to go Admiral!
1
Wow. This American President listens to every Democrat for the past thirty years and moves a whopping twenty-eight soldiers out of their policing duties in Kurdistan and the entire anti-Trump warfront, from Congress to CNN-FN to even the WSJ (NYC's paper of record) goes nuts.
So Erdogan calls a truce that looks like it may continue indefinitely if this and that happen, and the whole issue dries up.
You DID know one big group of Kurdish fighters are considered a terrorist organization, right? Of course, you read everything like us retired schoolteachers.... Oh, yeah.
Why are you SO easily played like this?
Like the last forty times?
3
Thank you, sir.
Such words coming from you carry weight because of your values and your willingness to put those values before yourself.
2
We have been under attack from since November 2016. But not from Trump, LOL.
Amen!
Right on!
2
“IF this president doesn’t understand...”
This tepid response is weak and late. Donald Trump is an unstable, unethical and dangerously ignorant man, all of which was clear before his election. Don’t ask “if” — get together with your “don’t like Democrats, but...” Fox News indoctrinated colleague to wake up to this destructive reality and speak truth to power. Please.
Admiral McRaven, I'm a big fan having read your book Sea Stories. However, you are mostly preaching to the choir in the NY Times. Please go on Fox News with your message.
1
Dear Mr. President,
Who do you work for? I mean, I know that you filter everything through the lens of "What's in it for me, particularly financially?" So I have to ask again: Who do you really work for? Pretty sure you are not working for the American People -- not even for the ones who actually voted for you.
It seems that after determining that your famous gut tells you there's a buck to be made, your next lens is: "Will Vlad approve?"
I know that this seems disrespectful, but enquiring minds want to know!
Your critic in liberal San Francisco,
Rick
2
@Rick Green Dear Mr. McRaven,
Who do you work for? I mean, I know that you filter everything through the lens of "What's in it for me, particularly financially?" So I have to ask again: Who do you really work for? ConocoPhillips? Pretty sure you are not working for the American People, you know the ones that pay your six figure pension.
It seems that after determining that your famous gut tells you there's a buck to be made, your next lens is: "Will Hillary approve?"
I know that this seems disrespectful, but enquiring minds want to know!
Your critic in liberal New York,
Norman
Well, Trump will just call you a whiner and his supporters will cheer. WHO do you expect to "wake" by writing this column? IT is soooo long past the time when anyone responsible should have called him an incompetent boob, that I have lost respect for them. Good luck trying to return the clock back to "normal."
1
Today his chief of staff oh sorry acting and that is what it appears he does, but a bad one. Announces that what the impeachment is looking at in the Ukraine is true, then later he claims he never said that. This administration like the President lives in a land called LaLa. Rudy claims he does not really know the three associates arrested and yet, he took $500,000 from them. Today out of all the sites for the G7 whose is picked why the Doral Trump golf club. The corrupt practices are so in your face, but Trump and his enablers don't care, he is the King and can do what he wants. Time to throw the bum out on his ear and by the way the economy is heading down. Another good deal with China appears to not be. Notice how many times he announces a great deal and nothing of the kind happens. Our fore fathers who fought at Valley Forge, Concord and other places would be out there today fighting to throw over this government of crooks and a man who with each passing day has serious mental health issues. A great column about those that have served and those that paid the ultimate price. Me, as vet of the Marines and the Vietnam War I have had no use for this fake patriot who paid his way out doing service for his country. Coward and what has and gone on is a traitor. Any doubt Russia has moved into the vacum created when we left Syria. Which allie would ever trust again. Jim Trautman
1
Oh really, time for new leadership? That's big news!
Tears.
45 mocks Gold Star families, mocks John McCain even after he died, mocks Robert Mueller, stands with murderous tyrants on the world stage lauding them, takes the word of despots over the word of U.S intelligence and State Department and yet there is a retired 4 star general who states, " I don't like the Democrats." Pathetic.
3
This column should have been the headliner on Page 1!!!
1
Were Admiral McRaven still on active service he would be powerless to intervene in politics. He now has the power of the pen, and he wields it well.
What remains is for him to email it to all Republicans Senators. Someone needs to lead a delegation to the White House like Barry Goldwater's and tell its occupant that his time is up.
23:35 EDT, 10/17
2
Outstanding.
1
This column is two-thirds of “set up” while only the last third of it addresses the subject for which it is intended. I think the author could have arrived at his thesis point more quickly and then devote more space elaborating on it.
Perhaps someone should ask the President, ‘Where is Code Pink and the anti-war left when he needs them?’
1
Thank you sir. Thank you!
Leaders: Uphold our Constitution and save our nation. Now! You must impeach and remove the crooked from office. Before worse damage ensues.
The heart of Congress fled today with Cummings passing. Now I hear the footsteps of criminals and ineffectual leaders. Change this, please. More Democratic and Republican leaders must come forward and speak truth to power.
And then...
Remove the problem from Pennsylvania Avenue.
Do it, already!!
Look no further than the motto of the U.S. Army Special Forces; “De Oppreso Liber.” "From being an oppressed man, to being a free one.”
So the Generals don’t like the Democrats. Mind numbing nonsense.
Admiral, as a former Squid, thank you.
1
Trump is indeed National Security Threat #1.
3
How does this article not instigate rebellion?
"We also celebrated the 75th anniversary of D-Day, recognizing those brave Americans and allies who sacrificed so much to fight Nazism and fascism."
I wonder now and I wondered then: How did WWII veterans feel as they watched armed Nazis and fascists – decorated in swastikas, carrying torches and swearing allegiance to Hitler – march across the U of Virginia campus in 2017?
Did they not want to break down in tears when their president referred to those thugs as "fine people"?
My father, a veteran of the campaigns in North Africa, Sicily and Italy, and who lost his brother at Normandy, would have.
1
@James J Probably the same way when they saw the police make way for masked thugs to incite violence.
Oops, McRaven! Please correct for me!
