November 20, 2019

(Watch the video. It's five months old, but still fresh.)

Edward Gallagher, the Navy SEAL who was just pardoned by Trump, has been ordered to appear before Navy leaders this morning, and is expected to be notified that the Navy intends to oust him from the elite commando force, according to the New York Times:

The move could put the SEAL commander, Rear Adm. Collin Green, in direct conflict with President Trump, who last week cleared the sailor, Chief Petty Officer Edward Gallagher, of any judicial punishment in the war crimes case. Military leaders opposed that action as well as Mr. Trump’s pardons of two soldiers involved in other murder cases.

Navy officials had planned to begin the process of taking away Chief Gallagher’s Trident pin, the symbol of his membership in the SEALs, earlier this month. But as he waited outside his commander’s office, Navy leaders sought clearance from the White House that never came, and no action was taken.

Admiral Green now has the authorization he needs from the Navy to act against Chief Gallagher, and the formal letter notifying the chief of the action has been drafted and signed by the admiral, the two officials said.

One thing is clear: Green knows this action is likely to end his career. But he's not alone:

One Navy official who spoke about the specifics of the action said the admiral was making the move knowing that it could end his career, but that he had the backing of Adm. Michael M. Gilday, the chief of naval operations, and Richard V. Spencer, the secretary of the Navy.

There is something to the idea of military honor. Without it, our military is nothing more than a gang of mercenaries to be used to suppress people at the will of bad leaders, as we've seen with the U.S. border patrol.

With these pardons, it looks like we're officially there.

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