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This is a good open letter to current military members from an old
one. Kind counsel from the past not to make the same mistakes, and
learn from them.<br><br>
I hope this message gets through. There will be no end to war as
long as people are willing to follow their orders.<br><br>
Don<br><br>
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite="">From: Rodney Robinson
<rodney@yolo.com><br>
Subject: Bob Bowman - Letter to the Pentagon, Sept. 13, 2007 <br>
Date: Sat, 15 Sep 2007 11:48:08 -0700<br>
Begin forwarded message: <br><br>
<br>
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite=""><b>Subject: Bob Bowman - Letter
to the Pentagon, Sept. 13, 2007 <br><br>
<font size=4>Bob Bowman - Letter to the Pentagon, Sept. 13, 2007 <br>
</font><font size=4 color="#0000EE"><a href="http://www.thepatriots.us/">
http://www.thepatriots.us/</a></font><font size=4> <br><br>
An Open Letter to the New Generation of Military Officers Serving and
Protecting Our Nation; <br>
By Dr. Robert M. Bowman, Lt. Col., USAF, ret., National Commander, The
Patriots <br><br>
Dear Comrades in Arms, <br><br>
You are facing challenges in 2007 that we of previous generations never
dreamed of. I'm just an old fighter pilot (101 combat missions in Vietnam
, F-4 Phantom, Phu Cat, 1969-1970) who's now a disabled veteran with
terminal cancer from Agent Orange. Our mailing list (over 22,000)
includes veterans from all branches of the service, all political
parties, and all parts of the political spectrum. We are Republicans and
Democrats, Greens and Libertarians, Constitutionists and Reformers, and a
good many Independents. What unites us is our desire for a government
that (1) follows the Constitution, (2) honors the truth, and (3) serves
the people. <br><br>
We see our government going down the wrong path, all too often ignoring
military advice, and heading us toward great danger. And we look to you
who still serve as the best hope for protecting our nation from disaster.
<br><br>
We see the current Iraq War as having been unnecessary, entered into
under false pretenses, and horribly mismanaged by the civilian
authorities. Thousands of our brave troops have been needlessly
sacrificed in a futile attempt at occupation of a hostile land. Many more
thousands have suffered wounds which will change their lives forever.
Tens of thousands have severe psychological problems because of what they
have seen and what they have done. Potentially hundreds of thousands
could be poisoned by depleted uranium, with symptoms appearing years
later, just as happened to us exposed to Agent Orange. The military
services are depleted and demoralized. The VA system is under-funded and
overwhelmed. The National Guard and Reserves have been subjected to tour
after tour, disrupting lives for even the lucky ones who return intact.
Jobs have been lost, marriages have been destroyed, homes have been
foreclosed, and children have been estranged. And for what? We have lost
allies, made new enemies, and created thousands of new terrorists,
further endangering the American people. <br><br>
But you know all this. I'm sure you also see the enormous danger in a
possible attack on Iran , possibly with nuclear weapons. Such an event,
seriously contemplated by the Cheney faction of the Bush administration,
would make enemies of Russia and China and turn us into the number one
rogue nation on earth. The effect on our long-term national security
would be devastating. <br><br>
Some of us had hoped that the new Democratic Congress would end the
occupation of Iraq and take firm steps to prevent an attack on Iran ,
perhaps by impeaching Bush and Cheney. These hopes have been dashed. The
lily-livered Democrats have caved in, turning their backs on those few
(like Congressman Jack Murtha) who understand the situation. Many of us
have personally walked the halls of Congress, to no avail. <br><br>
This is where you come in. <br><br>
We know that many of you share our concern and our determination to
protect our republic from an arrogant, out-of-control, imperial
presidency and a compliant, namby-pamby Congress (both of which are
unduly influenced by the oil companies and other big-money interests). We
know that you (like us) wouldn't have pursued a military career unless
you were idealistic and devoted to our nation and its people. (None of us
do it for the pay and working conditions!) But we also recognize that you
may not see how you can influence these events. We in the military have
always had a historic subservience to civilian authority. <br><br>
Perhaps I can help with whatever wisdom I've gathered from age (I retired
in 1978, so I am ancient indeed). <br><br>
Our oath of office is to “protect and defend the Constitution of the
