The predictable elite wailing and gnashing of teeth over President Trump’s pardons of various American warriors accused or convicted of alleged war crimes is typically tiresome. To our elite, the only good soldier is one who goes full Deep State – never go full Deep State – and collaborates with the ruling caste, or one who is in jail. That’s it. The rest are expendable pawns to be deployed to protect vital American interests like [Kurt consults his notes to make sure he has this right] obscure border disputes between significantly communist militias and a NATO ally on the side of the significantly communist militias.
I care nothing about what bow-tied bureaucrats, posing pols, and media hacks think. I care about our troops – but caring about our troops does not necessarily mean being ecstatic about this turn of events.
To the extent the pardons show that the president will back our troops where there is any doubt whatsoever, good. Our troops have a politically correct chain of command that the force perceives as far too willing to sacrifice them on the altar of field grade and flag officer careers when they make tough decisions.
To the extent the pardons show that he will square away those convicted in the ridiculous witch hunts that followed Trump’s outrageous crime of beating Stumbles McMyturn, good. When it’s politically safe, Trump should pardon everyone caught up in Mueller’s crusty coup.
To the extent the pardons irritate the elite, good. This presumptively makes them something we should support, though that presumption is rebuttable. Real war crimes must be punished.
To the extent that these pardons send a message that it is okay to violate military rules and the laws of war, it is less clear. Here’s the thing: we have a hyper-partisan political culture and the military brass is not immune, as we have seen in Congress lately. Its conduct in some of these cases has been utterly shameful.
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Update 3:19am, November 22nd, 2019:
(6) Admiral retaliating against Navy SEAL for Trump pardon, attorney says
See Also:
(1) Ten Reasons Vindman’s Testimony Was Bad for Democrats
(2) All Eyes On Judge In Michael Flynn Case After Shocking Developments
(4) Nancy Pelosi Is Already Attacking the Legitimacy of the 2020 Election
(5) Nixon’s Lessons for the Would-Be Impeachers
