Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Top Nuclear General Says He Would Refuse 'Illegal' Order From Trump to Launch Nukes
PJMedia ^ | 11/18/17

Posted on 11/18/2017 6:58:35 PM PST by Liberty7732

Air Force Gen. John Hyten, commander of the U.S. Strategic Command, told a security conference in Nova Scotia that he would refuse to obey an "illegal" order from Donald Trump to launch nuclear weapons.

Asked if he has given much thought to how he would handle a nuclear strike order from President Trump that he thinks is unlawful, Hyten, who oversees the U.S. nuclear arsenal, answered, "I think some people think we're stupid. We're not stupid people. We think about these things a lot. When you have this responsibility, how do you not think about it?"

"I provide advice to the president, he will tell me what to do," Hyten said. "And if it's illegal, guess what's going to happen? I'm going to say, 'Mr. President, that's illegal.' And guess what he's going to do? He's going to say, 'What would be legal?' And we'll come up options, with a mix of capabilities to respond to whatever the situation is, and that's the way it works. It's not that complicated."

(Excerpt) Read more at pjmedia.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: again; fakenews; genhyten; hyten; illegalnukeorder; trumpdod; trumpnukeorder
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-96 next last
To: rbmillerjr; sarge83; All

Please read beyond the headline. I spent 20 years in the Army, with a good part of it being in nuclear capable artillery units. There is a procedure for the authorization for the use of nuclear weapons that is to be followed. This general is, in my view, saying that he will follow procedures and 2) read the 3d paragraph:

“I provide advice to the president, he will tell me what to do,” Hyten said. “And if it’s illegal, guess what’s going to happen? I’m going to say, ‘Mr. President, that’s illegal.’ And guess what he’s going to do? He’s going to say, ‘What would be legal?’ And we’ll come up options, with a mix of capabilities to respond to whatever the situation is, and that’s the way it works. It’s not that complicated.”

These liberal reporters are asking leading questions to cause trouble and bait reactions such as yours. If I were still in and the president ordered me to kill civilians or prisoners of war, I would refuse to obey him because such an order is illegal under the UCMJ. Thus am I a ‘perfumed prince’ or ‘deserved to get my ass kicked’ because I refused to obey an illegal order?


21 posted on 11/18/2017 7:20:18 PM PST by GreyFriar (Spearhead - 3rd Armored Division 75-78 & 83-87)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Liberty7732

Would someone please define for me what an “illegal order” from the Commander in Chief to one of his generals would be? I confess I’m at a loss. Any experts in the house?


22 posted on 11/18/2017 7:21:04 PM PST by Bernard Marx
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: bigdaddy45
The military obeys legal decisions by the CIC. Thats exactly what the General reiterates.

What's an example of an illegal decision by the CIC?

23 posted on 11/18/2017 7:21:43 PM PST by FreeReign
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: Liberty7732

Should be replaced immediately, retire or be courts martialed. Trump and others cannot have a disloyal general.


24 posted on 11/18/2017 7:24:52 PM PST by Reno89519 (PRESIDENT TRUMP, KEEP YOUR PROMISES! NO AMNESTY AND BUILD THAT WALL.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Gene Eric

There should not have been any quote because there should not
have been an interview with this reposter. Very poor judgement.
And this General will pay a price for it in the near future.


25 posted on 11/18/2017 7:24:53 PM PST by tennmountainman ("Prophet Mountainman" Predicter Of All Things RINO...for a small fee.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: FreeReign

“What’s an example of an illegal decision by the CIC?”

Nuke San Francisco.

Or “Bomb a bunch of dams to show a country we’re not at war with that we are serious.”

Realistically, the calls tend to be less obvious. Bottom line: You can be punished for disobeying a legal order, and punished for obeying an illegal one. So it behooves you to know something about the law of armed conflict if you are dealing with these decisions.


26 posted on 11/18/2017 7:25:15 PM PST by Mr Rogers (Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 23 | View Replies]

To: Liberty7732

He should be fired.


27 posted on 11/18/2017 7:26:18 PM PST by Captain Jack Aubrey (There's not a moment to lose.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Liberty7732

The general never should have discussed nuclear weapons processes in public. He should be relieved of command. What he’s trying to get at is policy, specifically first strike use, such as on the Norks by Trump. It’s clear to me he disagrees with that option — same B.S. Congress is trying to do.

