WP: Military Warns Soldiers Against Public Criticism

Several U.S. Army soldiers in Iraq who expressed anger last month toward Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld after their tours of duty were extended have not been punished but have received warnings about respecting the chain of command, according to a senior Army officer.

(snip)

"Those soldiers were not formally disciplined per se," said a senior Army officer in Washington who declined to be named. Instead, the soldiers received "a good talk" from senior noncommissioned officers who "reinforced their obligations as soldiers to respect their military and civilian chain of command," the officer added.

Top defense officials showed little sign this week of having pursued the case. "I haven't even asked," Gen. John Keane, the Army's vice chief of staff, told reporters who questioned him Tuesday. But Keane also reiterated the warning to troops to watch what they say about leaders.

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http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A31317-2003Aug7.html

no matter who the President is. Part of that is to bitch all you want but not to the media.

is more important than duty to the president or to the chain of command.

just as Clinton was 3 years ago and must be discipline.

They should bitch all they want. It's not like Bush's regime is legitimate or anything.

not to the President. It was Hitler that forced his military to swear an oath to him!

who is their commander in chief ? If he tells you to do something do you call the Wash Post or go and do it?

I'm sure plenty of them were pissed to go in Bosnia, Haiti, Kosova etc. when Clinton was im charge but they went and did what they had to do.

and it was never an issue. It is only an issue when the Commander in Chief is a Republican!

UCMJ that states they cannot. I agree, they must follow all lawful orders, but bitching about bad foreign policy? If it's in there then show me.

never again!!!
One we have no legitimate presidant.
An immoral order is not an order and it is your duty to not follow it- ask any Nazi.

Have Congress change the bleeping law if you don't like it!

That's why the Army isn't punishing the troops. BECAUSE THEY CAN'T.

of command is flawed, moronic, wrong, not listening, making bad decisions, or lying about the state of affairs, then...

it is the DUTY of those soldiers to get the word out to the PEOPLE...

because those soldiers are serving the PEOPLE, as is the president and his advisors.

It's called a DEMOCRACY.

WE are the bosses, and WE have the final word, and those soldiers have a DUTY to 1) protect and serve us, 2) let us know when the decisions being made and the strategies followed are NOT protecting and serving us, or are hampering those soldiers in the performance of their duty.

get it yet?

And I am in no way shocked that even Bush pales at challenging military law over this.

JB, soon.

You see, a military devoted to the constitution, the people, the nation above the administration is not useful to the Bush, the Rumsfeld, the Cheney, et al.

they are suppose to do what they're told. They leave the freedom of speech right at the gate.

Do you want each soldier to decide if one war is worth or not or if they should obey one president but not the other? Africa would look peaceful compare to US if we followed that model...

.......wait until they are due for promotion. NOT! Or when they are to be transferred........Timbuktoo! They won't be punished, but they will wish they hadn't talked to the press. Sad, but it's the reality.