Specialist Clinton Deitz, I salute you

[gottaB]

In honor of Armed Forces Day, I want to recognize the prescient wisdom of Specialist Clinton Deitz. As ABC reported on July 15th, 2003:

"If Donald Rumsfeld were sitting here in front of us, what would you say to him?" I asked a group of soldiers who gathered around a table, eager to talk to a visiting reporter.

"If he was here," said Pfc. Jason Punyahotra, "I would ask him why we're still here, why we've been told so many times and it's changed."

In the back of the group, Spc. Clinton Deitz put up his hand. "If Donald Rumsfeld was here," he said, "I'd ask him for his resignation."

A Big Letdown....

Specialist Deitz, I salute you, and the other truthtellers of the 2nd Battle Combat Team, 3rd ID. If that piece of *#!@! excuse for a Secretary of Defense were sitting here with me, I'd demand his resignation too. Because it would be unseemly to have him on the payroll when we hand his ass over the icc.

[bluestateguy]

1. Uh huh

Wasn't he reprimanded or soemthing like that for "insubordination"?
I seem to remember that during the Clinton Administration soldiers who attacked Clinton were hailed by conservatives as heroes and great patriots.

[gottaB]

3. I can't find the link to the reprimand at the moment

have to fly out the door (dinner and a movie)

There was a huge discussion at Kos.

I'll dig it up later.

[gottaB]

4. some links

the discussion at Kos is no more, but the main posting by Steve Gilliard is still in the archives: Why the Complaints Matter

Abizaid's rant: Rants against the Truth and True Patriots

ABC's followup: General Unrest

Related Findlaw commentary: The Limits of Free Speech in the Military

The Code: Contempt Towards Officials

Any commissioned officer who uses contemptuous words against the President, the Vice President, Congress, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of a military department, the Secretary of Transportation, or the Governor or legislature of any State, Territory, Commonwealth, or possession in which he is on duty or present shall be punished as a court-martial may direct.

IMO that doesn't even begin to apply. Nor does Article 891, Article 91, paragraph 3. I just don't see it, but I do recall that some Kossacks who professed expertise in military justice thought there might be a case against the guys who dared to express their opinions of Rumsfeld.

I remember thinking that couldn't easily be construed as "contemptuous words," given the extreme profanities our soldiers are known to utter from time to time. If the name of the game is use contemptuous words to describe your feelings for Secretary Rumsfeld, "I would ask him for his resignation" doesn't cut it.

Well, that's my humble opinion. That and a dollar will get you a cup of coffee.

[LittleApple81]

2. Remember they really pounded on them and forbade them to talk

to the press without having a "caretaker" with them?