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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsTed Lieu sends a message to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who DO NOT ENJOY John Roberts' "IMMUNITY BENEDICTION."
George Takei
@georgetakei.bsky.social
Rep. Ted Lieu isn't backing down.
Rep. Ted Lieu isn't backing down.
— George Takei (@georgetakei.bsky.social) 2026-04-07T14:30:15.707Z
leftstreet
(40,978 posts)Thank goodness. They've got wifi and can keep us updated
Irish_Dem
(81,630 posts)The moral choice or the immoral choice.
It is up to them.
Miles Archer
(23,530 posts)The issue here is that Trump is doing an "Apprentice Ratings Tease." We're all talking about genocide in Iran, and not about his punching a 13 year old girl for biting him during a blowjob. WE HAVE NO IDEA WHAT, if anything, he'll actually do. But if it's an illegal order:
ucmjlaw.com
Clouds Passing
(8,022 posts)Whyisthisstillclose
(695 posts)Irish_Dem
(81,630 posts)niyad
(132,843 posts)johnnyfins
(3,828 posts)MadameButterfly
(4,084 posts)they'll follow the orders. It's what they are trained to do.
Some will be gung ho--they. signed up for the military and want action. They are really good at flying fighter planes.
Others will agonize. They signed up to defend their country and do good in the world. They know this is not that.
But if they don't do it, they'll lose their career or risk a court marshall punishable by death under Trump. And then someone else will do it anyway. i predict trauma, future cases of depression, even suicides by soldiers wracked with guilt over the genocide and the repercussions we haven't even seen yet.
But there is no real support for them saying no. The JAG officers have been dismissed. There is no fair tribunal in a military Trump controls. No safe house. No way to rehabilitate the careers that they have sacrificed so much for. No reimbursement for their families.
And we should be careful what we wish for. I have hope that soldiers will say no when it comes to shooting Americans in the streets. But not if the soldiers with a conscience have been removed in the war with Iran.
Marcuse
(9,033 posts)flamingdem
(40,926 posts)I think that's still viable.
MadameButterfly
(4,084 posts)and more specifically spent year being trained to fly a fighter jet? I think conscienscious objectors apply to people who are drafted.
vapor2
(4,593 posts)in Venezuela so no hope now
Cheezoholic
(3,764 posts)in which Taylor was the Chief of Staff at DHS, said this very topic came up several times. He stated they had to get together and talk crazy fuck down to avoid doing something insane like he has been. He said they openly discussed that if they couldn't talk him down, they being folks like him, some cabinet members/advisors, Head Council, Joint Chiefs etc. they determined it would be Civil War. He was very adamant that they truly believed during his first term we were that close to it. Those "guardrails" are gone. Now he's driving us up the Pikes Peak run of 50 years ago at full speed before there were walls and guardrails to keep the cars from plummeting over the highest cliffs. I knew it was bad but didn't realize it was that bad internally first go. He said there were enough sycophants in place even back then that would've been willing to push us there if not for many such as himself and people like General Milley.
LoisB
(13,118 posts)BidenRocks
(3,322 posts)Have you ever heard of Eddie Slovik?
You have deserted our Constitution and are following illegal orders issued by an obviously insane person.
You issue orders! I was only following them won't work!
For allowing a nuclear strike, I find you all guilty of crimes against humanity and the penalty is execution.
Say Hi to Eddie!
GaYellowDawg
(5,108 posts)Arrest these motherfuckers and hand them over to the Hague for prosecution as war criminals by an international tribunal. That'll be the only real way to get anything resembling justice, and it'll send a message that the United States is ready to rejoin the world as a civilized nation.
Shipwack
(3,077 posts)But previous administrations decided to ignore it.
I hope we have finally learned our lesson
thought crime
(1,627 posts)Thank you for your courage Rep. Ted Lieu !!
Bluetus
(2,913 posts)We need the rest of Democrats on board.
And we can take it a step farther with "Trump will fire you. He will go after your pension. He will threaten your families. We know this. But this is the most heroic thing you will ever do in your military career. And I promise you that Democrats will fight to the last man to get your rank reinstated and all your benefits restored if you do the right thing. We must trust each other. We have no choice."
themaguffin
(5,247 posts)talking-liberally
(75 posts)GoodRaisin
(10,960 posts)Cant get much more direct than that.
Bobstandard
(2,321 posts)In another thread the poster asked, what do you think Democratic leadership can do? Republicans control the Senate, House and Oval Office
This is exactly what they can and must do! (Someone get Schumer and Jeffries on the line)!
(Although I was happy to see Schumer say hes nuts, or words to that effect.).
at140
(6,262 posts)Very few winners of wars ever get in trouble with war crimes. USA incinerated thousands of civilians in Hiroshima & Nagasaki. But nobody was convicted of war crimes because Japan surrendered to USA.