Sep 07 2006

Military Coup By Congressional Fiat?

Published by at 11:45 am under All General Discussions,Iraq

Update: Welcome readers from The New Republic’s National Review’s The Plank [LOL! Boy, old habits die hard when you are rushing a post and your mind is on other matters! I am sure the Planck folks enjoyed that one, at my humble expense]. Sadly, the Plank overreacted to my post here (and I will accept some blame for my propensity to post with my tongue firmly in my cheek). While it is true a legislative act of removing civilian control of the military is a close cousin to how coup’s are enacted with a rubber-stamp legislature, I was in no way implying we are at the cusp of a coup d’etat. TNR should know better than to snear at precedence breaking laws and legal opinions – they have a tendency to erode and breakdown well established tenets. Maybe it was a bit much to assume they would connect the crux of this proposal to how it could be misused by others. – End Update

I have had the pleasure of talking to Rep Curt Weldon when the Able Danger story was running hot, and I honestly like the guy. I think he has guts and is one to fight the status quo when something is wrong. But his latest idea is, to be overly generous, not well thought out:

The second-ranking Republican on the House Armed Services Committee, who is a strong supporter of the U.S. military mission in Iraq, has drafted a resolution that would give military commanders — instead of President Bush or Secretary of Defense Don Rumsfeld — decision-making authority over when American troops should return home.

That basically removes the military from civilian rule. And it means the generals could place as many soldiers in Iraq as well, (since troops are rotated through the theatre). This is just a hair’s breadth away from a military coup that I am surprised Weldon is seriously considering the idea. H/T Tom Bevan at RCP.

3 responses so far

3 Responses to “Military Coup By Congressional Fiat?”

  1. The Macker says:

    AJ,
    I know little of Rep Curt Weldon. But the idea of interrupting the chain of command and the primacy of civilian leadership is truly dangerous to our form of government. Add to that, the fact that it would be mandated by another branch of government and we would have a real constitutional can of worms.

    This is a bad idea and must be stopped. If, instead, the Republican legislators had half the courage of the President and supported him against the demagoguery of the press and the Democrats, the War would be more conclusive and Bush would have more popular support.

  2. ReidBlog says:

    Walk the plank…

    Curt Weldon tosses a Hail Mary……

  3. pull says:

    “Welcome readers from The New Republic’s [scratched out — National Review’s] The Plank [LOL! Boy, old habits die hard when you are rushing a post and your mind is on other matters! ”

    Yeah, good timing, was just about to post that the NR really is a great source with great authors and wouldn’t be harshly condemning you at all.

    Farrr cry different from the Glass ship of the New Republic.

    http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=Glass+%22New+Republic%22