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Simeon Salus

(1,393 posts)
Sat Jan 25, 2025, 08:50 AM Jan 25

Trump is about to start his administration by nakedly looting the nation's largest boondoggle

By elevating a couch cushion to SecDef and eliminating any independent review, Trump now has the keys to the entire military industrial complex. Strategic policy is now whatever Stephen Miller says it is.

Everyone else is under chain of command.

We are in night of the long knives territory, folks.

23 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Trump is about to start his administration by nakedly looting the nation's largest boondoggle (Original Post) Simeon Salus Jan 25 OP
Its happening so fast. milestogo Jan 25 #1
They will act to protect themselves, as they should. wnylib Jan 25 #12
Everything was planned in advance, even the ballot tampering, I suspect. Joinfortmill Jan 25 #16
Yes. Trump will only do things which benefit him personally. Irish_Dem Jan 25 #2
Predictably, next will be purge of military officers who aren't sufficiently loyal Simeon Salus Jan 25 #3
Hopefully not RockCreek Jan 25 #5
Remember when birdographer Jan 25 #7
I do have hope in some military RockCreek Jan 25 #8
National Guard. hedda_foil Jan 25 #15
Maybe the dismissed personnel will form their own shadow military. wnylib Jan 25 #14
We called those Militias dickthegrouch Jan 25 #19
I think that you missed my point. wnylib Jan 25 #20
I don't know how to tell the difference between them dickthegrouch Jan 25 #21
What matters is that the anti fascist, fired personnel know the difference. wnylib Jan 25 #22
Wait until he gets around to the Social Security Trust Fund. Midnight Writer Jan 25 #4
do you mean the "meme coin reserve?" rampartd Jan 25 #6
The GOP's Ultimate Wet Dream RainCaster Jan 25 #9
Now that the IGs are gone Beck23 Jan 25 #10
You're gonna get JDV all excited Geechie Jan 25 #11
The military should coup. Bluethroughu Jan 25 #13
Hegseth's macho talk will resonate with some in the military pfitz59 Jan 25 #17
Macho Man Randy Savage talk. Sneederbunk Jan 25 #18
If Hegseth manages to purge insufficiently loyal folks, haele Jan 25 #23

milestogo

(19,417 posts)
1. Its happening so fast.
Sat Jan 25, 2025, 08:54 AM
Jan 25

But in this age, other countries can see what is happening. Hopefully that makes a difference.

wnylib

(25,183 posts)
12. They will act to protect themselves, as they should.
Sat Jan 25, 2025, 11:21 AM
Jan 25

But I wouldn't count on them to come to our rescue. We've got to deal with this however we can.

Irish_Dem

(63,922 posts)
2. Yes. Trump will only do things which benefit him personally.
Sat Jan 25, 2025, 09:01 AM
Jan 25

The goals are power, wealth, revenge, hatred and cruelty.

Simeon Salus

(1,393 posts)
3. Predictably, next will be purge of military officers who aren't sufficiently loyal
Sat Jan 25, 2025, 09:06 AM
Jan 25

The inspector generals' dismissal is a signal rocket fired over all commands; "your asses belong to me".

RockCreek

(854 posts)
5. Hopefully not
Sat Jan 25, 2025, 09:55 AM
Jan 25

Very unfortately, they actually are some of the only ones in a position to do anything to stop him. Not an OK solution, but it could be better than nothing. NEVER thought I would say or think such things....

birdographer

(2,707 posts)
7. Remember when
Sat Jan 25, 2025, 10:17 AM
Jan 25

he ordered someone—police? His SS?—to shoot protesters in the legs so he could get his photo op holding a Bible upside down, and the guy refused? Maybe some of the military people he will order to do insane things will have a thread of decency in them and refuse. Yeah, I know, and rainbow unicorns cavort in hidden meadows.

RockCreek

(854 posts)
8. I do have hope in some military
Sat Jan 25, 2025, 10:20 AM
Jan 25

So many join for good reasons. Many value law and honor.
Child of Vietnam protestors raised to think the military was close to the devil speaking here Live and learn...

dickthegrouch

(3,926 posts)
19. We called those Militias
Sat Jan 25, 2025, 03:32 PM
Jan 25

Although I’ll grant that many members of those are more wannabe than actual ex-service members.

wnylib

(25,183 posts)
20. I think that you missed my point.
Sat Jan 25, 2025, 04:43 PM
Jan 25

Yes, there are militias that are a shadow military. Many of them are present and former cops and military, with combat experience and training. They have been arming themselves for decades. They will serve the fascist regime.

But, the shadow military that I alluded to would be composed of people who are not MAGA, not fascist, and in fact, who oppose those ideologies and their practices. When those military personnel get fired for not being loyal fascists, will they give up on the country that they swore to defend? Or will they form their own shadow military to oppose the fascists?




dickthegrouch

(3,926 posts)
21. I don't know how to tell the difference between them
Sat Jan 25, 2025, 04:52 PM
Jan 25

Was my point.
Especially when MAGAts lie through their teeth as a matter of course.

RainCaster

(12,185 posts)
9. The GOP's Ultimate Wet Dream
Sat Jan 25, 2025, 10:28 AM
Jan 25

The GOP has been pleasuring themselves with that thought for decades now. This time, they may actually do it.

pfitz59

(11,321 posts)
17. Hegseth's macho talk will resonate with some in the military
Sat Jan 25, 2025, 11:41 AM
Jan 25

while angering others. Military regulations are vast, and the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) complex. It will not be lost on the troops that Major Hegseth violated one of the biggest no-no's in the UCMJ, adultery, which is a crime under military law. Sen Miss Lindsay Graham is a former JAGOFF, and should know this, yet he voted for Hegseth, a clear violation of his own oath as Senator and retired Officer. The hypocrisy is blatant.

haele

(13,887 posts)
23. If Hegseth manages to purge insufficiently loyal folks,
Sat Jan 25, 2025, 05:19 PM
Jan 25

Plus women, disabled, LGBTQ, and naturalized citizens from the DoD, National Guard, or Reserves, he will end up with a military the size of the Mexican Military with far less support structure.
Not even adding in all the III percenters will give them a "military" that could protect the US, even against an internal insurrection.
His "unconstrained He-Man Military" ideal is highly flawed and leads to a corrupt, fairly inept conscript military, like that of Russia, North Korea and China.

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