Joe Doakes from Como Park emails:
it appears true heroism in the Obama era consists not of bravely facing the enemy in combat, but in kowtowing to the party line.
joe doakes
If Obama could run for a third term, we’d see the IRS running the militiary.
This is an odd story inasmuch as there is very little factual information for the reader to assess. The Washington Free Beacon more or less muddied the waters rather than clarifying anything. It would be easy to take a stand on this matter, but I’m inclined to reserve judgement, about either Golseyn or the army until and unless I knew a lot more than this article reveals. It seems the CIA and the Army have information that we don’t have and are unlikely to ever get.
Not certain what waters were muddied here. An officer who led his troops with acknowledged bravery all of the sudden finds himself frozen out and being investigated….”after a book by author and Marine Bing West came out that detailed Golsteyn’s heroism and quoted him making critical remarks about the American strategy in Afghanistan…”.
The author of the Washington Free Beacon article, a Marine combat veteran who is also a graduate of the Naval Academy and Oxford, notes that the Defense Dept. won’t disclose why the Captain (now Major) is being investigated even to a member of Congress although they are claiming that it has something to do with previously undisclosed allegation of a violation of military rules & procedures. An update to the article linked notes that the Defense Dept. has begun proceedings to remove Golsteyn from the service.
That said – members of the military do not have free speech in the way of being able to publicly criticize their superiors including their commander-in-chief while they are active duty military. One would think that Bing West would have known that and kept Golsteyn anonymous so that he would not be risking his career. The normal Washington way is to quote an anonymous source on deep background but this is a person who stated his criticism publicly and will likely lose his military career for it.
“If Obama could run for a third term, we’d see the IRS running the military”
Oh, it’s on! 0bumbler is not finished by a long shot. It will take third term to bring USA to its knees.
Yes, active duty soldiers aren’t allowed to criticize the CIC, but it’s worth noting that previous CICs were man enough to take criticism and not just take it out on someone who was “caught” saying some impolitic things.
And quite frankly, this former manliness is important. I’ve learned in my profession that the best friend I’ve got is often the person who chews me out–no matter what his level in the organization. Reprisals like this shut down the feedback mechanism and get people killed.
If the Army thinks he violated military regulations and the CIA has evidence to back it, then convene a court martial. If the Army wins, appropriate punishment might include stripping the medal.
Stripping the medal without a conviction is not an act of justice, it’s an act of spite. And President Obama as Commander in Chief is directly responsible for allowing it to happen, if not causing it to happen.