Hyten is a Harvard grad, non-aviator/non-missilier, with no combat experience and not one assignment outside of CONUS. A maximum Obama weenie.


28 posted on 11/18/2017 7:27:56 PM PST by nickedknack
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: tennmountainman

Agreed. Such disclosure is BS, and if I’m not mistaken, Trump spoke out against during the POTUS campaign.


29 posted on 11/18/2017 7:29:07 PM PST by Gene Eric (Don't be a statist!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25 | View Replies]

To: rbmillerjr

Must be an O’Bambi hold over...Retire his @$$


30 posted on 11/18/2017 7:31:34 PM PST by GGpaX4DumpedTea ((I am a Tea Party descendant...steeped in the Constitutional Republic given to us by the Founders))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Liberty7732

WTF is an Air Force General doing at a foreign conference that is not secure in the first place? The USA needs to tighten up its military from the top down ASAP. The Cult of Personality can be charming amongst politicians but not those entrusted to maintain national security. If any member of the media wants to cover military matters, the portal for info should be the DOD PR department.


31 posted on 11/18/2017 7:33:02 PM PST by VietVet876
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: FreeReign
What's an example of an illegal decision by the CIC?

first strike against Canada.

32 posted on 11/18/2017 7:38:18 PM PST by NonValueAdded (#DeplorableMe #BitterClinger #HillNO! #cishet #MyPresident #MAGA #Winning #covfefe)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 23 | View Replies]

To: Liberty7732

bump for later


33 posted on 11/18/2017 7:38:34 PM PST by Darth Mall
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Bernard Marx
“illegal order” from the Commander in Chief

"Nuke NYC. I don't like DeBlasio." Maybe illegal?

34 posted on 11/18/2017 7:39:38 PM PST by Right Wing Assault (Kill: NFL, Hollywood, NBA, BLM, CAIR, Antifa, SPLC, CNN, ESPN, NPR, TWITTER, FACEBOOK)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: Liberty7732

Yet another misleading headline to sensationalize and mislead the public.


35 posted on 11/18/2017 7:40:41 PM PST by greeneyes
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: cornfedcowboy

Question is....who determines if the order is legal?


36 posted on 11/18/2017 7:41:46 PM PST by ealgeone
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: Liberty7732
Dupe, and the taken out of context comment was explained on the thread of the first article, and the General was not saying anything he shouldn't.

Top general says he would resist "illegal" nuke order from Trump

CBS .com ^ | 11/18/17 | KATHRYN WATSON

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/3605967/posts?q=1&;page=1

Read this comment, what the general ACTUALLY SAID. Makes total sense.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/3605967/posts?page=26#26

The media is twisting this to make him sound insubordinate. Read the whole thing he said:

***

“I provide advice to the president, he will tell me what to do,” Hyten added. “And if it’s illegal, guess what’s going to happen? I’m going to say, ‘Mr. President, that’s illegal.’ And guess what he’s going to do? He’s going to say, ‘What would be legal?’ And we’ll come up options, with a mix of capabilities to respond to whatever the situation is, and that’s the way it works. It’s not that complicated.”

Hyten said he has been trained every year for decades in the law of armed conflict, which takes into account specific factors to determine legality — necessity, distinction, proportionality, unnecessary suffering and more. Running through scenarios of how to react in the event of an illegal order is standard practice, he said.

37 posted on 11/18/2017 7:42:27 PM PST by little jeremiah (Half the truth is often a great lie. B. Franklin)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: greeneyes

No kidding. Anything to make Trump look bad, his adminstration look chaotic and rebellious, etc.


38 posted on 11/18/2017 7:43:15 PM PST by little jeremiah (Half the truth is often a great lie. B. Franklin)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 35 | View Replies]

To: Liberty7732

I hope that ahole is fired already. He damn sure should be.


39 posted on 11/18/2017 7:45:16 PM PST by TexasCruzin (Trump is the man. #TrumpPence16)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Liberty7732

He should be fired and made to drive a truck as another person who questioned a different President was fired and drove a truck instead.


40 posted on 11/18/2017 7:50:54 PM PST by Stepan12 (It is Civll War right now..)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-96 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson