Trump’s List
[guest post by Dana]
Should we refer to this as Trump’s “enemies list” or his “blacklist”?
As of today, the incoming Trump Administration has hired over 1,000 people for The United States Government. They are outstanding in every way, and you will see the fruits of their labor over the coming years. We will MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN, and it will happen very quickly! In order to save time, money, and effort, it would be helpful if you would not send, or recommend to us, people who worked with, or are endorsed by, Americans for No Prosperity (headed by Charles Koch), “Dumb as a Rock” John Bolton, “Birdbrain” Nikki Haley, Mike Pence, disloyal Warmongers Dick Cheney, and his Psycho daughter, Liz, Mitt Romney, Paul Ryan, General(?) Mark Milley, James Mattis, Mark Yesper, or any of the other people suffering from Trump Derangement Syndrome, more commonly known as TDS. Thank you for your attention to this matter!
I read this list and immediately thought: how strange it is that we’ve gone from the quality of Jim Mattis as Secretary of Defense down to Pete Hegseth possibly assuming the position. These are strange days indeed.
FYI, a few questions from Hegseth’s confirmation hearing that he chose to sidestep rather than answer directly:
Would he use the military against Americans?
. . .
“If Donald Trump asked you to use the 82nd Airborne in law enforcement roles in Washington, D.C., would you … convince him otherwise?” she asked.
“I’m not going to get ahead of conversations I would have with the president. However, there are laws and processes inside our Constitution that would be followed,” Hegseth replied.
. . .Hegseth did not directly answer whether he’d approve of shooting protesters in the legs, in reference to the suggestion former defense secretary Mark Esper said Trump gave him in 2020.
“Senator, I was in the Washington, D.C., National Guard unit that was in Lafayette Square during those events,” Hegseth replied, “holding a riot shield on behalf of my country.”
Would he seize Greenland by force?
. . .asked whether he would comply with an order to claim Greenland or the Panama Canal by force, as Trump has threatened.
Hegseth applauded Trump for “never strategically tipping his hand” in response to Hirono’s question, adding he would not provide details in “this public forum.”
“That sounds to me like that you would contemplate carrying out such an order to basically invade Greenland and take over the Panama Canal,” Hirono replied.
Should the U.S. follow the Geneva Conventions?
Hegseth did not appear to commit to upholding the laws of combat governed by the Geneva Conventions. . .
What he’s saying: “We have laws on the books from the Geneva Conventions into the Uniform Code of Military Justice, and then underneath that, you have layers in which standard or temporary rules of engagement are put into place,” Hegseth said. “We fight enemies … that play by no rules.”
Pressed. . .he said, “We don’t need burdensome rules of engagement that make it impossible for us to win these wars.”
Asked if the conventions’ ban on torturing prisoners still applies, Hegseth called the conventions “incredibly important” but said how wars are fought has evolved.
“Your position is torture is OK, is that correct?” King asked.
Hegseth contended that was not what he said, adding, “I’ve never been party to torture.”
Later, when pressed on past comments he made seemingly endorsing waterboarding, Hegseth responded, “The law of the land is that waterboarding is not legal.”
Additionally, it’s quaint that there is dismay about Hegseth’s nomination because of, in part, his lack of character, his evasiveness concerning his drinking problems, and his womanizing and condescending views of women. (He was against them being in combat before he was for it! I think.). This is now Trump‘s administration. Things like character, integrity, and decorum are pesky standards that no longer matter.
—Dana
Hello.
Dana (43a96d) — 1/16/2025 @ 3:22 pmStellar character got tens of thousands killed over WMD and an Afghanistan withdrawal cluster F.
Assurances regarding the Geneva Convention got us enhanced interrogation techniques.
Words vs. actions. Choose what you think is more important.
lloyd (8ec33c) — 1/16/2025 @ 4:10 pmRoll of Honor to me. I hope those folks have a reunion. How did he miss W and Condi?
Kevin M (a9545f) — 1/16/2025 @ 4:16 pmStellar character got tens of thousands killed over WMD and an Afghanistan withdrawal cluster F.
I take it your reaction to 9/11 was “boys will be boys”?
And not one of those folks had a thing to do with the Afghanistan withdrawal, whose schedule was set by … checking notes … Donald Trump.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 1/16/2025 @ 4:18 pmShould the U.S. follow the Geneva Conventions?
“Please, sir, what do you think it says? Because to me it says that unlawful combatants are not covered.”
Kevin M (a9545f) — 1/16/2025 @ 4:20 pmAnd he is correct to day that the UCMJ offers more protections that the Geneva Conventions, because those form the baseline for the UCMJ.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 1/16/2025 @ 4:22 pmNo, it was piss-poor judgment.
Paul Montagu (e83a6d) — 1/16/2025 @ 4:31 pmWell they contain bad provisions. They bar siege warfare but allow heavy bombing that creates many casualties.
