US Joint Chiefs of Staff weigh in on the election

[Vekseid]

From Reuters

Message from the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

MEMORANDUM FOR THE JOINT FORCE

SUBJECT: MESSAGE TO THE JOINT FORCE

The American people have trusted the Armed Forces of the United States to protect them and our Constitution for almost 250 years. As we have done throughout our history, the U.S. military will obey lawful orders from civilian leadership, support civil authorities to protect lives and property, ensure public safety in accordance with the law, and remain fully committed to protecting and defending the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.

The violent riot in Washington, D.C. on January 6, 2021 was a direct assault on the U.S. Congress, the Capitol building, and our Constitutional process. We mourn the deaths of the two Capitol policemen and others connected to these unprecedented events.

We witnessed actions inside the Capitol building that were inconsistent with the rule of law. The rights of freedom of speech and assembly do not give anyone the right to resort to violence, sedition and insurrection.

As Service Members, we must embody the values and ideals of the Nation. We support and defend the Constitution. Any act to disrupt the Constitutional process is not only against our traditions, values, and oath; it is against the law.

On January 20, 2021, in accordance with the Constitution, confirmed by the states and the courts, and certified by Congress, President-elect Biden will be inaugurated and will become our 46th Commander in Chief.

To our men and women deployed and at home, safeguarding our country-stay ready, keep your eyes on the horizon, and remain focused on the mission. We honor your continued service in defense of every American.

[signed]


Mark A. Milley

General, U.S. Army

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

John E. Hyten

General, U.S. Air Force

Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

James C. McConville

General, U.S. Army

Chief of Staff of the Army

David H. Berger

General, U.S. Marine Corps

Commandant of the Marine Corps

Michael M. Gilday

Admiral, U.S. Navy

Chief of Naval Operations

Charles Q. Brown, Jr.

General, U.S. Air Force

Chief of Staff of the Air Force

John W. Raymond

General, U.S. Space Force

Chief of Space Operations

Daniel R. Hokanson

General, U.S. Army

Chief of the National Guard Bureau

I felt it was more appropriate to highlight this here as this is unprecedented. And rather reassuring.

[Haibane]

Wow. Holy heck. Serious. But also as you say, very encouraging. Thank the stars there are wise minds and level heads in places where it counts.

[stormwyrm]

This is very encouraging to hear. I have lived in a country that had a military strongman for over twenty years and the developments in the United States over the past four years were frightening to say the least. Fortunately, Donald Trump had hardly any of the evil genius of Ferdinand Marcos. If he really was consciously planning an autogolpe he did it all wrong. The first thing you need to do if you're planning such a coup is to court the military. Make sure you have people in important places in the military willing to support you when the time is ripe. If Trump had gotten enough of the military to believe in him and his lies about the election the way that mob he inspired to attack the Capitol does, he might have very well managed to crown himself the Almighty Divine Emperor of these United States by now. Instead he called the enlisted suckers and losers, and insinuated that the brass were all war profiteers. In Marcos' case he had to conduct false flag operations to make it look like the Philippines was teetering on the brink of communist takeover, giving him the excuse he needed to declare martial law. Bush II could have gone this route as well, by further stoking hysteria over terrorism in the wake of 9/11, and he might have had better chances of success, but it seems either that was not his ambition, or he had judged it too risky. Trump has managed to get a good part of the population to believe his lies about election fraud, but not enough of the people whose support matters as he crosses the Rubicon.