In the movie, Patton stands alone against a flag that is the total backdrop. There are no props except the riding crop. It was staging that became iconic.
Trumps cheesy attempt at imitation fell flat. The flag was too small. There was all kinds of junk on the stage. Hegseth was a clown running around with a mike. Trump was delusional. Before such a powerful, sophisticated audience.
How is this even possible?
Worth a read this morning.
Hegseth’s speech was morally vile. It was also, however, profoundly stupid. Hegseth seems to have gotten his ideas about what an effective military looks like by watching the movie 300.
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Of course a regime that believes it can make America great by defunding science and destroying higher education believes that it can make our military more effective by making it prejudiced and stupid.The good news is that America’s officer corps isn’t stupid, at least not yet. The stony silence with which the assembled generals and admirals greeted Hegseth’s and Trump’s rants was eloquent.
But you can now add the military to the list of great American institutions that MAGA is, in effect, trying to destroy.
A reader comment, probably too long to quote here, points out that Trump has systematically attempted to destroy America’s most important assets namely, credibility among other nations when it comes to honoring contracts and promises, scientific capability which used to be second to none, our immigration system which has brought brilliant and talented people to this country, and now he’s undermining the morale and honor of the US military.
I have to say that watching that room full of uniformed people sitting motionless in stony silence was as inspiring as seeing the demonstrators on every corner that Rachel Maddow always shows on her program on Monday nights. That silence screamed volumes.
ninja’ed
Dixon’s “On The Psychology of Military Incompetence” notes that there is a pretty strong inverse correlation between leaders who emphasize superficial “bullshit” things like shiny belt buckles and actual capability to lead men in war.
It’s hilarious to watch Hegseth give his “FAFO” line which is supposed to be an audience pleaser but just turns increasingly cringe the longer the silence goes for.
Also, the notion he seemed to have that he couldn’t/shouldn’t say an unedited F*** Around and Find Out in front of career military is ludicrous. There wasn’t a virgin ear in that audience. Apparently the administration wants to keep the Reichsparteitags G-rated?
I don’t think his intended audience actually included anybody wearing a uniform. Those generals and admirals were just props.
When I was on my submarine (underway and submerged), there was a new officer (a Naval Academy grad) who decided one day to pull out a can of black shoe polish and was diligently shining his shoes in the wardroom.
The chief Engineer found him and proceeded to upbraid him. “First of all,” the Engineer said, “You’re putting unnecessary contaminants in the air that we all have to breathe.” “Secondly, go find something better to do with your time than shining your f*cking shoes.” “How is your division doing? Are you caught up on your quals?”
Agree. Nearly everything done in public by any member of this administration is aimed at an audience of one.
When I was a Mid at CORTRAMID, we were greeted at Point Loma by a Masterchief who said “we don’t march at SubBase”. Subsequently, he told us to remove the Brasso and shoe polish before getting underway. A good many of us were recruited to the sub service that day, especially after a week with the surface fleet that consisted of little other than PT and polishing.
You missed this part of Trump’s speech:
You know, when I have a general and I have to sign for a general, because we have beautiful paper, the gorgeous paper, I said, “throw a little more gold on it. They deserve it. Give me, I want the A paper, not the D paper.” We used to sign a piece of garbage. I said, “this man’s going to be a general right here. I don’t want to use this. I want to use the big, beautiful, firm paper. I want to use the real gold writing when you talk about the position.” And they’re beautiful.
Colbert had this last night, where he cut to Trump’s birthday card to Epstein, just as he said, "And they’re beautiful. "
I am reminded of Trump’s first term, when a favorite pastime of his was to hold covid superspreading events.
Was Kegbreath going on about changing rules of engagement and use of deadly force a reference to their campaign of terror in the Caribbean?
I think it is obvious that Kegsbreath is preparing the military for World War IV, which as Einstein is reputed to have said, will be fought with sticks and stones.
Does this apply to Barack Obama and Ash Carter too? Neither of them were veterans.
I feel more confident now that the military leadership knows what a shitshow is running things, and that maybe, if/when they’re expected to attack Americans, will be less likely to comply.
But they largely listened to their generals, and didn’t pretend that they knew better.
Both of whom respected the military they commanded.
Omg, can you imagine the reaction if Obama had given them a lecture like this one???