by William Skink
If Trump is elected president of the United States of America and his rhetoric turns into action, don’t worry, says former CIA Director Michael Hayden, there will be a coup:
It’s not entirely clear that Donald Trump understands the movement he’s started. But America’s entrenched political establishment is now scrambling to understand how to deal with the Trump juggernaut and it’s not just politicians who are concerned.
Indeed, former intelligence officials now say the brazen billionaire could face a veritable security rebellion if he’s elected.
“I would be incredibly concerned if a President Trump governed in a way that was consistent with the language that candidate Trump expressed during the campaign,” Former CIA director Michael Hayden said, in an interview with Bill Maher. Hayden also says that the armed forces would simply refuse to follow Trump’s orders were he to be elected and follow through on his campaign promises.
Here’s what Hayden had to say about Trump’s promise to kill family members of ISIS: “God, no! Let me give you a punchline: If he were to order that once in government, the American armed forces would refuse to act. You cannot—you are not committed, you are not required, in fact you’re required to not follow an unlawful order. That would be in violation of all the international laws of armed conflict. There would be a coup in this country.”
Coming from a former head of the agency that enacted a coup against Kennedy in 1963, that’s a strong statement. How would this country react to Trump being removed from office? And what justification would be used?
I’m surprised Hayden is acting so squeamish about killing family members of terrorists. If killing family members of terrorists is a coup-worthy action, why is Obama still in office? Remember, Team Obama had no problem killing the 16 year old son of Anwar al-Awlaki with a drone strike. Here is how Robert Gibbs justified using lethal force against an American teenager:
ADAMSON: …It’s an American citizen that is being targeted without due process, without trial. And, he’s underage. He’s a minor.
GIBBS: I would suggest that you should have a far more responsible father if they are truly concerned about the well being of their children. I don’t think becoming an al Qaeda jihadist terrorist is the best way to go about doing your business.
So the problem doesn’t seem to be with American Presidents killing the children of terrorists. Obama did it and there weren’t any consequences. The problem appears to be more how Trump is choosing to talk about continuing the Obama policy of targeting the children of terrorists for execution.
Trump is definitely not acting very presidential. He doesn’t seem to know that when you talk about killing people, as the president, you need to use bloodless euphemisms so as not to unduly upset the electorate. Also, when you are too honest about your murderous intentions, it makes an agency talking head who lies as easily as he breathes willing to openly discuss doing what up until now has only been enacted covertly.