They should all be ashamed of themselves.The Pentagon and White House are planning a military parade requested by President Trump, breaking with U.S. tradition.
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President Trump’s vision of soldiers marching and tanks rolling down the boulevards of Washington is moving closer to reality in the Pentagon and White House, where officials say they have begun to plan a grand military parade later this year showcasing the might of America’s armed forces.
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Surrounded by the military’s highest-ranking officials, including Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr., Trump’s seemingly abstract desire for a parade was suddenly heard as a presidential directive, the officials said.
WaPo
Well, a costly, showy, grand military parade is not the way to do that.Shows of military strength are not typical in the United States — and they don’t come cheap. The cost of shipping Abrams tanks and high-tech hardware to Washington could run in the millions, and military officials said it was unclear how they would pay for it.
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“The president wants to do something that highlights the service and sacrifice of the military and have a unifying moment for the country,” the official said.
I don't think it's going to work out quite that way.Trump officials had discussed Memorial Day on May 28, and July 4, but the Pentagon prefers Veterans Day on Nov. 11 — in part because it would coincide with 100th anniversary of the victorious end of World War I and therefore be less associated with the president and politics. “That’s what everyone is hoping,” said the military official.
What do you think?It is unclear what role Trump would play, whether he may perhaps serve as a grand marshal or observe the spectacle from a reviewing stand.
Dear god.The location is still being discussed, though Trump has said that he would like it to proceed along Pennsylvania Avenue, which links the Capitol and the White House. It would be the same route as Trump’s inaugural parade and pass by his family’s showpiece: Trump International Hotel.
Don't forget to add that to the cost. But, so worth it, amirite?There is no law or regulation preventing Trump from putting on a military parade, but there are plenty of potential complications that military leaders are likely to raise with the president. One worry is practical: that 70-ton tanks built for the battlefield would chew up Pennsylvania Avenue blacktop.
Ya think?!One concern is that big displays of missile launchers might evoke Pyongyang-style nationalism more than American patriotism.
Because they don't know already?The White House official said a parade would have nothing to do with Trump’s feuds with Kim, but would be designed as a broad show of strength to send a warning to all of America’s adversaries.
I can see the counter-parade now. It will have ten times the number of people carrying big signs about Captain Bone Spurs.There are personal risks for Trump as well. Although he attended a military high school, Trump did not serve in the armed forces, avoiding the draft during the Vietnam War by claiming bone spurs. Critics have previously criticized Trump as disingenuous for basking in the military’s glory.
Captain Bone Spurs probably thought that was awesome.One of George W. Bush’s biggest blunders as president came in 2003 when he landed on an aircraft carrier bearing a “Mission Accomplished” banner to claim victory in the Iraq War.
Jesus wept.The inspiration for Trump’s push is last year’s Bastille Day celebration in Paris, which the president attended as a guest of French President Emmanuel Macron. Trump was awestruck by the tableau of uniformed French troops marching down Avenue des Champs-Elysees with military tanks, armored vehicles, gun trucks and carriers — complete with fighter jets flying over the Arc de Triomphe and painting the sky with streaks of blue, white and red smoke for the colors of the French flag.
Aboard Air Force One en route home from Paris last July, aides said Trump told them he was dazzled by the French display and said he wanted one at home.
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“It was one of the greatest parades I’ve ever seen,” Trump told reporters. “It was two hours on the button, and it was military might, and I think a tremendous thing for France and for the spirit of France.”
Seated next to Macron, Trump added: “We’re going to have to try to top it.”
Well, this is actually fitting for the third world country we are becoming.
1 comment:
Cadet Bone Spurs has the mental and emotional intelligence of a first grader. He likes big trucks, cars, and tanks and is attracted to shiny objects. He's a complete embarrassment to most citizens. His parade is to honor his capitulation to China in the trade war and his recent kowtowing to Kim acknowledging that there is nothing he can do to stop the nuclearization of N Korea. Putin owns Trump as the Russian media regularly reports and today's spectacle is just a complete waste of time and money. Romans must have felt much like we do today when they watched Rome burning.
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