Mark Kelly drops BOMB on Pete Hegseth for trying to downgrade his rank
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Summary
Takeaways
- ❖Pete Hegseth publicly attempted to demote Senator Mark Kelly from his retired Navy captain rank and reduce his pension.
- ❖The basis for this was Kelly's statement that military members are required to refuse unlawful orders, which displeased Donald Trump.
- ❖Senator Kelly views Hegseth's actions as a 'temper tantrum' and an attempt to please Donald Trump, demonstrating a lack of understanding of his role.
- ❖Kelly asserts that the demotion attempt is a message to all service members and citizens: 'Do not cross Donald Trump. Do not say something that displeases him.'
- ❖Kelly, as a US Senator and member of the Armed Services and Intelligence Committees, views speaking out as his right and obligation.
- ❖The administration's foreign policy is criticized for engaging in a 'Bush era regime change war' in South America, primarily for oil, with shifting justifications.
- ❖Senator Kelly argues that US 'imperialism' provides a 'permission structure' for adversaries like China (Taiwan) and Russia (Ukraine, Kazakhstan) to pursue their own territorial and resource grabs.
Bottom Line
The US administration's inconsistent foreign policy, particularly its pursuit of 'regime change' for resources like oil, creates a 'permission structure' or justification for major adversaries like China and Russia to pursue similar expansionist goals.
This approach undermines US moral authority and global stability, potentially escalating international conflicts by legitimizing actions against smaller nations for strategic resources.
For policymakers, this highlights the need for a consistent, principled foreign policy that avoids actions that can be mirrored by adversaries to justify their own aggression, thereby strengthening international norms and alliances.
Lessons
- Scrutinize government actions and rhetoric for potential infringements on free speech, especially when directed at former military personnel or critics.
- Question the stated justifications for foreign policy interventions, particularly when they shift or appear to be driven by resource acquisition rather than clear national security interests.
- Recognize that domestic political actions (like attempts to silence critics) and international foreign policy decisions can have interconnected and far-reaching consequences for global stability and democratic principles.
Quotes
"He runs around talking about how he's the secretary of war. The letter of censure, by the way, said the war department. I'm the secretary of war under my authority as the secretary of war. There is no department of war. That comes from Congress."
"They're sending a message to every retired member of the military, every former service member, every current service member, and every US citizen. Do not cross Donald Trump. Do not say something that displeases him."
"Regime change should not be the policy of the federal government, the United States government. It's it's it's not an effective uh policy to uh make us a more successful, more pro prosperous, and safer nation."
"Giving China the justification to take whatever that next step may be for them is a mistake."
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