Why was General Milley left to deal with a mentally unbalanced President Trump?

[Zorro]

There were plenty of other people who could have stood up to the president, who instead chose the easy way out.

What do you do when a president is crazy?

That’s essentially the question Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, faced in the twilight days of the Trump administration. His answer, as reported by Bob Woodward and Robert Costa in their forthcoming book, “Peril,” has some people up in arms.

It seems that Milley, according to published accounts from those who have read the book, became convinced his tantrum-throwing, spittle-spewing, reality-denying commander-in-chief was in a state of mental collapse and as such, was an immediate threat to world peace. So the general went around him, twice reaching out via back channel to his Chinese counterpart, General Li Zuocheng.

The first call was last October. Milley had reportedly seen intelligence suggesting that China, rattled by U.S. military exercises in the South China Sea and by President Trump’s bellicose rhetoric, believed an American attack was imminent. He assured Zuocheng that this was not the case and went so far as to issue an extraordinary promise: “If we’re going to attack, I’m going to call you ahead of time.”

https://www.tampabay.com/opinion/2021/09/19/why-was-general-milley-left-to-deal-with-a-mentally-unbalanced-president-trump-column/

[Thomas Hurt]

1. Because the rest of them wanted a job if he had won a second term.

[Walleye]

2. That was the problem for sure. Also they were hoping for pardons if he won again.

Hell, he was going to pardon himself. They were going to have a big old law breaking vengeance party if they got back in power. And we have to watch it because they’re planning on doing it again. We’re not afraid of trump winning again we’re afraid he will lose again. And look what happened last time

[underpants]

3. Correct. There was almost no one left in the WH.

Those who were there were toadies. The understaffing was a known thin in DC and the Biden team starting planning to make up for lost time pretty much as soon as he got the nomination.

Gen.s Mattie and Kelly took turns trying to keep Trump from doing harm until they just couldn’t anymore.

[Irish_Dem]

4. The elected civilians refused to do their jobs. It was left to Milley to protect the country from

a madman.

Now those same failed leaders are blaming Milley.
Figures.

[Baked Potato]

5. General Milley knew where the military leadership stood and was

confident he had their backing. That is power T***p could only dream of.

[stopdiggin]

6. realizing this is a rhetorical question

But the answer is - who else? Most particularly on matters military or military/strategic - who was (or currently is) in a position to say "no" to the president? The president orders an carrier or two into the South China Sea - can the Sec. of State countermand that directive? The Attorney General? Senate Leader? Supreme Court? Quite apart from the fact that Trump had hollowed out any sort of civilian authority, and had only toadies left surrounding him - even if that authority was still standing and at full strength - who has the ability to block or reverse a presidential order? Call back a strike order? And the answer is - there isn't anybody.

It has to be faced. A madman on the throne - is simply a madman on the throne. There's no recourse.

[KPN]

7. Why? Because the Rs in the Senate. TFG should

have already been gone and disgraced.

[BComplex]

8. Let's all say it in unison: McCABE WAS RIGHT ALL ALONG AND HE GOT FIRED FOR IT!!

McCabe tried from the start to do the right thing.

COWARDS, who knew he was right, stopped him.

[bucolic_frolic]

9. Because Pence wouldn't do his job

[Snackshack]

10. Because his cabinet

& the GOP was as unqualified for their jobs as he was. All of them should be fired. As far as I know dt is gone as well as his cabinet so that just leaves the GOP.

[sdfernando]

11. Because a good portion of the U.S. population

Is a bunch of unthinking weak-minded social media addicted misogynistic chattel.

[monkeyman1]

12. the GEN. was the only one that had the ball's to stand up against the goofy sob !

[niyad]

14. Why do so many use a nickname for male genitalia as a synonym for "courage"?

[monkeyman1]

15. ok ,what would you use ?

[niyad]

19. Courage, of course. Or, how about ovaries. Courage is not a trait restricted to males,

which is what the use of the word "balls" implies. The fact that you even asked that question is a sad reminder of how deeply embedded patriarchal thinking still is, despite decades of pointing this out, and the existence and use of gender-neutral language.

[rickyhall]

13. I'm glad someone was there between TFG and Armageddon.

Of course, half his crowd wants The Last Days. Fucking all crazy.

[DallasNE]

16. On Paper There Are Remedies

But when everybody is in kiss the boss's ass mode the remedies are overlooked. So what lessons have we learned from this? So far, it appears none as there is no movement to beef up the remedies. We did an inadequate job with Watergate with the Ford pardon of Nixon and that lead, in part, to our current situation. And right now it looks like we are setting things up for Round 3. Will that consequence alarm the American people? I have my doubts but the 2022 election will partially answer that question.

[Evolve Dammit]

17. The rest were gutless cowards and gravy suckers??

[elias7]

18. Chao, Devos, and Azar all quit after 1/6 rather than invoke 25th amendment