Just what makes to Democrats so unpalatable to Mr. McRaven's general friend?
@Some Professor Democrats have gotten more military members killed than Republicans.
Trumps very recent behavior is appalling. He bases all of his fumbling decisions on his hatred for whomever or whatever opposes him. Because he loathes strong women, and refuses to even simply respect them, he has no stomach for a female like Nancy Pelosi standing up to him, both literally and figuratively.
Trump knows nothing and does less. He stopped governing as an official mandated by the United States Constitution and has been governing like a tin-horn sheriff, a mob boss, and an ill-informed fool.
He’s a narcissistic sociopath for whom there is no hope of salvation.
Trumpmshould be impeached immediately — the evidence of misdemeanors is present — and no Republican should fear voting against him. He has committed crimes involving foreign governments, which is forbidden by American law.
His woeful incompetence has damaged America’s standing in the world and threatens American lives.
It’s readily apparent that he has rank amateurs advising on policy and helping him write his insane letters.
The corrupt Trump and his cadre of complicit sycophants are a boiling cauldron of chaos.
4
I think you just found the next VP.
McRaven preaches waking in the bed of one's own making. Take him at his word here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxBQLFLei70
Educated yourself and read: "How to Hide an Empire, A history of the Greater United States" by Daniel Immerwahr. "Plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose"
It's all so galling. You want to turn away.Out of disgust. . Somewhat like someone attacks you, and you defend yourself because you are not a coward. "It" is Trumpworld. Now I see him in Texas telling the crowd the Dems are unpatriotic and basically hate America. More sowing seeds of division and maybe even hatred toward fellow citizens.More of the same.."going low," as was the case with his 2016 campaign. And those who oppose him are supposed to "go high?" The new sheriff arrives in town, Trump. With no or little record of patriotism/sacrifice for the nation. On the other hand, more of a slate of mega-narcicissm. And now he claims to be the great patriot. Those that oppose him, including career patriotic public servants, and others, are bums, even the enemy. Finishing, seeing all this, hard to adhere to The Times policy of writing "with civility."
Donald is a draft Dodger and he is proud of it, he thinks it's stupid to serve in Vietnam and died for the country. And yet millions of Americans would vote for him and stand by him, so who are the stupid and unpatriotic?
Mcraven, you are asking the wrong question...
2
Anyone whose first thought is “I don’t like the Democrats..." instead of simply "Trump is destroying the Republic!” doesn't get it. This is the exact kind of thinking that put Trump in the White Houser to begin with.
Impeach.
Convict.
Incarcerate.
God Bless America.
2
Our Republic is under Attack from Russia.
Americans allowed Russian spymasters to install a bogus leader in the Oval Office. This man is subservient to them. He is also as corrupt as they come.
Apparently a whole safe full of 'dirt' on Trump was shredded in Dec 2016 at the offices of AMI.
Trump immediately gutted the State Dept, in order to make it easier for him to turn US foreign policy into a tool for his own enrichment. Yes, this was a Shadow Foreign Policy, run by Giuliani.
Remember when Giuliani wanted the job Trump eventually gave Rex? The plan was already in place then. This was hinted at by Mike Flynn's bizarre editorials in support of Turkey's objectives; in Jared's meetings with Putin's bankers & requests for 'secret, encrypted back channels to Russia, bypassing the NSA'; in the massive 45 nuclear plant pet project for KSA that Flynn was texting about during the Inaugural, that included a role for Russian engineers; in the designation of a Trump property developing pal for Jared's Peace initiative for Israel (Trump Tower Jericho?).
And now, the crowning element: G7 at the Trump Doral, of course at inflated prices.
Having allowed Trump to file papers accepted by the FEC -- papers full of lies -- many of us abetted his crimes. This led to worse losses for US. But we must now win the War itself, the war against Trump, a Russian asset used to assault our political system.
Uphold US Laws. Oust & prosecute the Trump Crime Syndicate. All of them.
Save the USA.
4
Preaching to the choir.
Try going on Fox News and Fox and Friends and make your case there.
3
Truth lives.
1
The American experience in Vietnam awakened the feelings in me that our country was no longer a force for good in the world. It was probably way before that when corporations began their domination of politics and other aspects of society. We have learned in many unfortunate ways that what's good for the corporation is not good for the people of this country. It's time the author learned that too.
The Admiral should also think about how our nation has gotten to this point with Trump in the White House. Removing Trump from office does not alone save our republic. We must right the course of this republic in order for it to be saved.
5
Well written and received. But, but I take issue with "And if no one follows us — where will the world end up?" I love this country, however, other nations ("good guys") are equally capable of leading the world.
Although I totally disagree with Trump's so-called foreign policy, I would prefer far less US military involvement in the world. I would prefer fewer US soldiers being permanently injured and dying to preserve a republic that primarily benefits corporations and the wealthy here and abroad. When the US invaded Panama, Iraq, and Libya, it wasn't to promote democracy there or protect it at home. Neither the populations of those countries nor Americans benefited.
I agree with Tulsi Gabbard on this one. I hope she's the next Secretary of State.
2
Admiral McRaven's comments are a welcome breath of fresh air from retired members of the US Military. He clearly separates any perceived bias from the armed forces to that of our greater responsibilities as citizens of this country. I cringed when he quoted an active duty 4 star general officer state he didn't like Democrats. When I took the oath of office as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Air Force, I was reminded that political statements and positions were private as long as I was on active duty.
4
"If President Trump doesn’t demonstrate the leadership that America needs, then it is time for a new person in the Oval Office."
Excellent column - but are we not now well past the "If" stage?
7
Every single Democrat currently running for president is a more honorable and conscientious human being than Trump is on his best days. Trump has always been an outstanding bottom-feeder, and that's about the most positive thing one can say about him. I have met some of the Dems running for Congress in our district and can attest that they have all been thoughtful and highly conscious of their duty to be honest and address the issues raised by their potential constituents. None of them behave like an overprivileged, over-entitled moral and ethical void -- an entity that Donald J. Trump embodies. I suggest that your four-star general friend reassess his viewpoints and think very carefully about where he gets his information. Perhaps he might try attending a town hall held by the Democratic candidates and get some first-hand experience.
