President Trump’s comments on the death of four brave special forces soldiers in Niger is another reminder of our nation’s continual state of disgrace under his administration. Trump’s actions tarnish and permanently stain the reputations of all who carry out his orders. Honorable people. Many who have served and sacrificed in duty to country their entire professional lives. Some that have parented other patriotic souls lost to this world in service to country. A state of disgrace which includes past personal attacks on Gold Star parents and now politicizing the death of fine men. Men who died protecting America’s interest. A president that felt free to use their deaths and the death of his chief of staff’s son as a defensive tool to deflect questions about why he had not made public comments on their sacrifice or the details surrounding the October 4 action resulting in their deaths.
Trump also pointed a finger at the usual suspect, President Obama, disgracefully and inaccurately stating that “If you look at President Obama and other presidents, most of them didn’t make calls.” According to the New York Times, “Mr. Trump’s assertion belied a long record of meetings Mr. Obama held with the families of killed service people, as well as calls and letters, dating to the earliest days of his presidency. Before he decided to deploy 30,000 troops to Afghanistan, President Obama traveled to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware to greet the coffins of troops.”
In the current state of disgrace, all service to Trump must stop, putting country first by speaking out in rejection of his unacceptable actions. Will Generals McMaster, Kelly and Mattis fall victim to President Trump’s graveyard of falsehoods or will they stand up to this historically unpopular, unwavering and overreaching president? McMaster, Kelly and Mattis may feel that they are the guardians of the republic from positions of power, but as long as Trump is enabled by others ― leaving him in control of our military ― the enablers are derelict in their duty. They are failing their pledge to protect and defend our country from all enemies foreign or domestic. Those serving must pay the debt to the fallen by upholding their oath.
What will it take for Americans to reject Trump and his administration? What will it take for the patriotic, honest and heroic public servant to end service to Trump and party for service to country? What will it take – the republic in ashes, destined to become a contemporary Greek tragedy? The Trump project has failed. Crashed and burned on day one. The flames have only gotten larger, more destructive, threatening all in their path. I respect that many – not a majority – had a thirst for change, but the rainmaker elected to drain the swamp is disrupting everything American, creating only desert in his wake.
Trump stated the killed soldiers “knew what they signed up for... but when it happens it hurts anyway.” These words are a reminder to all that Trump is not fit. The direct result of the electorate’s inability to differentiate and understand messages of hate and division from fact. The current political state is a byproduct of the hyper information age used to exploit and weaken the fabric of democracy highlighting America’s continual struggle with race, religion, guns and other social issues. The effects of technology have enhanced divisions in which compromise is interpreted as weakness, creating a political environment reminiscent of the Cold War acronym MAD (mutual assured destruction).
WWI is a reminder of the devastating impacts to a civilization not in touch with technological advancements. WWI residual consequence: WWII and the influenza epidemic of 1918 resulting in the deaths of 20-50 million people worldwide. With one bad decision or defensive impulse while boxed in by events of his own making, Trump has the power to inflict much greater casualties. Russia, Mueller and North Korea top the list of issues that could give way to unintended consequences resulting in irreparable damage to America and our way of life. Duty calls to those who serve... help to end our country’s state of disgrace under Trump!
