WHAT GENERAL HYTEN really SAID

[Emjay]

Considerable uproar was generated this past weekend by legacy media reports that the commander of U.S. strategic forces would "resist 'illegal' nuke order from Trump," as CBS, in a headline echoed by most media sources, put it.

In fact, nothing of the sort occurred.  The story, like many that have appeared since November 8, 2016, is an almost complete fabrication, intended to embarrass President Trump and cause turmoil within the federal government and among Trump's own supporters.

 What actually happened is this: USAF general John E. Hyten, the chief of Strategic Command (StratCom), which is the trans-service military command that controls nuclear weapons, was asked a hypothetical question about what his reaction would be if he were given an "illegal" order to carry out a nuclear strike.

Gen. Hyten answered hypothetically, not mentioning President Trump or any current international situation (e.g., North Korea) or implying that he would disobey orders.  At no point did the general give any indication that he was going from the theoretical to the particular.

I provide advice to the president, he will tell me what to do. And if it's illegal, guess what's going to happen? I'm going to say, 'Mr. President, that's illegal.' And guess what he's going to do? He's going to say, 'What would be legal?' And we'll come up with options, with a mix of capabilities to respond to whatever the situation is, and that's the way it works. It's not that complicated.

The legacy media, speaking effectively as one voice, immediately portrayed this as being a direct rebuke to the president.  There is no sign that Hyten's remarks were intended as anything of the kind.  The media simply put words in his mouth.

Read more at http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2017/11/what_general_hyten_emreallyem_said.html

[Emjay]

Apparently, the media has learned that we will believe anything providing it hurts Donald Trump or conservative Senatorial candidates.

[Right_in_Virginia]

Apparently, the media has learned that we will believe anything providing it hurts Donald Trump or conservative Senatorial candidates.

Isn't this the sad truth @Emjay   

[aligncare]

Color me shocked! Media agitprop? Say it ain’t so. 

[Bigun]

The PROBLEM here is that they ALL picked up the original SEE BS story and ran with it without doing ANY fact checking of their own!

 https://www.cbsnews.com/news/u-s-strategic-command-gen-john-hyten-resist-illegal-nuke-order-from-trump/

It is a symptom of the problem we currently have with the media in general!

[Bigun]

Color me shocked! Media agitprop? Say it ain’t so. 

@aligncare

24/7/365 and even Fox is guilty of picking up the story and running with it without doing ANY fact checking on their own!

[truth_seeker]

  The story, like many that have appeared since November 8, 2016, is an almost complete fabrication, intended to embarrass President Trump and cause turmoil within the federal government and among Trump's own supporters.

Read more at http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2017/11/what_general_hyten_emreallyem_said.html

Such stories are aimed at getting aired by leftist outlets, like CNN, MSNBC, Politico, Mother Jones, etc.

And by their internet forum equivalents. And primarily those focused on anti-Trump themes.

For those, if there was no anti-Trump news, there would be no reason to exist.

[Bigun]

Such stories are aimed at getting aired by leftist outlets, like CNN, MSNBC, Politico, Mother Jones, etc.

And by their internet forum equivalents. And primarily those focused on anti-Trump themes.

For those, if there was no anti-Trump news, there would be no reason to exist.

Even Fox News picked up the original SEE BS story and ran with it without doing ANY fact checking of their own!

[Cyber Liberty]

Can't dispute exactly what he said, it was reported on multiple media outlets:

I provide advice to the president, he will tell me what to do. And if it's illegal, guess what's going to happen? I'm going to say, 'Mr. President, that's illegal.' And guess what he's going to do? He's going to say, 'What would be legal?' And we'll come up with options, with a mix of capabilities to respond to whatever the situation is, and that's the way it works. It's not that complicated.

Answering that question, whether in the hypothetical or in the particular, was wrong, and he demonstrated incompetence by doing so.  He just told the enemy where the path of an order to strike can be delayed (his office), and because of that he needs to be moved out of the chain of command that leads to the nukes.

[Bigun]

Can't dispute exactly what he said, it was reported on multiple media outlets:

Answering that question, whether in the hypothetical or in the particular, was wrong, and he demonstrated incompetence by doing so.  He just told the enemy where the path of an order to strike can be delayed (his office), and because of that he needs to be moved out of the chain of command that leads to the nukes.

If I were president it would have already happened!

[Concerned]

General Hyten's entire quote was provided on CNN TV and their website.  Of course, these hypothetical questions are occurring while President Trump is President so, of course, it's natural to discuss the answers in that context IMO.  I think this is even more true when members of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee like Senator Chris Murphy are saying things like the following:  "We are concerned that the President of the United States is so unstable, is so volatile, has a decision-making process that is so quixotic that he might order a nuclear weapons strike that is wildly out of step with US national security interests."

http://www.cnn.com/2017/11/18/politics/air-force-general-john-hyten-nuclear-strike-donald-trump/index.html

[Cyber Liberty]

General Hyten's entire quote was provided on CNN TV and their website.  Of course, these hypothetical questions are occurring while President Trump is President so, of course, it's natural to discuss the answers in that context IMO.  I think this is even more true when members of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee like Senator Chris Murphy are saying things like the following:  "We are concerned that the President of the United States is so unstable, is so volatile, has a decision-making process that is so quixotic that he might order a nuclear weapons strike that is wildly out of step with US national security interests."

http://www.cnn.com/2017/11/18/politics/air-force-general-john-hyten-nuclear-strike-donald-trump/index.html

So, making the country less safe by undermining the CiC (whomever it is, whether CNN likes it or not) is now a spectator sport.  The Senator is permitted the luxury of flapping his gums over it (arguably that's his job), but an Air Force General who's really in the chain of command is not.  He's introducing doubt about our resolve, and that's led to bloodshed in the past.