7
Admiral McRaven needs to tell us who he voted for in 2016. If he voted for Trump, then I fault him as a man of poor judgement because even THEN it was very obvious that Trump was unqualified for the job of leading this nation. If he voted for Hillary then I’m glad he has spoken up and I would like him continue doing so. This is a vital data point because without this detail, this column is lacking credibility.
6
a number of retired special operations officers / soldiers wrote Stanley McChrystal in
@micky I find writing in a completely pointless exercise. Last I checked Stanley McChrystal isn't the president.
McRaven, like many other revered generals, is finally speaking out about the dangers of Trump.
I hope all of them will do more than write letters or speak at big events - they need to reach out to as many people in swing states, as enlisted men and women - and make sure their message is heard.
We rely on them to protect our Nation through military actions, from outside forces, but we really them to step up and help protect our Nation from ourselves.
8
Thank you for continuing to share your thoughts as one of our greatest military leaders and emphasize our requirement to stick to the core values that make America great.
2
“If” the president doesn’t understand? What more evidence does he need to know that Trump does not share those values? The military voted overwhelmingly for Trump. The comment attributed to another general that he doesn’t like Democrats reveals much. The military loves Republicans because they perpetually pander to it and throw money at it, but don’t actually share its values. But I am pleased to see that the military may be waking up (finally) to the threat.
7
We're "the champions of the good and the right"? I wish it were true. Sometimes yes, but often, no. Iraq, Vietnam, Guatemala, Iran, Chile -- relatively recent examples to the contrary. Not to mention the Native American genocide. American self-righteousness has enabled and excused a lot of horrors.
5
While we have immense respect & gratitude for the military service and selflessness of this author, his Op-ed runs high risk of being perceived as partisan propaganda of the most dangerous kind:
- Reading just the NYT comments to this Op-Ed, we see replies that include both implied & forthright calls for removing our duly-elected Commander-in-Chief: by vote, by cultural revolution, and even by physical aggression or the actual taking up of arms.
- As for the author, as a Senior Military Officer (active or not), he more than most would know that those of dimished rank are trained to instinctively look up to him for how & when to respond, and others of all ranks may do so as well. It can thus be most worrisome to contemplate whether any of the noted replies or "promises" come from active US military.
- Part of our Military's sacrifice is the great but neccessary personal loss that comes with being trained to resist the guttural pangs & passions of politics that plague & pleasure civilians. But our Founding Fathers had it right; our military should be trained to put politics aside yet must be led by a Commander who doesn't. If we mess with this formula, we risk Presidents who eschew Diplomacy for War & soldiers who question their orders. Worse yet, when we bench it even temporarily we risk active soldiers who may perceive political commentary as literal dissension from above & they may act unilaterally in response, based on their own egocentric translation of conflict.
2
Thank you Admiral McRaven. It’s a relief to know that there are responsible, high-level Americans with clear vision - willing to stand up.
Robert Travers
4
My dad was a WWII vet. (3rd Army, field artillery attached to 79th ID). He wasn’t career military, and when he was younger, he had a lot of criticism of that institution. (There was a lot of chaos in that war, for many good reasons.) But he knew what he was fighting for, and why, and as he aged he gained enormous respect for the responsibilities that went with high rank and tough decisions.
I miss him every day but I am glad he hasn’t lived to see this administration. Not that the earlier betrayals haven’t been heart rending, outrageous, shameful - but the Northern Syria politics is internationally shameful in such a deep way. Our men and women in uniform are shamed.
We can only hope the character, ideals, and independence described here survive in enough US hearts and minds to put country before self and politics in the way that greatest generation- for all their imperfections- managed so well.
4
How long with it take to repair the damage this president has done to our democracy, our ideals and values? Decades, if ever. Admiral McRaven had a very important point: that people beieved that what was good for the nation was good for them. They behaved accordingly and it was contagious. Now, thanks to this President, we vilify and act with disdain and contempt towards each other and other nations. Sadly, this to is contagious. The only thing I know how to do is speak truth, treat all with kindness and understanding and vote.
8
"As I stood on the parade field at Fort Bragg, one retired four-star general, grabbed my arm, shook me and shouted, “I don’t like the Democrats, but Trump is destroying the Republic!”"
I would ask this retired 4 Star General why he would not lay blame at the feet of the Republicans who have been complicit over the last 40 years in laying the groundwork for Trump to get elected and who have protected and supported him while he is tearing down our country in great swaths of destructive acts and lawless behavior?
I would ask him why is it that the Democrats he dislikes so much, are the only ones doing what they should ( I would say they should have done more) to stop this man from doing what he is so concerned about?
The "us against them" must stop. Truth must determine what happens now and those who refuse to defend this country, should be held accountable.
5
Great opinion piece.
However it is not IF Trump anything.He simply does not understand or care about anything beyond himself .
6
Sorry, Admiral. You may be correct in your assessment of our current state but in the upside down, bizarro world Trump has created for us, you and the heroes you described so moving piece are prize suckers.
You are young Michael Corleone who enlists to fight against fascism. Trump is big brother Sonny who contemptuously ridicules Michael's commitment to ideals that don't directly benefit the family.
The only thing that may save us is the heroism you continue to display in your commitment to our country. Thank you for that. For the record, you are not a sucker. You are a leader of character and courage.
3
America has long been privileged with Presidents well respected by our military. Especially our Commanding Officers. Our current President’s actions or lack of same with respect to Iran, Russia, China and now Turkey are raising questions. And serious ones - about his fitness to serve as Commander in Chief. Past Presidents depended upon and closely followed advise from their senior military staff. FDR’s dismissing Naval Intelligence Reports of the Japanese Pacific Fleet heading near Pearl Harbor ought remind us of the importance of securing and relying upon best military advise. The real danger here is that Pres. Trump will continue to ignore the advise of his senior advisors and make decisions based upon his own judgments. There is no greater danger to America than a President “going it alone” and trusting his own “brilliance”.
