Military Trumps Civilian Rule

September 2021

The Ventura County Star, in recently republishing a St. Louis Post-Dispatch editorial, justifies General Milley's recent insubordination of civilian rule, a cornerstone of our democratic republic.  Had I gone outside the chain of command to discuss disobeying Presidential orders and contacted foreign military leaders to warn them of possible plans of our government when I served as an Air Force officer 40 years ago, I would still be serving hard labor at Leavenworth.  The editorial makes judgements about the Chief Executive's mental status without expertise or facts.  If the President was "clearly unhinged", "capable of running wild", and per Speaker Pelosi "crazy", then how was General Milley and the National Security Advisor able to "quietly dissuade the president" about early Afghanistan withdrawal?  The editorial factually states that General Milley "clearly sidestepped all notions of civilian control over the military", "stepping way beyond his authority" promising to warn a fore…