Banana Republic

Aericans viewing the recent failed coup attempt in Turkey as some exotic foreign news story [...] should pause to consider that the prospect of similar instability would not be unfathomable in this country if Donald Trump were to win the presidency.

  LA Times

And thusly seal the deal in neon lights that America has become a political banana republic.

Throughout the campaign, Trump has repeatedly bragged about ordering soldiers to commit war crimes, and has dismissed the possibility that he would face any resistance. “They won’t refuse,” he told Fox News’ Bret Baierearlier this year. “They’re not gonna refuse me. Believe me.” When Baier insisted that such orders are “illegal,” Trump replied, “I’m a leader. I’ve always been a leader. I’ve never had any problem leading people. If I say do it, they’re going to do it.”

Or that. Either way.

Try to imagine, then, a situation in which Trump commanded our military to do something stupid, illegal or irrational.

We don't have to imagine it. Presidents have been doing it for decades. Centuries even.

Faced with opposition from his military brass, Trump would perhaps reconsider and back down. But what if he didn’t?

In that case, our military men and women, who swear to uphold the Constitution and a civilian chain of command, would be forced to choose between obeying the law and serving the wishes of someone who has explicitly expressed his utter lack of respect for it.

Can you say 'George W Bush'?

Asked by TV host Bill Maher what would happen if Trump told American soldiers to kill the families of terrorists, as he has promised to do, [retired Air Force Gen. Michael Hayden, who served as head of the CIA and the National Security Agency under President George W. Bush] replied, “If he were to order that once in government, the American armed forces would refuse to act.”

Are you fucking kidding me? I have one word for you: drones.

Previously, in those rare situations when irreconcilable disagreements have arisen between America’s civilian and military leadership, it is the latter who were ultimately deemed out of line. This was the case when President Truman acrimoniously fired Gen. Douglas MacArthur after he publicly criticized Truman for denying him permission to bomb China in the midst of the Korean War.

That's what I'm trying to tell you. If it ever happened that military generals refused to carry out a Trump order - and I have a hard time believing many would - he can fire their asses. There will always be plenty who think like him and plenty more who don't but would like a promotion. A military man who refuses to obey the CiC has only one viable option: retire, as a few honorable men have done in the recent past.  Or maybe two:  they could go to the brig.

Trump could pull a reverse-Truman, firing a general who refused to bomb.

Bingo.

If this scenario sounds implausible, consider that Trump has normalized so many once-outrageous things -- from open racism to blatant lying.

That's not just now happening with Trump. Open racism (and uber nationalism) was normalized with George Bush's invasion of Iraq. Lying has been normalized for forever.

Needless to say, such dystopian situations are unimaginable under a President Hillary Clinton, who, whatever her faults, would never contemplate ordering a bombing run or -- heaven forbid -- a nuclear strike on a country just because its leader slighted her small hands at a summit.

Hell no. She'll order bombing runs (and perhaps nuclear strikes) because she's continuing the US imperial doctrine of taking it all. They'll still be dead.

Trump is not only patently unfit to be president, but a danger to America and the world. Voters must stop him before the military has to.

Get real.

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.