The Kurdish fiasco ought be our national “wake up call”.
3
Although it is clear that Trump is totally unsuitable, the real shambles is the impeachment movement, which has no idea where it going, and blunders about, from witch hunt to witch hunt.
Impeachment is incredibly hard to achieve - it was set up to be that way by the founding fathers. My guess is, that Pelosi knows perfectly well that conviction in the Senate will never take place, but is pursuing the effort because it helps Democrats raise campaign funds.
Snake that he is, Trump will be turning the impeachment into a stick to beat whatever Democrat is chosen to run against him - very likely, that will be Warren, who isn't a charismatic political candidate, and will be easy for Trump to beat into the ground with the "failed impeachment" stick.
As a leader, Pelosi is no Moses. Moses turned his stick into a snake, which was a brilliant stunt - handing a stick to a snake, is a dumb stunt.
I'm a dual citizen of Canada and the UK, countries that surely rank amongst the closest allies of the United States of America. We have stood side by side on so many momentous occasions there's no point me listing them. And yet the current president ignores these efforts and in fact took the liberty of labeling Canada a threat to justify economic tariffs.
Nobody with any interest in foreign affairs will quickly forget this trail of deceit, the damage being done and most certainly the shocking abandonment of the Kurds.
America's global standing is on the line and only a fool or someone totally out of their depth would disagree. McRaven's opinion deserves to be heard but I suspect it will be denounced as partisan, another voice sadly lost in this political vacuum.
7
I think a majority of Americans share your observations, frustration, and disgust, especially after Mr. Trump's impulsive decision to give permission to Turkey to slaughter the Kurds who have been fighting with U.S. troops in the Middle East for years.
Many times we see that Trump appears incapable of anticipating the consequences of his actions, nor does he seek information and expert advice before making them. This is highly dysfunctional and dangerous leadership for any organization, much less the United States of America and the most powerful country in the world.
Thank you for expressing your very serious concerns publicly, because it hardly seems to matter anymore what a majority of the American people think and feel about what is happening to our country under Mr. Trump's failing leadership, especially to those in the Republican Party.
We are unchartered waters with Trump as the president. He is cognitively, emotionally, and temperamentally dysfunctional psychologically and is destructive in his actions on a worldwide level. Many of us suspect Trump suffers from some form of mental illness that makes him chaotic, untrustworthy, and damaging and dangerous to the functioning of our government and military and the future of our country. President Trump is a disturbed man who is not in full control of his faculties and behavior. A new challenge for this country is what can be done about it?
An organized response by top government officials is a start
6
@PB Disagree with your assessment of Trump. He is not mentally ill; according to some, he has a malignant narcissistic personality disorder. He has lived with this affliction for many years, and in fact, he has burnished it over time. He has a criminal pattern of relating to the world that has worked well for him. Some of this was learned from his father, some of it from Roy Cohn, and some of it is his own technique. Looking at this objectively, he would make a great research subject.
1
The Admiral may be correct in all he says. He may sincerely believe in all he says, including his unequivocal suggestion and demand that Trump be removed, now.
But the appearance of a military demand for removal of the leader of what's left of this country - the former US - is fraught with danger, danger that by his demand he and the other military behind this statement will certainly destroy the Republic he claims to honor so much.
It is a revolutionary wish, to have the certainties and glories of the honorable military determine the fate and direction of any state. It is revolutionary, coming to the fore only several times in the course of this state. First, in the aftermath of the Revolution, when the Army wanted to make Washington the King. Second, in the Civil War, when dissident Union Army generals almost brought down Lincoln.
This is a time honored way of running the state in human history, from the internecine battles of the Roman generals, to most empires of the world.
But it is a Seven Days in May message for this former Republic. Beware, no matter how awful you think Trump is.
Bloody generals have proved far worse.
2
Thank you for your service and for this terrific column.
You quote someone as saying “I don’t like the Democrats, but Trump is destroying the Republic”. This attitude is a large part of the problem; Republicans are supporting and enabling Trump. They deregulate things that benefit Americans and our environment. They destroy health care. They give tax breaks to the wealthy to our detriment. The privatize schools and prisons to reap yet more rewards.
We are under attack from both Trump and the GOP, and have been for decades. Until their unpatriotic and self-serving bad deeds stop, this ugligness will continue.
6
As a Navy vet, and the son of a Marine flyer, I hope I may be forgiven for offering a figurative salute, though out of uniform.
How proud we are, all of us in this country, of you and your comrades and all that you have stood for, so courageously, through hundreds of years of hard work and blood and tears and heartbreak. How sad that we now have in the White House a draft dodger who will betray our brave comrades in arms and democratic ideals for purely personal gain.
Donald Trump has disgraced the Stars and Stripes. He has cast it into the mire of his own venal, scheming, double-dealing corruption.
Thank you so much for doing your best to pick it up and carry it forward in a spirit that reflects the courage and essential good character of American democracy.
Hopefully others in the military community will soon speak out in the same way, so the country can more clearly see the disgrace that has been brought upon us all and the urgent need to pick ourselves up and climb out of this muck.
6
I thought that if we elected a president, from either party or another one that sprung up, the checks and balances we had learned about in school and believed in going forward, would correct the ill-chosen course any such person who deviated from the morals and guidance you expressed, would step in to do the correction.
Instead, we have the example of cowardly leadership from McConnell and every single member of congress who has chosen to not speak up.
They, too, are of poor principle and have failed this country and its history as miserably as has Trump.
5
We are dealing with how to possibly remove a sitting president from office that half the country voted for. Much like you can tell the soul of a country on how it treats its aged and sick, the same can be said for how the country conducts itself
during the current proceedings. Our choice is clear: It’s either fairness, impartiality, and transparency, with due process guaranteed by the Constitution; or it’s subterfuge, bias, hatred, and Star Chamber proceedings leading to an already forgone conclusion.