United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.” Might I suggest
that this includes a rogue president and vice-president? Certainly we are
bound to carry out the legal orders of our superiors. But the Uniform
Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) which binds all of us enshrines the
Nuremberg Principles which this country established after World War II
(which you are too young to remember). One of those Nuremberg Principles
says that we in the military have not only the right, but also the DUTY
to refuse an illegal order. It was on this basis that we executed Nazi
officers who were “only carrying out their orders.” <br><br>
The Constitution which we are sworn to uphold says that treaties entered
into by the United States are the “highest law of the land,” equivalent
to the Constitution itself. Accordingly, we in the military are sworn to
uphold treaty law, including the United Nations charter and the Geneva
Convention. <br>
Based on the above, I contend that should some civilian order you to
initiate a nuclear attack on Iran (for example), you are duty-bound to
refuse that order. I might also suggest that you should consider whether
the circumstances demand that you arrest whoever gave the order as a war
criminal. <br><br>
I know for a fact that in recent history (once under Nixon and once under
Reagan), the military nuclear chain of command in the White House
discussed these things and were prepared to refuse an order to “nuke
Russia .” In effect they took the (non-existent) “button” out of the
hands of the President.. We were thus never quite as close to World War
III as many feared, no matter how irrational any president might have
become. They determined that the proper response to any such order was,
“Why, sir?” Unless there was (in their words) a “damn good answer,”
nothing was going to happen. <br><br>
I suggest that if you in this generation have not had such a discussion,
perhaps it is time you do. In hindsight, it's too bad such a discussion
did not take place prior to the preemptive “shock and awe” attack on
Baghdad . Many of us at the time spoke out vehemently that such an attack
would be an impeachable offense, a war crime against the people of Iraq ,
and treason against the United States of America . But our voices were
drowned out and never reached the ears of the generals in 2003. I now
regret that I never sent a letter such as this at that time, but depended
on the corporate media to carry my message. I must not make that mistake
again. <br><br>
Also in hindsight, President Bush could be court-martialed for abuse of
power as Commander-in-Chief. Vice President Cheney could probably be
court-martialed for his performance as Acting Commander-in-Chief in the
White House bunker the morning of September 11, 2001 . <br><br>
We in the U.S. military would never consider a military coup, removing an
elected president and installing one of our own. But following our oath
of office, obeying the Nuremberg Principles, and preventing a rogue
president from committing a war crime is not a military coup. If it
requires the detention of executive branch officials, we will not impose
a military dictatorship. We will let the Constitutional succession take
place. This is what we are sworn to. This is protecting the Constitution,
our highest obligation. In 2007, this is what is meant by “Duty, Honor,
Country.” <br>
Thank you all for your service to this nation. May God bless America ,
and sustain us in this difficult time. And thanks for listening to the
musings of an old junior officer. <br><br>
Respectfully, <br>
Robert M. Bowman, PhD, Lt. Col., USAF, ret. <br><br>
1494 Patriot Dr , Melbourne , FL 32940 <br>
home phone (321) 752-5955; cell (321) 258-0582 <br><br>
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<br>
Don Eichelberger<br>
DJ Fix Independent Productions<br><br>
Green Uprising Blog<br>
<a href="http://www.greenuprising.blogspot.com/" eudora="autourl">
www.greenuprising.blogspot.com<br><br>
</a>Donny Fix del.icio.us book marks<br>
<a href="http://del.icio.us/donnyfix" eudora="autourl">
http://del.icio.us/donnyfix<br><br>
</a>The Hegelian/Marxist goal is emancipation. Marx said it best in
1843:<br><br>
"Human emancipation wll only be complete when the real, individual
man (sic) is absorbed into himself the abstract citizen; when as an
individual man, in his every day life, in his work and in his
relationships, he has become a <i>species-being</i> (<b>politically
accountabe to the whole</b>); and when he recognizes and realizes his own
power as <i>social</i> powers, so that he no longer separates this
<i>socia</i>l power from himself as <i>political </i>power."<br>
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