Almost 90 Retired Flag Officers Demand Mark Milley, Lloyd Austin Resign After Afghanistan Debacle

The Federalist ^ | AUGUST 30, 2021 | Jordan Davidson

[george76]

Nearly 90 retired U.S. generals and admirals penned an open letter asking Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley to resign from their positions following their “negligence in performing their duties primarily involving events surrounding the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan.”

“As principal military advisors to the CINC [Commander-in-Chief]/President, the SECDEF and CJCS should have recommended against this dangerous withdrawal in the strongest possible terms,” the letter states. “If they did not do everything within their authority to stop the hasty withdrawal, they should resign. Conversely, if they did do everything within their ability to persuade the CINC/President to not hastily exit the country without ensuring the safety of our citizens and Afghans loyal to America, then they should have resigned in protest as a matter of conscience and public statement.”

This “hasty retreat,” the letter continues, not only left thousands of vulnerable Americans and Afghan allies stranded at the hands of the Taliban but also contributed to the “catastrophic” loss of “billions of dollars in advanced military equipment and supplies falling into the hands of our enemies.”

“The consequences of this disaster are enormous and will reverberate for decades beginning with the safety of Americans and Afghans who are unable to move safely to evacuation points; therefore, being de facto hostages of the Taliban at this time. The death and torture of Afghans has already begun and will result in a human tragedy of major proportions,” the letter says. “The damage to the reputation of the United States is indescribable. We are now seen, and will be seen for many years, as an unreliable partner in any multinational agreement or operation. Trust in the United States is irreparably damaged.”

This damaged trust, the retired generals and admirals argue, gives confidence to U.S. enemies who “are emboldened to move against America due to the weakness displayed in Afghanistan.”

“China benefits the most followed by Russia, Pakistan, Iran, North Korea and others. Terrorists around the world are emboldened and able to pass freely into our country through our open border with Mexico,” the letter states.

The letter also points out how military leadership’s focus on “wokeness” is hurting the viability of U.S. troops and the military as an institution.

“In interviews, congressional testimony, and public statements it has become clear that top leaders in our military are placing mandatory emphasis on PC ‘wokeness’ related training which is extremely divisive and harmful to unit cohesion, readiness, and war fighting capability,” the letter says. “Our military exists to fight and win our Nation’s wars and that must be the sole focus of our top military leaders.”

“For these reasons we call on the SECDEF Austin and the CJCS General Milley to resign,” it concludes. “A fundamental principle in the military is holding those in charge responsible and accountable for their actions or inactions. There must be accountability at all levels for this tragic and avoidable debacle.”

Over the last week, multiple GOP lawmakers called on President Joe Biden to resign for “dereliction of duty that has left Americans dead at the hands of terrorists.”

[pluvmantelo]

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Open Letter from Retired Generals and Admirals
Signed by:
Alpha list of signers 2021 letter
MG Anders B. Aadland, USA, ret. RADM Ernest B. Acklin, USCG, ret. MG Richard D. Anderegg, USAF, ret MG Joseph T. Anderson, USMC, ret. RADM Philip Anselmo, USN, ret. MG Joseph Arbuckle, USA, ret.
BG John Arick, USMC, ret.
BG Ernest Audino, USA ret
RADM James w. Austin, USN, ret
MG Marvin G. Back, USA, ret.
BG Jim Balserak, USAF, ret.
MG Gary M. Batinich, USAF, ret. RADM Jon W. Bayless, Jr. USN, ret. RADM Timothy Robert Beard, USN, ret. RDML James Best, USN, ret.
BG Charles Bishop, USAF, ret.
BG William A. Bloomer, USMC, ret.
BG Donald Bolduc, USA, ret.
LTG William G. Boykin, USA, ret.
MG Edward R. Bracken, USAF, ret.
MG Patrick H. Brady, MOH, USA, ret. RADM Bruce b. Bremner, USN. ret VADM Edward S. Briggs, USN, ret. LTG Richard “Tex’ Brown III USAF, ret. BG Frank Bruno, USAF, ret.
VADM Toney M. Bucchi, USN, ret.
MG H. hale Burr, Jr., USAF (ret.)
MG Bobby Gene Butcher, USMC, ret RADM John T. Byrd, USN, ret.
MG Clifton C. Capp, USA, ret
BG Jimmy Cash, USAF, ret.
LTG Dennis D. Cavin, USA, ret.
LTG James E. Chambers, USAF, ret.
MG Carroll D. Childers, USA, ret. RDML Ronald L. Christenson, USN, ret. BG Clifton C. “Tip” Clark, USAF, ret. VADM Ed Clexton, USN, ret.