3
"We are the most powerful nation in the world because we try to be the good guys. We are the most powerful nation in the world because our ideals of universal freedom and equality have been backed up by our belief that we were champions of justice, the protectors of the less fortunate."
The is pure narcissism and hubris. Neither of these ideals are exemplified by the policies of our government nor our military's actions abroad. This is the tripe those in power use to push a narrative and keep the American voter complacent and unaware. Don't believe anything you read in the media as it is all agenda driven. Question everything, especially authority.
3
Amen, Admiral McRaven. Sadly, it's become abundantly clear that there's no "if this president doesn't understand...". This president not only doesn't understand our values, he doesn't respect them, he doesn't embody them, he doesn't value them. He denigrates them. His entire policy portfolio - domestic and foreign - is driven by the worship of the almighty dollar. (Contrary to what his followers would like to believe, he worships no power higher than money, and especially when it might enrich him or his family.) He is even willing to rent out our troops to the highest bidders, most recently, to the brutal, repressive and tyrannical regime of Saudi Arabia. As you say, why would anyone enlist to serve this country when its leaders have abandoned our values and replaced them with greed, self-interest, power hunger and hubris? And make no mistake, it is not just Trump who has abandoned the values that have made us a world leader and sustained us in that role. It is all who surround him, whether wholeheartedly embracing the crime syndicate with which he has infected the halls of the White House, or grudgingly going along for fear of a primary challenge or loss of a seat in Congress or of another position. Those men, and the tiny number of women representing the GOP, have sold their souls to the devil and have turned their country into a soulless, transaction driven oligarchy. May they be rewarded with exactly what they deserve. Ignominious defeat, in politics and in life.
3
Trump has allied himself with the corrupt, dictators, oligarchs and worse. His actions serve to impress them with no regard for morality, honor, respect or any known virtue most of us strive to live by. He is intolerable and inexcusable. Yet, we have been here before. GW Bush was motivated by an equally obscene group, the Neo-Cons. They led him into unnecessary wars, resulting in a massive number of deaths and fueling the creation of lifelong state enemies.They called for action against Bush. It seems Trump is following the same strategy, in some ways. Destruction from the inside, willfully or otherwise is most effective.
1
@DL Penn You cannot even remotely begin to compare GW Bush with Trump. As a president, Bush tried to do the right thing for this country. He may have had his clownish moments, but he never once disgraced the office, or aided and abetted our enemies. He espoused family values, and lived accordingly. As he has said, "I don't look so bad now, do I?" He was an actual president; I cannot say the same for the current occupant of the Oval office.
For some reason, Republican voters and those in the military have this weird idea the Democrats are anti-military? Where did this idea come from? For many reasons it's strange to me. In general the Democrats are for a strong, smart military, avoiding unnecessary wars that um you know kill people. The military's studies have determined that the NUMBER ONE threat to our National Security is related to climate change. The Democrats are surely in agreement with them on that. The Republicans? Yeah, not so much. It's time for Republicans in the military to reassess their bias.
4
I'm afraid that the words of this Admiral remind me too much of the pride and arrogance that led us into the Iraq and Afghanistan wars...the great catastrophes of my lifetime...millions killed, trillions of dollars wasted. Trump was elected as a direct rebuke to those policies and philosophies. Yes, Trump is perhaps too jaded and cynical to be a moral leader, but I'd take him over W Bush any day. Trump is the one of the biggest doves to have ever occupied the oval office. I'm surprised to see Democrats siding with the old warmongers.
3
I wore the uniform for almost 35 years. The hallmark of those years of service was the fact that we believed that the US was always on the side of freedom and a force for good. We were the ones who scrupulously followed the law of war. Now we have a president who talks about pardoning war criminals and allowed our allies to face defeat and death without warning. The fundamental problem with the president, besides narcissism and brazen self dealing, is that he is incapable of understanding that service without something worthy to serve is meaningless.
4
McRaven would like to say "President Trump hasn't demonstrated the leadership America needs, and it is time for a new person in the Oval Office." That's what his manner of understatement should be read to say. Former Commanders of Special Operations Command are not accustomed to having to write op ed pieces about a defective executive. He's trying to be civil about it.
3
it’s absurd that McRaven is writing this in such a passive way. *If* president Trump doesn’t demonstrate leadership, then...? Clearly, President Trump has not demonstrated leadership, so McMaster should write this authoritatively and take a firm position. Trump has to go; there are no ‘ifs’ about it.
I’d also prefer an illuminating column on why the military is so pro Republican/anti-Democrat. Why does McMaster’s friend dislike Democrats so much? Is it because we keep them out of unnecessary wars, or make sure they get good medical care when they come home? This column feeds the GOP narrative of being the tough guys, but when it comes down to it GOP politicians are mostly draft dodgers who are more than happy to put young people in harms way in order to further enrich themselves from Middle Eastern oil fields.
This is not a wonderful column. It’s passive, and fails to take a real stance on the problem before us: our president is a Russian plant doing the bidding of Vladimir Putin, Which, in turn, is further endangering not only our military but our entire country. Our political polarization is not an accident. It’s being nurtured by the far right and their totalitarian allies, foreign and domestic.
1
Admiral, a new commander-in-chief is long overdue. This one is not only incompetent but dangerous. He has abandoned our Kurdish allies to Turkish slaughter. His ignominous retreat from the Middle East benefits Russia, Iran, Turkey and Syria's Assad while freeing ISIS to revive its terrorist caliphate. He is strangely subservient to Putin while denigrating NATO and our alliances with Western democracies. He has corrupted our Navy and the Uniform Code of Military Justice by refusing to allow the punishment of a rogue Seal. He has stolen money from the defense budget to build his Wall. Need I go on?
