Military support in bush dictatorship - loyal generals story

[Amarant]

You know what just occurred to me that I didn't see anyone bring up when the talk of bush declaring martial law if the elections weren't going well for him was going on?

Does anyone remember many months ago the story on several mainstream media outlets about the administration getting rid of generals that might not be fully loyal to them? I can't find a link because I don't remember enough about the story to search - but does anyone else have a link to the story or remember what I am talking about?

That story makes a WHOLE lot more sense if you consider possible martial law and who the military would be loyal to.

[Renew Deal]

1. That does sound familiar

on some level. I don't remember exactly, but I don't think Shinseki (spell check) was the only one to go.

[Amarant]

4. I remember the story specifically said

one general was dismissed but that they had like a dozen more they were going to do the same with...

[seabeyond]

2. generals who werent supporting his war plan

there was a handful that didnt htink we should go in or go in with way more soldiers. read the other day there is still a position opened that has military bummed, forgot the position

[Hubert Flottz]

3. I too remember the story!

And that is a good question you raise!

[leftofthedial]

5. that's what they did.

all dictatorships must purge the military

[punpirate]

6. Try Googling...

Shinseki, Zinni and Schoomaker all together. The story may show up with that. Peter Schoomaker was one of the people installed after Shinseki and Zinni were shoved out, I believe.

As I recall the story, it was not so much a matter of absolute loyalty, but rather that Rumsfeld wanted people who believed in his views about how to conduct war in Iraq--small force, rapid deployment, etc. Would those people who kissed Rumsfeld's ass also be inclined to support something like martial law? Dunno, but it's not a happy prospect, any way one looks at it.

The one person, however, who has intimated that another attack could result in martial law is Tommy Franks, in an interview with the magazine, Cigar Aficionado. Google those and you'll get the reference.

Cheers.

[Amarant]

7. GOT IT EVERYONE!

Want to know what the magic key word was I had to type in to yahoo before I found ANY of these stories? "purge". This purge makes a WHOLE lot of sense with talk of suspending the elections...

http://www.ireport.net/qx/1883/Military.The.Army.Cleans.House


Aug. 11 issue — In a move widely seen within the Pentagon as a purge, a dozen or more Army generals are being ushered into retirement as the Army’s new chief of staff, Gen. Peter Schoomaker, takes over.

http://www.truthout.com/docs_03/printer_090203B.shtml


http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A29137-2002Apr10?language=printer

"For two of the most important positions -- the top military job in Europe and the new head of the Army -- Rumsfeld has selected people who stand out among the current top brass as unconventional thinkers who are likely to be supportive of his drive to "transform" the military to better address terrorism and other new challenges. "

[pnorman]

8. I was also looking for links to the above information.

Hopefully they'll be forthcoming here, as they were covered to some extent in mainstream news. My recollection was that ~1/3 of the top generalship were "encouraged" to retire early. I don't believe Hitler forced out much more than that.

I don't completely understand the mechanism, but apparently those at the top have virtually NO job security. If the President tells them to go; they're GONE. It would be interesting to see how heavy a hand other Commander in Chiefs employed in this manner.

REAL "wartime Presidents" (Lincoln, Wilson, FDR, even Truman) FIRED generals; but for manifest inability or disobedience ... rather than for "perceived disloyalty". Once again, that has an overtone of "Hitlerism"; by the end of his Thousand Year Reich, virtually everyone of sny authority was bound to him by a solemn Oath of Personal Loyalty.

pnorman

[Amarant]

9. Bump for today

[bobbieinok]

10. kick