Creating a Scandal When There Is None
Nothing New Here
I would excuse any well-meaning, thoughtful American if he or she ran screaming wildly into the night after reading the latest “news” reports as Republicans work their little tuchuses off to manufacture a scandal based on Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley’s calls to his Chinese counterpart on the day after the Capitol insurrection to alleviate fears that the U.S. might launch nuclear missiles against China.
Here is the news: There is no Milley scandal, just like there was no massive election fraud against trump. Milley made the calls, he notified the right people and he may well have headed off any thoughts Chinese leaders might have had about attacking the U.S. if they thought they were going to be fired upon first.
But mark my words, all facts to the contrary, the trump lie machine, aided and abetted by Fox News and other right wingers, will convince many Americans that Milley is a traitor who should be punished and is being protected by President Joe Biden.
The two calls in question were placed on Oct. 30, a time when trump was foaming over his fears that he would lose the election because of rampant voter fraud and again on Jan. 8, two days after trump had egged on a huge crowd to attack the Capitol because the election was rigged in Biden’s favor, something that just didn’t happen. The calls are included in a new book “Peril” by Washington Post associate editor Bob Woodward and Post reporter Robert Costa.
After excerpts of the book were published, Republicans quickly went on the offensive, claiming that Milley had committed treason, should immediately resign and was a loose cannon who violated the military chain of command and had no authority to reach out to China. I believe Milley’s testimony before a Senate investigating committee today that he did indeed brief top government officials and had their blessings when he called China.
You can get the straight story in the N.Y. Times and Washington Post but beware if you turn for information to Fox News, whose only role it seems is to muddy and confuse.
The Times headline on Tuesday read “Top military officer says key Trump officials knew of calls with Chinese counterpart. Milley says Trump aides approved and ordered his conversations with Chinese counterpart.”
Fox News cited “Milley faces growing calls to resign over call with China.”
The Washington Post reported on Milley’s appearance before the Senate Armed Services Committee, which is reviewing the general’s actions and the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. The Post said that Milley told the committee that Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper had directed him to call and reassure the Chinese. Milley said there were 11 people present for the second call and that he later reported it to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows. According to the Post, Milley said that his contacts were routine and were directed and approved in advance by Trump’s senior advisers.
“I know, I am certain, President Trump did not intend on attacking the Chinese, and it is my directed responsibility to convey presidential orders and intent,” Milley wrote in his remarks to the committee. “My task at that time was to de-escalate.”
Trump has predictably torn into Milley, calling his actions treacherous, that the general is “a complete nutjob” and said Milley “never told me about calls being made to China.”
Milley also said that he later spoke with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and told her that trump would not have the sole ability to launch nuclear weapons and that the president would have to first consult the general and other ranking defense department personnel as part of the chain of command. But that discussion has been twisted by the trumpers to infer that Milley was trying to influence Pelosi and increase his own power.
“At no time was I attempting to change or influence the process, usurp authority or insert myself into the chain of command,” Milley said. “But I am expected to give my advice and ensure that the president is fully informed.”
Before the hearings had begun, Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., a member of the Senate Armed Services panel, tweeted that Milley should resign and asked for her Twitter followers to tweet questions they had for Milley. As evidence for her credibility, Blackburn nominated trump for a Nobel Peace Prize for his negotiations with North Korea and has supported trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election.
Fox News reported comments by Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, one of the most strident trumpers who, like the president, enjoys playing footloose and fancy free with the facts. Jordan slammed Milley and said the general was acting for the Democrats. “When did you run for office?” said Jordan who also claimed that Milley had shown a “pattern of behavior” defying authority.
Then there was the Fox “exclusive interview” with Kash Patel, the former chief of staff to the acting Secretary of Defense under trump. Patel was a guest on “Life, Liberty & Levin”, a show hosted by Mark Levin, a longtime right wing trump supporter. Patel said Milley’s actions represented “egregious conduct that violates the Constitution.”
Patel, Trump White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, former adviser Steve Bannon, and former deputy chief of staff Dan Scavino have been subpoenaed by the select committee investigating the Jan. 6 riot. Fiona Hill, trump’s former top Russia adviser, also has accused Patel of “running a secret backchannel to President Trump on Ukraine matters.”
Another Fox interview was with E. Casey Wardynski, a former assistant secretary of the Army for Manpower and Reserve Affairs. Wardynski, a Republican appointee of trump who is running for Congress from Alabama, told Fox that Milley and Army Chief of Staff Gen. James McConville had overstepped their authority and undermined trump.
Former acting Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller said he “did not and would not ever authorize” Milley to have “secret” calls with his Chinese counterpart, describing the allegations as a “disgraceful and unprecedented act of insubordination” and calling on him to resign “immediately.”
Trump named Miller acting defense secretary on Nov. 9, 2020, after firing Mark Esper, who took office soon after Trump’s loss in the 2020 presidential election and was accused of obstructing the transition to Joe Biden’s administration by Biden staff. Miller was also criticized for his response to the Capitol insurrection when he approved the deployment of National Guard troops from neighboring states to reinforce the D.C. National Guard three hours after Capitol Police said that they were being overrun and two hours after city officials had asked for such assistance.
Funny how the Republicans suddenly had nothing to say about the allegations against trump in the Woodward and Costa book but are so terribly alarmed at allegations that Milley was a rogue general.