2
We need more help than words can give us, Admiral. Putin has played the long game, with help from willing Americans in the GOP. Even if we impeached Trump tomorrow, our defenses are in tatters, one of our two political parties is Russian owned and it runs two and a half branches of our government. It is more dire than just a narcissist in the White House. It is forty years of pro-Russian anti-Democratic propaganda, sold by right wing media and the wealthy, and eaten up by the beaten down.
2
Talk about dishonorable behavior. Participating in a coup against the CIC. How exactly did President Obama NOT endanger the republic? Maybe removing all those trainers, education and references to terrorism? How about the social experiments with our soldiers? Middle East engagements that repeatedly failed? Flying billions of dollars to Iran in the middle of the night. Actually prosecuting our soldiers? The Admirable thought all that was fine.
3
While I appreciate the author's point of view - and speaking as the son of a WW2 bombardier - what is he suggesting? That the President of the United States read this missive and hold a press conference saying "You know what? McRaven is right. Bye!"
The man IS the President and the way you remove a President you don't like is to vote him out of office if you can. "Wait til next year!" type of thing.
Complaining is another thing, we are all free to complain and say "I don't like the President!" or even go as far as to hurl names or mock the man on TV, without fear someone will appear at your door and you'll disappear.
THAT'S Democracy.
"Thank you for your service." It'll be all over soon, I promise.
1
Special forces have meticulous plans for every operation.
What is McRaven’s plan to reduce the U.S. military footprint abroad?
Or, more realistically, what is his plan to expand it?
If he is a man of honor and integrity, he will share his plans with the American people.
4
I could view the large majority of this column as an illustration of this admiral's attempt to reassert dignity and duty as core value of the republic. Unfortunately his alarming final sentence, "sooner rather than later" debased the integrity of the preceding assertions. Respect for the institution is exemplified by respect for the process, which is something Comey, Clinton, Clapper, and Strzok forgot in their blind self-righteousness. We have an election in a year. Show some respect for our democracy and cut the chicken-little act.
Great column, Admiral, just two years too late, unfortunately for the Kurds.
2
I wish Admiral McRaven would run for president. He exudes integrity. Watch the commencement address he did last year .
1
The admiral would do well to ponder how it was possible for Donald Trump to ascend to the presidency, despite the many red flags his campaign raised.
For all his grotesque faults, Trump was democratically elected, and he may well be granted another four years in the White House.
America is suffering from a moral and political sickness that has permitted a would-be tyrant to occupy the White House.
When my father was a forward radar operator in MacArthur's Army Air Corp his money said "e pluribus Unum" and he pledged allegiance to "One nation, indivisible, with Liberty & Justice for all" - If the GOP wants us to go back in time, then lets go back to that time.
2
Throughout history heroes are created during times of crisis. Who will be the heroes in the Republican Party who step forward and help us save our Republic?
3
@MSP Tom Trump, Trump, Trump. How did you think the circus started in 1994 was going to end?
"We are the most powerful nation in the world because we try to be the good guys."
Not sure if this guy is completely delusional or willinful ignorant.
It's not like US support of despots and tyrants aroudn the world begun with Trump.
So why is there still so much support from veterans and people still in service for this president?
1
@Carl They probably don't want to die for nothing.
To paraphrase Kennedy's inaugural address: Now the trumpet summons us again to defend the Constitution in it's hour of maximum danger. Do not shrink from this responsibility, welcome it!
Admiral McRaven's eloquence is matched by his patriotism.
2
In other words, General, we should be the policeman of the entire world and put our blood and treasure on the line when we decide that we must intervene in other nation's affairs.
I would submit the CIA overthrow in Chile and Iran the invasion of Iraq and the killing of Gaddafi in which your view was ultimately proved terribly wrong. Did I forget Vietnam?
2
Admiral McRaven: Our only hope might be that some member of the Pentagon staff might arrest Commander-In-Chief Donald Trump for issuing illegal orders.I hope no ranking military leader will decide (to paraphrase Stanley Kubrick's "General Jack D. Ripper") that "Government is too important to be left to the civilians".
An arrest of the President by even a buck Private for his illegal use of the military to "build a wall" on the southern border of the US, in a manner threatening the security of the country would do the military proud.
But, as a slightly post-Nam Lottery guy, who had his CO and (Legitimate) 4-F files ready to take down to Whitehall Street, and who, unlike the president, spent time teaching others who WERE Conscientious Objectors or legitimate 4-Fs how to avoid the draft, (Trump bought his 4-F and assisted no one else - coward). I am of the age that I fear Ripper starting a war, and a coup, to destroy our embattled democracy, rather than take legal actions by their oaths to support and defend our Nation of Law. While I believe you are ethical, and would do no such thing, I cannot trust everyone in the Pentagon.
1
Powerful writing, it choked me up.
2
Sadly, McRaven is a confused man.
He has confused the “republic” with the “empire”. He doesn’t believe in putting America first, he believes in putting Pax Americana first.
He is also confused about the role of the military. He thinks that the president and American people report to the military, not vice versa.
He is also confused about the U.S. being a shining city on a hill. He thinks the U.S. must take its shining light, kick in the doors of countries across the globe, and shine it in their faces until they submit.
McRaven’s confusion wouldn’t be so bad if he wasn’t so dangerous.
5
you mean like under FDR, when he put citizens in camps and tried to pack the SCOTUS, and imposed wage and price controls? or under woodrow wilson, when he jailed those who criticized the govt under the Sedition act? is that what you mean when our republic is under attack?
yea. we will never survive trump.
the sky is falling.
my advice- stop watching cnn and msnbc. the hysteria and hyperbole is utterly infectious.
can we all calm down? i guess not....
6
Twenty Republican senators could put an end to this in a week.
3
"As I stood on the parade field at Fort Bragg, one retired four-star general, grabbed my arm, shook me and shouted, 'I don’t like the Democrats, but Trump is destroying the Republic!' I wonder why that retired 4-star general doesn't like Democrats. Did FDR's saving his country irritate this man? Did Kennedy not get shot enough times? Democrats try to care for all Americans--their health, their security in old age, their education, you know, all that dreary stuff in the Preamble to the Constitution--rather than for guns and war and wealth above everything. What is it about caring about all Americans that angers this man?
