The POS-In-Chief Attacks Yet Another Person...

[Lord Jim]

whose ass he is not fit to wipe:

Architect of bin Laden raid: Trump 'threatens the Constitution' when he attacks the media

Washington (CNN)Retired Adm. William McRaven on Sunday stood by his previous statement that President Donald Trump's attacks on the news media represent "the greatest threat to democracy" after the President dismissed him as a "Hillary Clinton backer" in an interview that aired on Fox News.

"I did not back Hillary Clinton or anyone else," McRaven, who oversaw the operation that killed Osama bin Laden, told CNN. "I am a fan of President Obama and President George W. Bush, both of whom I worked for. "I admire all presidents, regardless of their political party, who uphold the dignity of the office and who use that office to bring the nation together in challenging times."[Gee, I wonder which President that criteria would not apply to...]

"I stand by my comment that the President's attack on the media is the greatest threat to our democracy in my lifetime," McRaven said, referencing remarks he made about Trump last year. "When you undermine the people's right to a free press and freedom of speech and expression, then you threaten the Constitution and all for which it stands."

McRaven's comment came just hours after "Fox News Sunday" aired an interview with Trump in which the President dismissed McRaven and criticized the military for having not killed bin Laden sooner.

Trump made the remarks during a tense exchange with Fox News' Chris Wallace after the host brought up McRaven, a vocal Trump critic who led the bin Laden operation in 2011 during former President Barack Obama's administration.

"Bill McRaven, retired admiral, Navy SEAL, 37 years, former head of US Special Operations..." Wallace started.

"Hillary Clinton fan," Trump said, cutting off Wallace.

"Special Operations ..." Wallace continued.

"Excuse me, Hillary Clinton fan," Trump said.

"Who led the operations," Wallace added, "commanded the operations that took down Saddam Hussein and that killed Osama bin Laden, says that your sentiment is the greatest threat to democracy in his lifetime."

"OK, he's a Hilary Clinton backer and an Obama-backer, and frankly ... wouldn't it have been nice if we got Osama bin Laden a lot sooner than that? Wouldn't it have been nice? You know, living -- think of this -- living in Pakistan, beautifully in Pakistan."

After Wallace asked if the President would give McRaven any credit for taking down bin Laden, Trump said "they took him down" but quickly shifted to talking about US aid to Pakistan, where bin Laden was killed.

In August, McRaven issued a stunning rebuke of Trump in an op-ed published in the Washington Post, writing that through his actions, Trump has "embarrassed us in the eyes of our children, humiliated us on the world stage and, worst of all, divided us as a nation."

https://www.cnn.com/2018/11/18/politics ... index.html

After graduating from The University of Texas at Austin, McRaven was commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Navy and volunteered for Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training (BUD/S) graduating with Class 95 in 1978. As a Navy SEAL officer, McRaven was deployed to the Philippines.[10] In 1982, as a junior officer McRaven was assigned to SEAL Team Six under the command of CDR Richard Marcinko but was pushed out in 1983 due to McRaven's concerns about a culture of recklessness, military discipline, and difficulties in keeping his sailors in line.[11]

McRaven has commanded at every level within the special operations community, including assignments as platoon commander at Underwater Demolition Team 21/SEAL Team Four, Executive Officer of SEAL Team One, task unit commander during the Persian Gulf War, task group commander in the CENTCOM area of responsibility, deputy commander for operations at JSOC, Commodore of Naval Special Warfare Group 1 from 1999 to 2001 and commanding officer of SEAL Team Three at Coronado, CA.

McRaven earned his master's degree at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California, in 1993. McRaven's thesis was titled "The Theory of Special Operations" (republished in 1995 as Spec Ops: Case Studies in Special Operations Warfare: Theory and Practice).[12]

McRaven has also served as a staff officer with an interagency coordination focus, including as the director for Strategic Planning in the Office of Combating Terrorism on the National Security Council Staff, assessment director at U.S. Special Operations Command, on the Staff of the Chief of Naval Operations and the chief of staff at Naval Special Warfare Group 1.

More:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_H._McRaven

Awards and decorations [Admiral McRaven]

Special Warfare insignia
Naval Parachutist insignia
Presidential Service Badge
United States Special Operations Command Badge
Defense Distinguished Service Medal with two bronze oak leaf clusters
Defense Superior Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Legion of Merit with one gold award star
Bronze Star Medal with gold award star
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with three gold award stars
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal
Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal
Combat Action Ribbon
Navy Unit Commendation with two bronze service stars
National Intelligence Distinguished Public Service Medal
Navy "E" Ribbon
National Defense Service Medal with bronze service star
Southwest Asia Service Medal with three bronze service stars
Afghanistan Campaign Medal
Iraq Campaign Medal
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Navy Sea Service Deployment Ribbon
Navy and Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon
Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia)
Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait)
Navy Expert Rifleman Medal
Navy Expert Pistol Shot Medal

Awards and decorations [President Bone Spurs]

[ex-khobar Andy]

You're wrong there, LJ. Didn't he get something at military school for keeping his bed tidy?

[Lord Jim]

Didn't he get something at military school for keeping his bed tidy?

I understand he hired another kid to do it for him and then stiffed him on the payment...

[Big RR]

Come on Jim, those bone spurs were the only thing that kept him from fixing his bed on his own; if he had, it would be the best made bed in the history of the US military--one generals would travel to see and photograph so they could inspire their troops.

and as for the bone spurs, he tried so hard to get into action, but the doctors wouldn't cooperate. They said no one had ever suffered such excruciating pains, and yet sought to serve their country and single handedly end all wars.

[Joe Guy]

Personally, I believe Trump's bone disorder claim is spurious.

[Scooter]

If only wes were here to chime in on what a sleaze ball McRaven is and how right Trump was to call him out. Most of the entertainment value of these stories is wasted without getting the Trumpanzee viewpoint.

[Lord Jim]

As a life long Republican this was very depressing to see; once again, you can count me with Bill Kristol:

The RNC Goes Full Trump in Attack on Navy Admiral and Many Republicans Are Not Happy

Bill Kristol called 'for reasonable Republicans to stop supporting the RNC'

The Republican National Committee came under fire from prominent Republicans and former GOP members on Monday after it echoed comments made by U.S. President Donald Trump attacking retired Navy Admiral William McRaven.

McRaven ran the famous 2011 Navy SEAL operation that resulted in the death of Al-Qaida leader and September 11th terrorist attacks mastermind Osama bin Laden.

GOP
✔
@GOP

Worth noting after recent comments: Retired Adm. William McRaven was reportedly on Hillary Clinton’s short list for Vice President in 2016.

He’s been critical of President @realDonaldTrump— even dating back to the 2016 campaign.

He’s hardly a non-political figure.
11.4K
9:19 AM - Nov 19, 2018

Bill Kristol, an influential conservative commentator and leader of the so-called "Never Trump" movement, slammed the top Republican body for the tweet: “This is the Twitter account of the Republican National Committee. The Committee doesn't speak for, and unfortunately isn't really accountable to, tens of millions of Republicans across the country. But it might be a good idea for reasonable Republicans to stop supporting the RNC.”

Republican leaders joined in with rebukes of the RNC tweet, but did not publicly condemn the organization - [Which they should have done] which is the national political arm of the Republican Party and supports Republican candidates with financial support during election cycles.

Florida Senator Marco Rubio wrote, “I don’t know if Adm. William McRaven shares my political views or not.

"But I do know that few Americans have sacrificed or risked more than he has to protect America and the freedoms we enjoy. His military career exemplified honor & excellence. I am grateful for his service.”

Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush, the nephew of former President George W. Bush, wrote: "Having served in Afghanistan with Adm. McRaven, I have personally witnessed his patriotism & love of country. He is an American hero & has always served our country with honor. I’m grateful for his service and sacrifices for our freedom."

Retired Gen. Stanley McChrystal, who led U.S. forces in Afghanistan from 2009 to 2010, told CNN Monday, “The president is simply wrong. He’s uninformed and he is pushing an idea that I think is not helpful.”

McChrystal connected the incident to Trump’s overall relationship with the military and veterans, saying, “I think there’s a certain honesty to what’s happening now. The president didn’t go to Arlington Cemetery for Veterans Day, and maybe that’s honest because if you really don’t care it would be dishonest to pretend that you do."

Trump has been under increased scrutiny for having not visited active duty U.S. troops abroad while increasing U.S. troop presence abroad in countries like Afghanistan and Syria.

I suppose it's too much to ask to expect the national committee of a party to show integrity and backbone in standing up to President of their party...

But nevertheless, to see the current RNC leadership not just supine in the face of these disgusting smears but actively assisting in them...

Working hand in glove with this pusillanimous, sniveling coward faux President (a man who is not only a draft dodger, but is also too much of a yellow belly to even visit the troops he falsely claims to care so much about in a war zone; despite the massive amount of personal security he has) to attack and lie about a genuine American hero who bravely put his life on the line for this country day in and day out for years...

Very sad...