Pro-war soldier’s question cut off at Yearly Kos?

Hot Air ^ | August 3, 2007

[RJS1950]

I don’t think that the event is officially a political event as in meeting of the DNC, a convention or political rally.

A political discussion site has no legal connection (yeah, I know but legally) to any campaign or candidate so he probably was ok in uniform.

If he were one of my troops I would probably give him an unofficial dressing down with congratulations on making them look like the traitorous asses they are.

[bnelson44]

Update: Ironically, Kos himself wrote a post just last month arguing that vets should be allowed to wear their cammies to political events and naturally concluded by pronouncing anyone who disagreed “legitimately and objectively un-American.” Jeff Emanuel quoted him chapter and verse at Red State by way of an answer. The relevant DoD reg appears to be 1334.01, which provides in pertinent part:

3.1. The wearing of the uniform by members of the Armed Forces (including retired members and members of Reserve components) is prohibited under any of the following circumstances:…

3.1.2. During or in connection with furthering political activities, private employment or commercial interests, when an inference of official sponsorship for the activity or interest may be drawn.

3.1.3. Except when authorized by the approval authorities in subparagraph 4.1.1., when participating in activities such as unofficial public speeches, interviews, picket lines, marches, rallies or any public demonstration, which may imply Service sanction of the cause for which the demonstration or activity is conducted.

Even though it’s almost certainly not true, an inference of military sponsorship can be pretty clearly drawn from the fact that he’s asking a question that’s in line with current military policy. JD Johannes seems to think so too, as he e-mails to say that taking part in an inherently political event is a violation of the UCMJ. The counterargument, I guess, is that he wasn’t really engaging in “political” activity, just debating the facts about current military strategy, but I don’t know if that flies.

 

[Red Badger]

The uniform made him an “unimpeachable” person. They knew they could not expel him, really bad publicity. They could not harangue or harass him, more bad publicity. They could not refute him, even worse publicity. So their only choice was to slink off stage like cowardly snakes................

[processing please hold]

You think?

[bnelson44]

Meltdown at the YearlyKos?

http://michellemalkin.com/2007/08/03/meltdown-at-the-yearlykos/

[marktwain]

“But is what he said actually political speech? He said the surge is working. I don’t see that as political speech at all. He is just reporting actual ground conditions in Iraq.”

You must understand that to the radical left, *all speech* is political speech. All life is politics, there is nothing outside of it. Their god is the State; their highest goal, accumulation of political power over other men.

[Tribune7]

OK, thanks.

[therut]

I really do not know what makes Wes Clark tick. He seems to have become so loud mouthed and a partisian so quickly. He sounds like a lefty University student. I don’t know if he is just a little off or is a power seeker or is getting rich on the side. An intelligent person would not act and speak as he does. Something about him is strange.

[Half Vast Conspiracy]

But I also wonder who in his chain of command would go down on him for it (after taking him out for a beer first)?

Even with "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" I don't thing any commander would go down on one of his troops. :)

[Half Vast Conspiracy]

1. He should even have sat in the audience in uniform.

2. The Kos suddenly remembered the prohibition when he spoke in favor of the war.

[ClaireSolt]

When Kos kicked Cindy Sheehan off he said that the purp;ose of the sitr is to elect democrats. So that makes everything it does political.

[WBL 1952]

Wes Clark is for sale, always has been, always will be.

Besides that, he looks like corpse when he is on TV with all the makeup.

[tgslTakoma]

This may have already been addressed in the comments here, but just in case, I'll say it now...

Wesley Clark is a POS.

[bnelson44]

The moderator was Jon Soltz from VoteVets, a Captain in the Army who issued a lawfull order to a Sergeant violated the rules governing wear of the uniform.

http://www.prospect.org/csnc/blogs/tapped_archive?month=08&year=2007&base_name=post_4468#comment-4395666

More about Jon Soltz
http://www.votevets.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=199&Itemid=80

[tgslTakoma]

Was he playing in politics, or was he stating facts that he knows, and defending what his brothers (and sisters) in uniform are doing?

[tgslTakoma]

Well, that appears to clear up what the soldier was doing; at least in my eyes. He was not promoting "privately held convictions on public issues," but was saying that the surge was working and that people were no longer dying in such high numbers as before - a fact.

This part is a little murkier:

prohibited from wearing uniforms of the naval service while attending or participating in a demonstration, assembly, or activity knowing that a purpose of the demonstration, assembly, or activity supports personal or partisan views on political, social, economic, or religious issues, except as authorized in advance by competent authority;

Anyone who know DailyKos, knows that they are partisan, in favor of everything that is against the USA.

[Half Vast Conspiracy]

And, it’s a “rule” that I see senior military officers frequently violate.

Got an example?

[maine-iac7]

I think the Democrats have sold their souls.

ahhh - where have you been sleeping for the past quarter century? ;o)

[Half Vast Conspiracy]

The moderator was Jon Soltz from VoteVets, a Captain in the Army who issued a lawfull order to a Sergeant violated the rules governing wear of the uniform.

I don't know that CPT Soltz should be pulling rank in a situation like this.

[Half Vast Conspiracy]

The moderator was Jon Soltz from VoteVets, a Captain in the Army who issued a lawfull order to a Sergeant violated the rules governing wear of the uniform.

I don't know that CPT Soltz should be pulling rank in a situation like this.