1
@Long Memory No they don't. If they did they wouldn't have spent the last year on impeachment. Democrats only care about power.
Don Trump is mentally unfit. That's the long and the short of it. He is incapable of understanding anything that goes beyond the boundaries of his own self-serving personality. He is destroying America politically and must be removed from office ASAP.
1
As compelling as Mr. McRaven's clarion call is (and I admire him tremendously), I think our republic is under attack on many fronts, including, sad to say, a mainstream media, including this venerable publication, that no longer even makes the attempt to present the news, especially political affairs, through an objective lens. There was a recent smear piece (its second such one) on Tulsi Gabbard, and there seem to be no lessons learned, and how it alienates a critical thinking citizenry from trusting what used to be the most trustworthy sources. I believe it will take statesman and stateswomen of the 'McRavenian' variety to right things -- and not just the notable ones like him who get a soapbox in an NYT opinion piece, but all of us of goodwill and great concern must stand up and be counted.Now or never.
McRaven should be the Democratic candidate for president in 2020!
1
If he doesn't? Of course he doesn't. And won't. Never will.
Yeah, but while the "greatest generation" was fighting for american ideals and values overseas, African American soldiers were fighting along side them in segregated units and returned home from these wars to face lynching, jim crow, poverty, and much worse. So I could do without all the cockandbull hero mythology. Trump is simply unfit for because he has no values and is all about himself. He's base, corrupt, and unfit to hold the office. Period.
1
I am reading that the last straw for you General was Trump walking away from the Kurds. The prism through which you view this entire mess of a presidency is Mighty narrow sir but at least you are now woke. Time to oust this vile destroyer of our good democracy. The sooner the better indeed! Where do I sign up?
Excellent piece and use of juxtaposition.
Congressional Republicans' response:
"Did. Not. Read."
To paraphrase the final paragraph: "Trump better shape up and stop destroying the republic, or we're all in trouble." Really? You think so, General? The towering naivete of these Johnny-come-lately words amazes me. Trump's not going to shape up, pal.
1
We ask one thing of our military leaders -- win America's wars. If they cannot meet that burden, they are not of any use to our republic.
Why did we lose the war in Afghanistan, the peace in Iraq, the war in Syria, and defeat ISIS?
We lost the war in Afghanistan because show pony flag officers like McRaven were unable to fashion a winning strategy with the enormous amount of assets entrusted to their control. They had men, money, equipment, strategy, and their own brains -- they failed.
McRaven and his bunch lost to a third world, rag tag, light infantry who had no air force and nothing grander than a mortar.
McRaven and the others who wore stars on their shoulders lost.
We beat ISIS because the Commander-in-Chief jerked a knot in McRaven, et al, and told them how to win. He changed the mission profile, the rules of engagement, and turned them loose.
McRaven is a political hack. He has decided to enter the political fray as a partisan thereby diminishing all military men who live by Article 88 of the UCMJ.
“Any commissioned officer who uses contemptuous words against the President, the Vice President, Congress, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of a military department, the Secretary of Transportation, or the Governor or legislature of any State, Territory, Commonwealth, or possession in which he is on duty or present shall be punished as a court-martial may direct.”
You, Admiral, need to go make your bed.
4
Wonderful column. But please don't just say it in the New York Times; say it on Fox news, say it on talk radio. Say it where people need to hear it it most.
2
You should have asked the general why he doesn't like the Democrats.
1
Military personnel vote overwhelmingly Republican. It's a fact. I expect they will continue to do the same even in the face of this condemnation of their 'McCraven' grifter businessman-narcissist-demagogue leader, Emperor Trump.
1
First, thank you Admiral McRaven for your service & sacrifice for the USA. But you are wrong here sir.
The problem, here, is that the American leadership establishment, politicians and military leaders alike, are not willing to go "win" the war - meaning kill the enemy & destroy their stuff, as many of them & as much as we can, wherever we find them, with little regard to "collateral damage."
When I was flying drones, I could have killed many more bad guys but for the "rules of engagement" which basically restricted us to shooting only when there was virtually no chance of "collateral damage." I'm not saying aim at civilians - but if we find the bad guys, and the stuff they use to wage war, we aim at them, with the minimum firepower necessary, and kill them. It is the bad guys' fault if their friends and families get hurt or killed, and the message to them is "if you love your friends & family, don't be a terrorist/enemy of the USA anymore."
The tragedy of our dead and wounded military is that America's leadership establishment sent them to fight wars and then handicapped their ability to defend themselves, and to win the war, because of a lack of moral courage to stand up to "potential negative public opinion."
It's our kids or their kids, and until American leaders get that idea, our kids will continue to die "over there" for no good reason.
I'm with Ralph Peters - In Praise of Attrition! - https://ssi.armywarcollege.edu/pubs/parameters/articles/04summer/peters.htm
If America is not “the world’s policemen,” America will be sidelined, weakened, attacked. China, Iran, Russia, North Korea will rule the seas, the air, space, the cyber sphere. There will be no longer be reserve currency status for the dollar.
1
I wonder as a brother of a late Korean war US Army serviceman
why those of high military rank ,have never spoken out about Trump's draft dodging "foot spurs"deferral ,sounds like he was a coward to me.....
1
Welcome to the Democrat Socialist Extremist team, Admiral McRaven. Glad to have you.
“I don’t like the Democrats, but Trump is destroying the Republic!”
Amen, sir.
‘Semper Fidelis’ still means something, even if Donald Trump can’t comprehend what it is to be faithful, and not merely loyal.
Admiral, I can think of only one appropriate way to say how much your words mean to me, a retired officer of Marines and that is, as Admiral Zumwalt was fond of saying: "Bravo Zulu!"
2
Thank you General, but you, like your colleague who said he didn't like Democrats, have to hold Republicans responsible too. Their majority and silence in the Senate is what's enabling what some would all that madman in the Oval Office
1
This Republican Never Trumper could not agree more.
