What unlawful orders?

[mystery-ak]

November 20, 2025
What unlawful orders?
By Chuck Parker

The Democrats recently trotted out six members of Congress with military or intelligence community experience to encourage soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, and intelligence officials to disobey orders. Part of the oath we take is to obey the lawful orders of those appointed over us. These Dems talk about disobeying “unlawful” orders. What orders are they talking about? The military does a good job in training of explaining that if you are in combat and ordered to line up a bunch of civilians and execute them, you have a responsibility to disobey. I am unaware of any recent orders along those lines.

Are the Dems saying the B-2 pilots should have refused to bomb Iranian nuclear facilities? The refuelers should have refused to fly? The Patriot battery should have refused to shoot down Iranian missiles aimed at Israel? Those conducting attacks on drug boats should disobey? CIA analysts who discover the launch of drug boats should conceal their discoveries from superiors?

Actually, there is an historical example that could highlight this issue. During the Vietnam war Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara recommended and President Lyndon Johnson approved changing our strategic goal from win to tie. The decision occurred on November 5, 1966 and based on domestic political calculations relating to the 1968 election. The mechanism to achieve the new goal was to stop the open-ended commitment to victory and establish a troop ceiling beyond which we would not go. The administration wished to avoid mobilization or calling up the reserve and set the ceiling accordingly. The American commander in Vietnam, General William Westmoreland, advised that while we would not be defeated with the proposed force, neither would we win and it would be a prescription for an unreasonably protracted conflict. That was good enough for the Johnson administration.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff protested the decision in a series of bureaucratic exchanges with McNamara over the months required to reach the ceiling. Finally, in August 1967, having adjusted the ceiling slightly, McNamara informed the Joint Chiefs that the discussion was over. But the Johnson administration was being criticized by Republicans for its handling of the war, and Johnson wanted to create the (false) impression that he was doing everything possible to support the commander in the field. In other words, he wanted to create a public narrative that was the exact opposite of the truth.

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https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2025/11/what_unlawful_orders.html

[catfish1957]

Been three days now....   And no proof. 

So when do the Sedition charges start with these 6?

[The_Reader_David]

There are reasonable grounds to consider an order to sink a boat or ship, likely killing all hands on board, on the suspicion that it is carrying contraband, rather than following the standard procedures under international law of demanding it stop, boarding and searching, then either seizing the vessel and cargo and arresting the crew if it is carrying contraband, or releasing them with an apology if it is not, are, in fact, illegal orders.

[catfish1957]

There are reasonable grounds to consider an order to sink a boat or ship, likely killing all hands on board, on the suspicion that it is carrying contraband, rather than following the standard procedures under international law of demanding it stop, boarding and searching, then either seizing the vessel and cargo and arresting the crew if it is carrying contraband, or releasing them with an apology if it is not, are, in fact, illegal orders.

They have satellites that can almost read a license plates from space.   I am guessing that our surveillance capabilities have a pretty good idea of the intent on what these boats are doing.  No way this is just random Cowboy stuff.

[The_Reader_David]

They have satellites that can almost read a license plates from space.   I am guessing that our surveillance capabilities have a pretty good idea of the intent on what these boats are doing.  No way this is just random Cowboy stuff.

I have no doubt there is excellent intelligence suggesting the targetted vessels are carrying contraband.  However, in that case, they should be stopped, boarded, searched, seized and their crews arrested if the intelligence proves true.  If they resist with lethal force, sink them.  If they flee, hit them with small munitions, disable them and proceed with the boarding (and likely seizure and arrests, given they were fleeing).  That procedure is indubitably legal.  Blowing them up with drones is arguably illegal.

[catfish1957]

I have no doubt there is excellent intelligence suggesting the targetted vessels are carrying contraband.  However, in that case, they should be stopped, boarded, searched, seized and their crews arrested if the intelligence proves true.  If they resist with lethal force, sink them.  If they flee, hit them with small munitions, disable them and proceed with the boarding (and likely seizure and arrests, given they were fleeing).  That procedure is indubitably legal.  Blowing them up with drones is arguably illegal.

t
I think you bring up some good points....     Woultdn't take much for Maduro to set up a fake fishing boat and bait and trap....  resulting in an international incident.

Better safe than sorry.