The “norms” stuff was always nonsense. It was nonsense when Trump exchanged pleasantries in typical diplomatic fashion with President Vladimir Putin of Russia, and we were treated to weeks of hysterics from CNN anchors and Dem politicians. It was nonsense when Trump was impeached for alluding during a phone call to our current president’s self-dealing in Ukraine, suspicions that were largely vindicated by this newspaper last fall.
But what’s even more nonsensical is the Biden’s administration’s chirping-crickets response to these revelations from Woodward and Costa. In a sane country, Milley would be immediately removed from his position, which he inherited under the present administration, and arrested.
Members of the armed forces, even at the highest level, don’t get to make policy. They don’t conduct secret back-channel meetings with their foreign counterparts without first being instructed to do so by their duly elected leaders.. They serve at the pleasure of the president, who is elected by the American people. They work for us, not the other way around.
As far as I am aware, nothing resembling what is alleged of Milley has ever taken place in the history of the United States. Thank heaven for that. No matter how divided our political life becomes, all Americans should be horrified by the prospect of a rogue general who cares more about assuaging the feelings of our global adversaries than he does about loyalty to the president, at whose direction he acts.
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