2
Here's an idea: don't vote Republican. The pattern of deceit and warmongering only goes back 50 years.
2
Bravo, sir! Well-written and well-argued!
May our Congress and our people listen well to your courageous words and act on them.
1
Ever since trump's inauguration I have felt that the salvation of America is in the hands of our generals.
1
And what does it say about those who protect a man who is attacking our republic? What does it say about those who cheer him on too blind to see that this is beyond politics? I am reminded of the saying ""The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men should do nothing." (Burke)
It is time for all good men to stand up, speak up and save our republic.
1
The Roman Empire had many factions. Soldiers, gladiators, Senators, and the public. Successful and all powerful for 1000 years. The Roman army is what projected its power, not what dictated its policies. Thanks for your service, but stay in your lane Admiral. We the people will decide who and how decides policy foreign and domestic. You are still just one vote. Thank you sir.
1
The gentleman referenced may not like the Democrats, but they are all that is standing in the way of the Trumpists' mass destruction of our core tenets and values. The Republicans are enabling the guy in the White House. Think about that the next time you're about to exercise your right to vote -- if you still have it. I don't like endless wars, either, and would be happy to see the military drastically reduced, so that tax money could be put to better use educating the people of this country and caring for their health and well-being -- but not in the disrepectful, self-interested, and haphazard manner the Trumpists are going about it.
2
All true, but Trump has now shown leadership qualities since his first day in office. It's far past "if." The Admiral should be calling for impeachment loudly and clearly.
1
While I admire the admiral's cri de coeur and reminder of the ideals the Republic stands for I have to say that when high ranking military men begin to speak publicly we have reached a critical...and dangerous point in our history. Politicians on both sides of the aisle had better sit up and take notice.
3
The 1923 Treaty of Lausanne established the borders of modern Turkey, Syria and Iraq but denied the Kurds their own state. For decades, Kurds have been working to carve a homeland—Kurdistan—out out the Turkish, Iraqi and Syrian borderlands. The Kurds have been conducting terrorist operations inside southern Turkey that have killed thousands of Turks. The Turkish people regard Kurd separatists as terrorists. This is why the Turks are attempting to create a buffer zone on their Syrian border.
Many Americans sympathize with the Kurds, but the Kurdistan issue is one the United Nations—not the United States or Special Forces commanders—should resolve. Turkey is a U.S. ally and a member of NATO. Turkish soldiers have also fought alongside U.S. soldiers.
4
And said treaty creating those borders is another example of the Great Powers drawing random lines on a map to divvy up the remnants of the Ottoman Empire without regard to the conditions on the ground. Like the Sykes-Picot, Lausanne was written by men who were interested not in the people, places, religions and traditions of the region, but in furthering their own geopolitical agendas.
Those chicken have been coming home to roost for a century.
@Matt
As I pointed out, the Kurdistan issue is for the United Nations to resolve, not the United States or Special Forces commanders. Turkey is as NATO ally.
Thank you for stating the realities of our present moment so clearly and so powerfully. Thank you for taking a stand.
We fought fascism abroad; now we need to fight it within.
Yes, let's replace Trump/Pence as soon as possible. We do have reliable and honest Democratic candidates. We need to give them a chance.
Thank you.
6
Thank you for writing this, Admiral McRaven.
I served in the US Army during the Vietnam War. I'm roughly the same age as President Trump. Coming from a somewhat privileged background similar to Trump. I never one thought of looking for a way to avoid the draft; in fact I enlisted because I thought that military service was an honorable act, just like my father did with the US Navy during WW II.
The only vestige of my service today is a sticker on my driver's license, a Veteran's Only parking place in the local super market, and a 10% discount at certain big-box retailers. However, when a check out clerk says, 50 years after the fact, "thank you for your service", I still swell with pride.
Admiral McRaven is right that young men and women of this nation will have no reason to join the military as this President continues to attack our principles and demean our values. In fact, they'll have no reason to take pride in how the country conducts itself both at home and abroad. Preserving our Republic from the likes of Donald Trump is something that all of us - Republicans, Democrats, Independents, every last one of us - need to stand up and be accounted for in the next election - if not sooner.
8
"They all seem hopelessly dogmatic, enslaved to the special interests for the sake of maintaining or improving their political status."
This another comment from above; a retired military officer, about the sameness of the Democrats and Republicans.
I would point out that the difference between Democrats and Republicans - just the party ideals, not the implementation - is Republicans say "What you got is yours, we're here to make sure you keep as much of it as you have earned", and Democrats have said, "If you have to walk over another American to get what you have, you should not forget that human being and keep walking."
I have been shamed, had my character impugned, and called a traitor for having voted for Democrats. They have their flaws. But those who shamed me said that they were Christians, and that American was a Christian nation which embodied Christian values. Over the years, while people quoted Leviticus to me to assail gay marriage, one who tried to lead me to Christ quoted Matthew 25:40
"What you do for the least among you, you do for me" (Jesus is speaking).
On that measure, Democrats are more in line with Jesus than Che Guevara, as their antagonists insist. And if we are a Christian nation, fear of socialism should be second to embodying what Jesus asked us to do for the least among us.
Everything else is policy mechanics, but let us not think that our religion defines when our acts tell the world that we leave others behind - as Trump just did.
3
We now have a president that is a greater threat to our institutions than ISIS. At some point the Republicans must understand this and cooperate with the Democrats to remove this man from office. This latest betrayal of our ideals, our principles and the Kurds cannot stand. The GOP foisted this man upon us and it is incumbent upon them to assist in his removal. It cannot happen too quickly for the safety of the Republic depends upon swift action.
6
@JAM
Though I agree that this country needs a change in leadership, I think it goes beyond the pale to state Trump is a greater threat to our institutions than ISIS. Though Trump is an inept blowhard, he certainly is not beheading people and otherwise engaging in murder and terror.