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sabra

(30,404 posts)
Mon Nov 9, 2020, 05:35 PM Nov 2020

Esper: If my replacement is 'a real yes man' then 'God help us'

Source: The Hill

Former Defense Secretary Mark Esper said in an interview published Monday that if his replacement is “a real yes man” then “God help us.”

In an interview last week with the Military Times, the now-former secretary said he decided to pick his fights with President Trump while as the head of the Department of Defense, adding he had no regrets in how he handled himself.

“At the end of the day, it’s as I said — you’ve got to pick your fights,” he told the Military Times on Nov. 4. “I could have a fight over anything, and I could make it a big fight, and I could live with that —why? Who’s going to come in behind me? It’s going to be a real ‘yes man.’ And then God help us.”

When asked if other Defense secretaries have spent as much time attempting to balance the president’s wishes with their potential national security effects, he said, “Probably not. I don’t know, I’ve only worked for a couple.”



Read more: https://thehill.com/policy/defense/525158-esper-if-my-replacement-is-a-real-yes-man-then-god-help-us

32 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Esper: If my replacement is 'a real yes man' then 'God help us' (Original Post) sabra Nov 2020 OP
He's telling us that Donnie Dumbfuck is cray-cray. BusyBeingBest Nov 2020 #1
I knew it, he will start a war. Eliot Rosewater Nov 2020 #2
seems to me the only real target he cares to fight against is us.... unblock Nov 2020 #4
that's because for the most part DonCoquixote Nov 2020 #26
this llashram Nov 2020 #17
I think it's more likely that he's going to order the military to protect him from being removed. D23MIURG23 Nov 2020 #27
Hope that is all because that wont work at all... Eliot Rosewater Nov 2020 #28
I mean, his sole concern is himself. D23MIURG23 Nov 2020 #29
Kick dalton99a Nov 2020 #3
So what did dump want from you? The American People mobeau69 Nov 2020 #5
*rump asked him to deploy troops in the streets over BLM protests Ponietz Nov 2020 #7
I think, uppermost in his sick mind, was control of the military mobeau69 Nov 2020 #10
+1 CountAllVotes Nov 2020 #6
tRump has zero to gain starting anything now unless its scorched Earth in his final months but yaesu Nov 2020 #8
He's insane! mobeau69 Nov 2020 #11
what profits? hes in debt, and his entire agenda the last 4 yrs Kashkakat v.2.0 Nov 2020 #12
Actually he probably could profit by shorting the stock market before he starts something. nt yaesu Nov 2020 #14
He'd probably start a war anywhere Putin wanted TexasBushwhacker Nov 2020 #21
But that's the problem. Mr.Bill Nov 2020 #23
We need a Constitutional amendment to shorten the lame duck period even more NYC Liberal Nov 2020 #30
spill it, Mark! RussBLib Nov 2020 #9
This. EarthFirst Nov 2020 #13
this, if necessary llashram Nov 2020 #18
I wish he would provide specifics. honest.abe Nov 2020 #15
yeah he was asked to do some odious stuff, and refused or side stepped it. Captain Zero Nov 2020 #31
Anyone who sucked Trump's ass for a job is ruined for life Yeehah Nov 2020 #16
SCARY if true bluestarone Nov 2020 #19
Look out Iran. GOP has been itching for 20 years. Course, I could be wrong and it's another. Evolve Dammit Nov 2020 #20
Dear Leader is totally going to trash the joint before being evicted. (nt) ehrnst Nov 2020 #22
Trump must have asked him to nuke Iran JohnnyRingo Nov 2020 #24
If he starts a war, then we need to turn on Dumpsters. roamer65 Nov 2020 #25
"a real yes man" is that code for suck-ass or, Hotler Nov 2020 #32

BusyBeingBest

(8,049 posts)
1. He's telling us that Donnie Dumbfuck is cray-cray.
Mon Nov 9, 2020, 05:41 PM
Nov 2020

Which we knew, but it's always good to hear someone admit it.

Eliot Rosewater

(31,097 posts)
2. I knew it, he will start a war.
Mon Nov 9, 2020, 05:42 PM
Nov 2020

And you trumpers that are lurking you will be responsible

EACH Of you will be murderers the EXACT Same way Germans who supported Hitler were

Fuck you to the end of the world you FUCKS

DonCoquixote

(13,615 posts)
26. that's because for the most part
Mon Nov 9, 2020, 10:00 PM
Nov 2020

we dont shoot him back. If Trump fought Saddam Hussein, Saddam would probably have have conquered an empire that would have made Alexander the great jealous.

D23MIURG23

(2,833 posts)
27. I think it's more likely that he's going to order the military to protect him from being removed.
Mon Nov 9, 2020, 10:51 PM
Nov 2020

He'll refuse to allow any work to be done during the transition and then when inauguration comes around he'll be like

"YOU CAN'T REMOVE ME! I CONTROL THE MILITARY! SECRETARY OF DEFENSE SEND IN THE MARINES AND BLOCK BIDEN'S PEOPLE FROM MY WHITE HOUSE!"