MG Jay Closner, USAF, ret
BG Michael J. Cole, USAF, ret. VADM John G. Cotton, USN (ret) MG Tommy F. Crawford, USAF, ret. RDML David Cronk, USN, ret.
MG Robert E. Dempsey, USAF, ret. MG John Deyermond, USA, ret. RADM James C. Doebler, USN, ret. BG James H. Doty, USA (ret)
BG Peter Drahn, USAFR, ret.
BG Philip Drew, USAF, ret.
MG Neil L. Eddins, USAF, ret.
RADM Ernest Elliot, USN, ret
BG Bob Floyd, USA, ret.
BG Steven Feldmann, USA, ret.
BG Jerome V. Foust, USA, ret.
BG Jimmy E. Fowler, USA, ret.
RADM J. Cameron Fraser, USN, ret. MG John T. Furlow, USA, ret.
RADM Albert A. Gallotta, Jr., USN, ret. MG David C. Garza, USMC, ret
MG Timothy F. Ghormley, USMC, ret. MG Francis C. Gideon, USAF, ret.
MG William A. Gorton, USAF, ret. RADMU Andrew A. Granuzzo, USN, ret. MG Lee V. Greer, USAF, ret.
RDML Michael R. Groothousen, Sr., USN, ret. BG John Grueser, USAF, ret.
MG James A. Guest, USA, ret.
MG Ken Hagemann, USAF, ret.
RDML Dale N. Hagen, USN, ret. MG H. Robert hall, USAF, ret.
BG Norman Ham, USAF, ret. VADM William Hancock, USN, ret. BG Murray Hansen, USAF, ret
MG Gary L. Harrell, USA, (ret)
LTG Henry J. Hatch, USA, ret.
ADM. Tom Hayward, USN. (ret)
VADM Peter Maynard Hekman, Jr., USN. ret. MG Clyde A. Hennies, USA, ret.
RADM Larry L. Hereth, USCG, ret. MG Harald G. Hermes, USAF, ret BG James M. Hesson, USA, ret.
MG Kent H. Hillhouse, USA ret BG Robert Hipwell, USA, ret
MG Bill Hobgood, USA, ret.
BG Stanislaus J. Hoey, USA, ret. MG Bob Hollingsworth, USMC, ret. MG Jerry D. Holmes, USAF, ret.

MG Clinton V. Horn, USAF, ret. RDML Gregory C. Horn, USN, ret. MG James P. Hunt, USAF, (ret) LTG Joseph E. Hurd, USAF, ret. BG Percy G. Hurtado II, USA, ret. VADM Paul Ilg, USN, ret.
MG T. Irby, USA, ret.
LTG Ronald Iverson, USAF, ret.
RADM (L) Grady L. Jackson
RADM Ronny Jackson, USN, ret.
MG William K. James, USAF, ret.
LTG James H. Johnson, Jr. USA, ret. ADM. Jerome L. Johnson, USN, ret.
BG James M. Johnston, USAF, ret.
BG Charles Jones, USAF, ret.
BG Gary Lee Jones, USA, ret.
BG Robert R. Jordan, USA, ret.
RADML Herbert C. Kaler, USN, ret
BG Jack H. Kotter, USA, ret.
MG Anthony R. Kropp, USA, ret
BG Charles Kruse, ARNG, ret..
RADM Chuck Kubic, USN, ret.
BG Leonard f. Kwiatkowski, USAF, ret
BG Enrique J. Lanz, USAF, ret.
BG Jerry L. Laws, USA, ret.
BG Douglas E. Lee, USA, ret.
VADM W.D. Lee,) USCG, (ret)
MG Kenneth Lewis, USAF, ret.
MG Vernon B. Lewis, USA, ret.
MG Thomas G. Lightner, USA, ret.
LTG James M. Link, USA, ret.
MG James E. Livingston, USMC, ret. MOH MG John D. Logeman, USAF, ret.
BG Robert W. Lovell, USAF, ret
MG Jarvis Lynch, USMC, ret.
RDML John Thomas Lyons III, USN, ret. LTG Fred McCorkle, USMC, ret.
MG Don McGregor, USAF, ret.
LTG Thomas McInerney, USAF, ret. RADM John H. McKinley, USN, ret.
BG Michael P. McRaney, USAF, ret.
BG James E. Mace, USA, ret.
MG Fred Maiocco, USA, ret.
BG Ronald S. Mangum, USA, ret.
BG James M. Mead, USMC, ret
BG Willard L. Meader, USAF, ret.
BG Joe Mensching, USAF, ret.
RADM W. F. Merlin, USCG, ret.
RADM (L) Mark Milliken, USN, ret.