[Concerned]

So, making the country less safe by undermining the CiC (whomever it is, whether CNN likes it or not) is now a spectator sport.  The Senator is permitted the luxury of flapping his gums over it (arguably that's his job), but an Air Force General who's really in the chain of command is not.  He's introducing doubt about our resolve, and that's led to bloodshed in the past.

If the CIC agrees with your assessment about General Hyten's comments, he should immediately replace Hyten IMO.

[Cyber Liberty]

If the CIC agrees with your assessment about General Hyten's comments, he should immediately replace Hyten IMO.

Yup.  It's up to the CiC and Gen Mattis.  We probably won't hear about it if he does.  They can't be happy about this comment.

[Emjay]

@aligncare

24/7/365 and even Fox is guilty of picking up the story and running with it without doing ANY fact checking on their own!

I know.  We cannot trust Fox anymore.  Don't know what happened.

[Cyber Liberty]

I know.  We cannot trust Fox anymore.  Don't know what happened.

Would you prefer this story not have been reported?

[Emjay]

General Hyten's entire quote was provided on CNN TV and their website.  Of course, these hypothetical questions are occurring while President Trump is President so, of course, it's natural to discuss the answers in that context IMO.  I think this is even more true when members of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee like Senator Chris Murphy are saying things like the following:  "We are concerned that the President of the United States is so unstable, is so volatile, has a decision-making process that is so quixotic that he might order a nuclear weapons strike that is wildly out of step with US national security interests."

http://www.cnn.com/2017/11/18/politics/air-force-general-john-hyten-nuclear-strike-donald-trump/index.html

The only safe thing for people to do now when questioned by the media is to say "No Comment."

[Emjay]

Would you prefer this story not have been reported?

Yes.  It's a non-story with the relevant quotes taken out of context.  It was widely circulated with a headline saying General would refuse order.

Most people just read the headlines.  The General should have refused to comment and I think he will next time.

[Cyber Liberty]

Yes, he should have refused to comment, and I think, because he did comment, he should be taken out of the chain of command of the nukes.  Had this story not been covered, the chance of that happening would have been greatly diminished.  The story would have been swept under the rug.

I don't see the coverage as a slap at Trump as much as I see it as a necessary airing of a very serious breach of Intelligence.  We need to stop seeing every story like this as a slap at Trump, even if the media like to portray it that way.  They're bound to do that, as a dog will sniff a tree.

[truth_seeker]

General Hyten's entire quote was provided on CNN TV and their website.  Of course, these hypothetical questions are occurring while President Trump is President so, of course, it's natural to discuss the answers in that context IMO.  I think this is even more true when members of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee like Senator Chris Murphy are saying things like the following:  "We are concerned that the President of the United States is so unstable, is so volatile, has a decision-making process that is so quixotic that he might order a nuclear weapons strike that is wildly out of step with US national security interests."

http://www.cnn.com/2017/11/18/politics/air-force-general-john-hyten-nuclear-strike-donald-trump/index.html

Does it even occur to you that Senator Chris Murphy is a democrat, and his "concern," is merely political to discredit our President in a partisan manner?

I am "concerned," about folks like you falling for such crap. Do you realize the same exact stuff was thrown at President Reagan?

[Cyber Liberty]

The only safe thing for people to do now when questioned by the media is to say "No Comment."

That is precisely what he should have said, and he would not have been criticized for it (even by the media).

[Cyber Liberty]

Does it even occur to you that Senator Chris Murphy is a democrat, and his "concern," is merely political to discredit our President in a partisan manner?

I am "concerned," about folks like you falling for such crap. Do you realize the same exact stuff was thrown at President Reagan?

I expect that of a liberal 'Crap Senator, but I think the General was way out of line.

[truth_seeker]

I expect that of a liberal 'Crap Senator, but I think the General was way out of line.

I can picture the General in a setting he believed was a professional audience where his remarks would not be misconstrued politically.

But the biased media will construe things to suit their partisan agenda.  As I said, Reagan was ACCUSED of being "unstable," too.

[Cyber Liberty]

I can picture the General in a setting he believed was a professional audience where his remarks would not be misconstrued politically.

If the General thought of an international group of other Generals as a professional audience, that just adds to my view that he lacks competence.  What he said was a serious breach, and even if he thought they were all "Allies," as a four-star General he should know we have no allies when it comes to our nuclear capabilities.

[Concerned]

Does it even occur to you that Senator Chris Murphy is a democrat, and his "concern," is merely political to discredit our President in a partisan manner?

I am "concerned," about folks like you falling for such crap. Do you realize the same exact stuff was thrown at President Reagan?

Of course, Murphy's comments were political.  My point is that the General's comments were made in the context of political comments like those of Murphy and several others.  I don't think it's that big a stretch to expect to evaluate the General's comments in the context of the political comments of the week.  There's absolutely no reason for you to be "concerned" about me.  I evaluate news and news sources (whether they are left or right) -- I don't simply accept or reject a new source just because I like the source or don't like source.  I evaluate the data, evidence, quotes, and motives and make up my own mind.  I only wish more would do the same.