And then hopefully he gets tasered and dragged out to the fucking helicopter.

D23MIURG23

(2,833 posts)
29. I mean, his sole concern is himself.
Mon Nov 9, 2020, 11:25 PM
Nov 2020

I doubt he will think of anything in the next two months beyond how unfair it is that he lost, how much he thinks it has to be fraud, and what he's going to do to stop from being removed.

The military is the biggest hammer he has, so it's what he will be attracted to. So he'll come up with some lame idea about how he's going to use the military to stage a coup. Starting a foreign war wouldn't keep him in office - it would just fuck a bunch of shit up.

I agree with your assessment that it won't work.

Ponietz

(2,905 posts)
7. *rump asked him to deploy troops in the streets over BLM protests
Mon Nov 9, 2020, 06:12 PM
Nov 2020

From the piece:

“Esper’s relationship with Trump had turned tense over the summer as the former secretary publicly spoke out against Trump’s plan to deploy troops to respond to racial justice protests. He told the Military Times that he had no intention of quitting but expected to be potentially terminated at an unknown time.”

yaesu

(8,020 posts)
8. tRump has zero to gain starting anything now unless its scorched Earth in his final months but
Mon Nov 9, 2020, 06:17 PM
Nov 2020

that would cut into his profits so don't think he will.

Kashkakat v.2.0

(1,752 posts)
12. what profits? hes in debt, and his entire agenda the last 4 yrs
Mon Nov 9, 2020, 06:52 PM
Nov 2020

has been sticking it to the ever-increasing list of people he hates and who he thinks wronged him in some way.

Mr.Bill

(24,104 posts)
23. But that's the problem.
Mon Nov 9, 2020, 09:02 PM
Nov 2020

He has no profits. His business empire, if he ever had one, is bankrupt and gone. He really has nothing to lose.

NYC Liberal

(20,132 posts)
30. We need a Constitutional amendment to shorten the lame duck period even more
Mon Nov 9, 2020, 11:51 PM
Nov 2020

than it already was by the 20th Amendment. There's no reason in the modern world to wait two months for the president-elect to take office. First, dump the Electoral College. Then count the popular votes and swear in the new president as soon as the counting is finished. That's a couple of weeks at most.

Also, a lame-duck president should not be allowed to pardon anyone after an election (whether they ran and lost or were simply term-limited).

RussBLib

(8,985 posts)
9. spill it, Mark!
Mon Nov 9, 2020, 06:30 PM
Nov 2020

We need to have some kind of Truth and Reconciliation Commission, a la after apartheid in South Africa. There has been so much crazy, greedy shit going on, we, the American people, have a right to know how badly Trump and his family was fucking us.

And if the Democrats make some kind of deal with Trump to protect him from prosecution if he spills enough beans, or for whatever reason, the Dems will have some hell to pay.

We let Bush get away with everything, and if we let this criminal Trump skate too, well, hell to pay.

Let's not go there.

EarthFirst

(2,877 posts)
13. This.
Mon Nov 9, 2020, 06:55 PM
Nov 2020

There’s much to be shed light on; some of which we are likely to see here after the New Year...

However the American public does in fact deserve to hear the depth of the depravity.

Time will tell.

Captain Zero

(6,715 posts)
31. yeah he was asked to do some odious stuff, and refused or side stepped it.
Mon Nov 9, 2020, 11:58 PM
Nov 2020

We need to know what those things were.
I'm okay if he puts it in his book next summer.

Yeehah

(4,524 posts)
16. Anyone who sucked Trump's ass for a job is ruined for life
Mon Nov 9, 2020, 07:08 PM
Nov 2020

You won't be missed, trump bumpkin loser.

bluestarone

(16,722 posts)
19. SCARY if true
Mon Nov 9, 2020, 07:24 PM
Nov 2020

Get this, RUMP knows his life WILL be destroyed when he loses. He's a MONSTER in a corner with NOTHING to lose. NO RETHUGLICON will speak out to stop him. the RELIGIOUS right want the END OF THE WORLD! We're in a crisis situation for sure. Esper needs to come forward with LOTS of INFORMATION. (not sure if it's stoppable tho)

Evolve Dammit

(16,632 posts)
20. Look out Iran. GOP has been itching for 20 years. Course, I could be wrong and it's another.
Mon Nov 9, 2020, 07:38 PM
Nov 2020

He will do something like this. You know he will, because he is a cornered RAT and traitor. Vlad will tell him what to do. Firing Esper is a pre-curser.

JohnnyRingo

(18,581 posts)
24. Trump must have asked him to nuke Iran
Mon Nov 9, 2020, 09:04 PM
Nov 2020

As both a way to bolster his base and give a middle finger to the rest of us. no doubt, Trump probably asked Esper to use some fictional clean bomb that only lives in Trump's head. Like clean coal.

I' tellin' you people, Trump is going to be the psycho tenant who got evicted, moved his shit out, and tossed a Molotov cocktail in behind him.

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