Ex-Defense Secretary William Perry joins Mattis in condemning Trump

[Judi Lynn]

The military “was never intended to be used for partisan political purposes,” he wrote.

By MAX COHEN

06/04/2020 05:41 PM EDT

Former Defense Secretary William Perry on Thursday accused President Donald Trump of politicizing the armed forces and criticized his threats to deploy the military against American citizens.

Perry, a national security expert who served in government for decades, including as Defense secretary from 1994 to 1997 under President Bill Clinton, said in a statement provided to POLITICO that the military “was never intended to be used for partisan political purposes.”

In the statement, Perry criticized the current secretary, Mark Esper, for labeling the streets of America a “battlespace” and for taking part in the president’s photo-op outside St. John’s Episcopal Church near the White House on Monday.

“When I was Secretary of Defense I made it a priority to avoid any suggestion of support for partisan political actions, and I assured that the president did not use any military facilities to support his political ends,” Perry wrote. “But on Monday Secretary Esper walked with the president to St. John’s Church in an implicit show of support, after peaceful demonstrators in Lafayette Park had been forcibly subdued and dispersed with tear gas under the orders of Attorney General Barr.”

More:
https://www.politico.com/news/2020/06/04/mattis-clinton-perry-defense-301756

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. William Perry was one hell of a Defense Secretary back in the day.

He is smart, knows history and politics and always was loyal to our Constitution, unlike the current occupant of that post, Esper.

I was very lucky to have met him and I found him modest, with a great sense of humor and able to make the history he worked in come to life for the people on our trip with him.

He and Mattis are cut from the same intelligent cloth.

[Judi Lynn]

2. What an experience. So good to see your observations. Thank you. n/t

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

3. K&R