MG John F. Miller, USAF, ret.
BG Michael Miller, USAF, ret.
RADM Ralph M. Mitchell, Jr. USN, ret.
MG Paul Mock, USA. ret.
BG Daniel I. Montgomery, USA, ret.,
RADM John A. Moriarty, USN, ret.,
RADM David R. Morris, USN, ret.
MG James H. Mukoyama, Jr. USA, ret
MG Terrence Mulcahy, USA. ret.
BG Benton d. Murdock, USA, ret.
RADM Bill Newman, USN, ret.
MG George W. “Nordie” Norwood, USAF, ret.
BG Joe Oder, USA, ret.
MG Raymund O’Mara, USAF, ret.
MG Joe S. Owens, USA, ret.
VADM Jimmy Pappas, USN, ret.
MG Robert W. Paret, USAF, ret.
LTG Garry L. Parks, USMC, ret.
BG John A. Paterson, USAF, ret.
RADM Russ Penniman, USN, ret.
BG Scott Perry, USA, ret.
RADM Rudy K. Peschel, USCG, ret.
RADM William W. “Bear” Pickavance, Jr , USN, ret. RADM Leonard F. Picotte, ret.
VADM John Poindexter, USN, ret.
RADM Ronald Polant, USCG, ret.
MG Greg Power, USAF, ret.
RADM Brian Prindle, USN, ret.
RADM J.J. Quinn, USN, ret.
MG John Capenter Raaen, USA, ret.
LTG Clifford H. Rees, Jr. USAF, ret.
RADM Edward T. Reidy, USN, ret.
MG Lee P. Rodgers, USAF, ret.
RADM William J. Ryan, USN ret
RADM Norman T. Saunders, USCG, ret.
RADM William R. Schmidt, USN, ret.
MG John P. Schoeppner, Jr., USAF, ret.
RADM (MC) Hugh P. Scott, USN, ret
MG Richard V. Secord, USAF, ret.
RADM Paul Scott Semko, USN. ret.
BG Richard Severson, USAF, ret.
BG Stanley A. Sieg, USAF, ret
BG Donald Curtis Smith, USAF, ret.
LTG Hubert Smith, USA, ret.
MG Perry Graham Smith, Sr., USA, ret.
BG Andrew w. Smoak, USAF, ret..
MG James N. Stewart, USAF, ret.
RADM John Stewart, USN, ret.
RADM Thomas Stone, USN., ret.

MG William Streeter, USA, ret.
BG Joseph S. Stringham, USA, ret.
RADM Barton D. Strong, USN. Ret.
MG Michael Sullivan, USMC, ret.
RADM (U) Jeremy Taylor, USN, ret.
LTG David Teal, USAF, ret.
MG Roberrt D. Tenhet, USA (ret)
BG Trent Thomas, USA, ret.
VADM Howard B. Thorsen, USCG, ret.
VADM N.R, Thunman, USN, ret.
LTG William Thurman, USAF, ret.
RADM Robert P. Tiernan, USN, ret.
BG Robert F. Titus, USAF, ret
LTG Garry Trexler, USAF, ret.
BG James T. Turlington, M.D., USAF, ret.
BG Richard J. Valente, USA ret.
MG Paul Vallely, USA, ret.
MG Paul M. Van Sickle, USAF, ret.
MG Russell L. Violett, USAF, ret.
RADM Larry G. Vogt, USN. ret
RADM George F. A. Wagner, USN, ret.
BG George H. Walker, Jr. USAR Corp of Engineers, ret MG Gary Wattnem, USA, ret.
MG Kenneth Weir, USMCR, ret.
BG William O. Welch, USAF, ret.
BG William L. Welsh, USAF, ret.
LTG Robert L. “Sam” Wetzel, USA, ret. MG John M. White, USAF, ret.
MG Geoffrey P. Wiedeman, JR. USAF, ret. MG Richard O. Wightman, Jr., USA, ret. BG George E. Wilson III, USAF, ret RADM Denny Wisely, USN, ret.
RADM Ray Cowden Witter, USN, ret. LTG John Woodward, USAF, ret.
MG Albert C. Zapanta, USA, ret.