The world’s intellectual talent starts thinking of other places to call their new home. And who’s going to pay for programs like SS and Medicare - our current generation of meth and opioid addicts? They’ll die by the time they’re 50.
So you think that by having the people who oppose Trump resign, that makes it less likely the military will now be led by people who will follow his orders? :dubious:
I believe they are the tip of the iceberg. There must be many intelligent officers with firm grips on reality and situational awareness who also oppose Cadet Bonespurs’ actions.
I know from 4 years of personal experience in the Marine Corps that there is an intense focus on obeying orders immediately and without question, but it is emphasized that any illegal order is an exception. That goes for both officers and enlisted personnel. When USMC Generals start to publicly air dissatisfaction, you had better believe they are in earnest and they are supported by many in the ranks.
I believe (and I have been wrong in my beliefs in the past) that the military promotes from within, based on recorded qualifications. The WH/CiC generally (npi) have minimal input in the promotion process and, more importantly, a naturally limited pool of candidates. I suspect that it is really difficult for CadetBS to put his own carefully selected persons in the upper ranks.
I don’t mean to besmirch the honor of the military, but consider that the department of state isn’t different from the military. The DoJ isn’t that different. Yes, different in terms of their mission but the major agencies have honor codes and all that. It’s all next man up kinda stuff.
eschereal is correct and you are wrong. Another difference (which has been pointed out elsewhere on this board but I can’t remember where) is that the military is several large logistics organizations with very sharp points. If a significant fraction of personnel were to stop doing their jobs, the whole behemoth will grind to a halt.
I seriously doubt it. Sure, if everyone quit at once, that would be a problem, but that’s not what’s happening. It’s attrition - as I said, next man up.
It comes down to human nature. The military is an institution, one run by people. Institutions can change over time. Their cultures can change. They can be corrupted. They can be influenced by politics. There are bad apples. There are people who put personal ambitions and ideology over the broader principles that are supposed to define what the institutions stand for (Michael Flynn, anyone?).