Hegseth (and Pam Bondy) did not want to indicate any possibility of a disagreement with Donald Trump but that does not mean they will truly be complete yes people
Sammy Finkelman (e4ef09) — 1/16/2025 @ 4:41 pmIt’s a blacklist, that’s all it is, which Trump will not completely honor (the call with Alito was caused by an attempt by a would-be appointee to get off the backlist)
Sammy Finkelman (e4ef09) — 1/16/2025 @ 4:43 pmQuestion: Does anyone know of a provision in the UCMJ that allows violations of the Geneva Conventions? Please share.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 1/16/2025 @ 4:47 pmI hear that Biden has his own list. For blanket pardons. Probably a good time to embezzle a few billion.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 1/16/2025 @ 5:02 pmDonnie the 12-year old girl. “You are not my friend! You will never be my friend! I don’t need you! I have 1,000 friends!”
His egg-suckers ($3.99/dozen Grade A Large) think that’s “fighting”, and it suits me fine. You keep on fighting like that, Donnie!
nk (fdbbb3) — 1/16/2025 @ 5:03 pmHow soon we forget the multiple blacklists for anyone that worked for Trump.
Why is that?
NJRob (eb56c3) — 1/16/2025 @ 5:06 pmTreaties made in accordance with the Constitution are the supreme law of the land same as statutes (e.g. the UCMJ).
If there is a conflict, it will resolved the same way as other conflicts of law, i.e. by notes left on the refrigerator by Ginni and Martha Ann for Clarence and Sam.
nk (fdbbb3) — 1/16/2025 @ 5:10 pmI see Trump is as petty and thin skinned as ever. Stuff like this really makes him seem small and weak.
Time123 (defefe) — 1/16/2025 @ 5:31 pmAlthough we’re not signatories to a couple or three Additional Protocols, the UCMJ still incorporates them. Hegseth is just out of his depth on the issue, as he showed in that hearing.
Paul Montagu (e83a6d) — 1/16/2025 @ 5:52 pmBottom line, he couldn’t bring himself to say that he would defy an illegal Trump order.
I guess this means the flags won’t be flown high and proud on the 20th be a the half-staff schedule was already set by … checks notes … Joe Biden.
BuDuh (4214e4) — 1/16/2025 @ 6:31 pm“quality of Jim Mattis.” Yet one thinks:
–why is it that the Russians and Chinese both had operable hypersonic missiles long before our quality people in DC even seemed to know such things existed? Do we have them now?
— are we safer or not because the Pentagon brass emphasized trans recruiting, pride flags and so on, and recruitments fell below targets?
–The Asst Sec for the navy told congress that one Chinese shipyard can outpace all US shipyards combined; and that the Chinese built 8 new cruisers in the past 8 years, while the US managed to recondition 2; yet the Pentagon brass have more ribbons than any other army in the world: Eisenhower had maybe four of those ribbons and won WWII; but quality right?
–the US does not have a 6th Gen fighter but the Chinese seem to have one;
–I’ll leave those for the ones that think that we have had quality at the Pentagon for the last 20 years. And add the thought–maybe we need a change at the top? Someone with a little less “creased trousers, and get along” view and more of a “we need these new systems now” view.
Harcourt Fenton Mudd (0c5cc8) — 1/16/2025 @ 8:15 pmRethug maggot state sen. colton moore removed from capital by police after threatening other rethugs calling them corrupt! (DU)
asset (2d76db) — 1/16/2025 @ 8:20 pm@2 see movie fair game. Bush lied people died.
asset (2d76db) — 1/16/2025 @ 8:22 pmI challenge everyone to actually watch Hegseth’s confirmation hearing.
In fact, any of the nominees, watch what the say in totality.
You’ll find that it is democrats are absolutely ridiculous and insane.
whembly (477db6) — 1/17/2025 @ 7:47 amPeople who cite the Geneva Convention most certainly have never read it. Partisans, guerillas, and those not in uniform are not protected by it. Many nations have not signed it and many that have trample on it. Someone will have to explain to me the value of the Geneva convention regarding Dresden, Tokyo and Hiroshima.
As for integrity, I believe leaving 86 billion for our esteemed allies in Afghanistan defined integrity. Continuing to send billions in aid to the Taliban also parades the definition of integrity. My favorite is the chief of the JCS telling our Beijing allies he will cooperate with them against the president. I do so love learning the DC meaning of integrity. It has nothing to do with, duty, honor, country and so much to do with DEI, BLM and Antifa.
Finally women in combat. 99% of all male candidates can’t hack it for the SEALs. Show me women who can load a 155 round. Women who can function where strength, stamina, speed are not prerequisites are fine but the generalization that women can serve in combat is utter bs and demonstrated that no nation on earth employs women in the principle combat services of the army or marines. Putting women in nuclear submarines will surely enhance effectiveness and efficiency (LOL). Just ask the RNZN about that. The mo;itary is not a lavatory for social experiments. Unless you wish to have a broken military and the results that follow and clearly there are those that desire just that.
TJ Jacksom (81cf8d) — 1/18/2025 @ 6:48 am