“Since the SecState is not in the chain of command, any such orders can be safely ignored.”
Actually, I made one mistake in my analysis, it wouldn’t have been Kerry that had to be contacted for cross border authorization, it would have been Obama who would have been contacted, and he is indeed in the chain of command.
But Obama does not directly contact individual units - it would have had to go through the Pentagon, Dept of the Navy, to the fleet command, to the unit or close to that chain. Anywhere along that chain the right to refuse an order is possible. Why not? An overflight was possible but not done ... why?
Something else had to be going on here or we may as well disband the Navy as a bunch of incompetents playing with too expensive toys and save the money.
ANY orders can be ignored. Don’t you understand that? Will there be consequences? Maybe. Maybe a fuck@Â¥g medal instead. Life and death. True capture by Republican Guard forces would not be something any sailor, soldier, airman or marine would acquiesce to. Ever. Unless.......