Posted on 01/24/2006 6:29:20 AM PST by landofliberty1776
Go to the link for an article that I wrote regarding the story, and check out his website www.mikenew.com
It helps if people know what the subject is all about.
I am a retired Air Force NCO. This idea among some conservatives that military enlisted men have the right to decide which orders to obey and which to ignore is new to me and I don't like it. He should have obeyed the order even though he (and I) did not like it.
I merely wanted a better description of the subject out there so it would get more attention and people would understand from the get-go what the story was about.
We were tought to obey an order and then report it if we believed that it was illegal. This was in reaction to My Lai. It would be impossible to maintain discipline and good order if New had his way. Officers can resign, enlisted must obey.
sorry, pal...........we do NOT swear allegiance or take orders from foreign military personnel.........nor do we wear uniforms and/or insignia other than US military issue..........we swear an oath to the US, not the UN..........
Sorry to you pal. We swear to obey the lawful orders of our superiors and we do not get to decide what is lawful and what is not. Such is the lot of a military enlisted man.
ya mean like the nazi's on trial at nurenburg.......they were only following orders, yet they were all hung by the neck until they were dead......you cannot order a man to disobey standing orders, and yes, an enlisted man can refuse to obey lawful orders if they conflict with standing orders ( I know, because I did it, and the man who gave me the LAWFUL order that I refused to obey, disappeared from our unit, and nothing happened to me ) And I took an oath to defend the US from all enemies, foreign and domestic, and nowhere did that oath tell me to protect, defend, or serve under the UN flag for any reason......... I would guess you were a senior non com, or a junior officer.
As I recall, he tried to go through channels before his refusal to wear a UN helmet and insignia. He wrote a report quoting UCMJ and the US Constitution which he swore to uphold.
This demonstrates that you are arguing from a weak position.
Cry and weep as you may, but the order was lawful and that position will be upheld.
I was an Air Force Master Sergeant. My guess is that your superiors decided that the order was not lawful because it conflicted with the standing order. I agree that what New was ordered to do was wrong. I cannot agree that he had the right to disobey the order. This was not an extreme case like the My Lai massacre.
He was a military enlisted man. Once his options were exhausted, he had no choice but to obey the order until his term was up.
There are 3 reasons, in my mind only, that gave him the right to refuse this particular order:
1) Congress has not specifically authorized the wearing of UN insignia, or uniforms by active duty US military personnel
2) The wearing of foreign uniforms is not addresses specifically by US Military regulations.
3) The wearing of a foreign uniform and /or insignia, and taking of orders from a foreign officer is inconsistant with the oath of allegience taken by all military personnel.
Oh, and Thank You for your service to our country!!!!
This man swore to uphold the Constitution of the United States. he did not swear any allegiance to the U.N., and for some to think he should have is disheartening and concerning.
Actually New would have been under the direct command of his officers and NCOs. The same officers and NCOs that he swore an oath to obey when he enlisted. He violated that oath, articles of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, and was properly punished. He got what he deserved, no more and no less.
Well, as I said in an earlier post, I didn't server (to my deep regret) but I think he did bring up a good political point: Is he legally obligated to follow orders of a General from another nation or of U.N. The Military JAG says yes.
Well if New parked his car in the general's spot and the general ordered him to move it then I would say 'yes'. And I would say that that would be about the only way New would be faced with a direct order from someone other than his immediate commanders, which were all American. New was an idiot who saw rules and regulations where none existed. He disobeyed a lawful order of his superiors and he was properly punished for his actions.
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