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Everything About Trump’s Massive Military Parade Idea Is Bad
Everything. Would one of America’s top generals please tell Donald “George S. Patton” Trump to chill out?
As I discussed with Steve Hayes and the Washington Examiner’s Sarah Westwood in today’s podcast...
The Washington Post is reporting that President Trump has told the Pentagon to plan a massive military parade in the streets of Washington DC. Trump was reportedly inspired by the Bastille Day parade he saw in France, featuring military tanks, armored vehicles, gun trucks and fighter-jet flyovers. Afterward, he looked around and asked, “Hey—why don’t we do that?”
So now, apparently, we are.
But before we dump millions of tax dollars into the Trump du Triomphe Military March and Motocross Rally (“Sunday, Sunday, Sunday! Watch our monster tanks jump four nuclear-tipped missiles!”), I’d like to answer the question about why we don’t do it.
Because, Mr. President, we don’t have to. If you want to see a French fighter jet in action, you pretty much gotta wait for a parade. But if you want to see an American one? Just look up in the skies over Afghanistan, where US jets are blowing the crap out of the Taliban. No need to wait for Bastille Day to see American soldiers on the march, either. They’re mopping up ISIS in Syria and Iraq right now.
In short, everything about Trump’s massive military parade idea is bad. It’s big government, it’s wasted tax dollars, and worst of all—it’s French! Let’s hope SecDef Jim Mattis knocks some sense into Trump’s head before it’s too late.
Published in Military, Politics
These people need more reference points in their lives. All our allies do these reviews from time to time. Trump got the idea from the Bastille Day celebrations in France, but you can see them every year in the Netherlands, Denmark, Spain, and so on. If the only time you’ve ever seen a military parade is when the USSR did them, you need to get out more.
And had Obama done something like this, I’d worry that he’d been hit in the head, because something like this is wildly, wildly out of character for him. But I’d hardly be upset if the President wanted to hold a military parade on a holiday honoring the military.
Mattis literally suggested, and Trump literally agreed to, a parade for the purpose of commemorating the Centennial of the conclusion of the First World War -and also said to look into July 4 and Memorial Day -and everyone is currently going nuts over it.
Military parades aren’t about honoring or recognizing the soldier. They are about Generals impressing their bosses. this US Army Tanker says [expletive] that.
I think a parade to acknowledge and honor 17 years of sacrifice by our armed forces in the Global War on Terror is a fine idea. I hope the same week major reforms in the VA will be announced. And we will just have to ignore that His Orangeness will think the parade is all about him.
Great. Make the Generals march. Give the soldiers four days of free leave and $500 to spend.
And speaking as a retired soldier – we don’t want to . There’s better things we could be doing .
Do you feel the same way about airshows?
We also don’t have mobile ICBMs. Sure would be cool to see a Transporter-Erector driving down the road.
Yeah, this was totally to assuage the ego of Generals.
You can say whatever you want. I’m telling you, as a solider, if you want to honor them, by all means make them spit shine their boots, polish up their brass, crease their trousers, and stand around waiting for some West Point jake to tell them it’s time to march. Because we love that crap.
I’m telling you, as an Airman, that I have marched in a couple parades in DC as part of my USAFA contingent. Wasn’t that bad, and the trip itself was awesome.
Boots don’t get polished anymore (shows up too easily on NVG/IR detection systems). Starch ruins flame retardant properties and most people have corfam shoes.
Full disclosure – I hated corfams – I would rather spit shine my shoes/boots – back when we shined them.
Life is much better when you have a positive outlook.
Well that leaves Spin out.
Maybe, we could set it off on an island close to NK just for bumps and giggles. It would be awesome.
I don’t really follow what you mean by tool in this case. But let me back up. Freedom or our natural rights are innate to us as humans. To preserve our freedoms or rights we have established a government which is enshrined in the Constitution. The military is a part of that larger institution and it is not more necessery than other parts like our courts or law enforcement. Simply having a military is not a guarantee of anything in and of itself. The military is one of the tools of our constitutional order for its preservation it isn’t the tool, but a tool. Vital? Certainly in a world of potential global conflict, but it is not singular in it’s importance to our freedom.
I am all for appreciating the service of our military, but in trying to praise this institution we should not seek to elevate it beyond it’s place in our constitutional scheme.
Liberals think that is the appropriate use of a nuke. See here.
Not joking. I didn’t have a cell phone that could take video then, so sadly, all I have are my fond memories to fall back on.
As for the rest of this – whatever. Once you get your first completely uncalled for “TDS” accusation in a thread, it’s time to recognize that you’re not having a conversation anymore. It was nice while it lasted.
Yep, that one in 1991 was totally in a fascist/communist country because only they have military parades.
By the way, did anyone else see Nancy Pelosi’s 8 hour rant the other day?
Only Communists and Fascists give 8 hour speeches and expect you to listen.
I would prefer the streets pf Pyongyang . . .
What if it was strictly voluntary?
Did it include formations of tanks, APCs, guns, and missile launchers rolling down the streets? That’s the bit that concerns me, not the soldiers (preferably veterans) marching.
I use a nom de poo, so I’m under “Pooper, Le Party”
Sacre merde!
Hey, didn’t Graham star in that TV hit, “Merde, He Wrote”?
Ba-da-BING!
Yes, the vague construction, in my head, based on the news story, is a horrible idea. You had me in agreement until this unnecessary insult.
Wait a second. With specific reference to the American military, Washington D.C. and environs are home to the WWII Memorial; the WWI Memorial, the Tomb of the Unknowns, the U.S. Coast Guard Memorial, the Korean War Veterans memorial, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the Vietnam Women’s Memorial, the Marine Memorial, the Women In Military Service Memorial, the U.S. Air Force Memorial, the Navy Merchant Marine Memorial, the National Museum of American Jewish Military History, the African American Civil War Museum, the Soldier’s Home (a Civil War memorial); the United States Navy Memorial; the National Guard Memorial Museum; the American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial; the Grand Army of the Republic Monument; the U.S. Grant Memorial, Arlington National Cemetery, the Washington Monument….
But we should be appalled at the suggestion of a military parade on the streets of Washington D.C. because it would be….what?…..too militaristic?
Just say no.
https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2018/02/08/89-of-readers-say-no-parade/?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=ebb%2002.09.18&utm_term=Editorial%20-%20Early%20Bird%20Brief