We missed this Washington Post op-ed when it came out, but it seems to have preceded Newsweek’s warning that millions of angry, armed Americans stand ready to seize power if Donald Trump loses in 2024 (assuming he runs at all). The Washington Post has three retired generals who are warning that the military must prepare now for a 2024 insurrection.
Opinion | 3 retired generals: The military must prepare now for a 2024 insurrection https://t.co/IHiha4evhp
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) December 19, 2021
What exactly is the military to do? As Twitchy has reported, the Pentagon has issued new rules to curb the “rise in extremism” among the troops, noting that some active military and veterans participated in the storming of the Capitol on January 6 (although the Pentagon reports that “fewer than 100 military members are known to have been involved in substantiated cases of extremist activity in the past year”).
Paul D. Eaton, Antonio M. Taguba, and Steven M. Anderson are concerned that “the potential for a military breakdown mirroring societal or political breakdown is very real.” As evidence, they offer that “the commanding general of the Oklahoma National Guard … refused an order from President Biden mandating that all National Guard members be vaccinated against the coronavirus,” deferring instead to the state governor. They write:
As we approach the first anniversary of the deadly insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, we — all of us former senior military officials — are increasingly concerned about the aftermath of the 2024 presidential election and the potential for lethal chaos inside our military, which would put all Americans at severe risk.
In short: We are chilled to our bones at the thought of a coup succeeding next time.
…
The potential for a total breakdown of the chain of command along partisan lines — from the top of the chain to squad level — is significant should another insurrection occur. The idea of rogue units organizing among themselves to support the “rightful” commander in chief cannot be dismissed.
We wouldn’t call what happened on January 6 an insurrection, and it was deadly — for Ashley Babbitt.
Here’s Glenn Greenwald:
This WPost op-ed by "3 retired Generals" – calling for the US military to turn its planning against the citizenry on domestic soil in the name of stopping "insurrection" and "misinformation" – is vastly more dangerous and anti-democratic than 1/6 itself.https://t.co/FQaqOfsgmF
— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) December 21, 2021
Remember: **before 1/6**, the "US intelligence community" was claiming the greatest threat to the US Homeland is "domestic extremism." It's long been clear that this "Insurrection" narrative is so vital because it justifies any domestic powers in the name of stopping it. pic.twitter.com/LYkVByLLVP
— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) December 21, 2021
For those complaining about the Washington Post's paywall not allowing them to read this authoritarian, borderline-fascist op-ed by those 3 Generals, here's a CNN segment predictably heralding their prescience. Uncritically interviews one of the authors:https://t.co/0xvB94ZAVR
— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) December 21, 2021
They actually call what happened on January 6 an “attempted coup.” Agree that this article is worse than what happened on that day.
— Proctor Chris (@ChrisInTheArena) December 21, 2021
Nice article. It's starts off with a lie. "As we approach the first anniversary of the deadly insurrection at the U.S. Capitol"
— oldcryptoguy @||||@ (@cryptog39023702) December 21, 2021
P-S-Y-O-P
They want us to fight. Counter proposal: hug your neighbor, get drunk together, and eat baked goods.
— Ryan Glover (@rglover) December 21, 2021
— Michael Brett (@brett1963) December 21, 2021
Ah yes, 1/6…. Where nobody had a gun except for the murderous cop, and STILL nobody has been charged with insurrection. 🤡
— Jonas (@Jonastown741) December 21, 2021
Interesting that these generals don't advocate credible national electoral reform to ensure voter turnout in the knowledge that voting systems throughout the U.S. are simple, fair, and credible.
— Horned_Owl (@Horned_OwlJA) December 21, 2021
So this article is basically 1/6 fan fiction. Kind of like when Rachel Maddow speculated about “what would happen if Putin turned off the US power grid during the winter” which was Russiagate fan fiction.
— GibMeDatSativa (@Landrace_Sativa) December 21, 2021
All you need to know about this article..”newly re-elected Biden administration” versus “Trump or Trumpian shadow government”.
— Chris Hartley (@hartleychris1) December 21, 2021
We’d be happy never to hear the word “Trumpian” again.
What’s “chilling to the bone” is the tenor of most of the comments posted on the WaPo article itself. There’s a reason for the posse comitatus act and you’re looking right at it.
— Bruce Hyer (@behyer) December 21, 2021
So they want the US military prepared to turn against its own citizens- based on a situation that would be been prevented with about fifty more beat cops?
— Jon (@jonfw2) December 21, 2021
We need to build up our fascism in case fascism comes along again.
— 🥨 PhillyAl 🏛 (@PhillyAlB) December 21, 2021
The 3 retired generals sound more like they are exposing a playbook for the military to take over the nation. They are out of their minds, and partisans themselves. Liberals exaggerate about the riot on Jan. 6 for a reason; you can easily ascertain these generals' reason.
— Brian W. Peterson (@cybrpete) December 21, 2021
That it is even being seriously considered is beyond disturbing
— Scott "this is as far as the b@st@rds are going.” (@ScottC20012) December 21, 2021
The military is already putting service members through anti-extremism training to root out any possible domestic terrorists. This effort isn’t new, and it probably isn’t needed.
Related:
Newsweek is sounding the alarm over the ‘millions of angry, armed Americans [standing] ready to seize power if Trump loses in 2024’ https://t.co/8wyalFUTyG
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) December 20, 2021
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