By Mildred Robertson
President Donald Trump labelled Arizona Democrat Mark Kelly
and several other Democratic veterans as traitors who should be executed. Kelly
and six Democrats with military or national security backgrounds appeared in an
advertisement targeted to military personnel stating that they should disobey
unlawful orders. The advertisement triggered a firestorm in the West Wing of
the White House which caused a red-faced, white-knuckled Donald Trump to demand
retribution.
It was not an outrageous thing for the Democrats to say. In
fact, they simply quoted the United States Military Code of Justice which
establishes the legal standards for military personnel. Under this code,
military personnel are required to obey lawful orders. Likewise, military
personnel HAVE a DUTY to refuse to follow unlawful orders. In fact, following
such orders may expose them to criminal liability. An unlawful order is one
that requires the commission of a crime, violates the Constitution, federal law
or clear international law.
It is ludicrous that Americans who use their right to free
speech to voice concern over the illegal actions of this government could be
threatened. We all know that those who participated in the advertisement had
the right to say that soldiers DO NOT have to and SHOULD NOT follow unlawful
orders. Some may even think they had the obligation to speak out. Yet this
administration will spend time and the taxpayer's money to pursue this
frivolous suit to detract from more pressing matters, such has the high cost of
living, out of control health care costs, the destruction of our history, the
dismantling of civil rights, Gestapo-styled state policing, the collapse of
foreign alliances and of course, the rape of children, only to name a few.
The fact that the FBI is investigating a sitting senator for
reciting the uniform code is exactly WHY we need to keep speaking up.
While Kelly is being investigated by the FBI for speaking the
truth, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is accused of ordering a strike on a
purported drug-smuggling vessel in international waters and then ordering a
second strike to kill any survivors. As we examine the Military Code of
Justice, clearly, one of these actions is not like the other.
Kelly and company exercised their right to free speech to remind military personnel of their obligation to act lawfully while carrying out their duties. Conversely, Hegseth is setting up both himself and those soldiers who carried out his orders to face war crimes and murder if he in fact issued the alleged “kill order” that resulted in the deaths of two survivors of the first strike. Trump rages about the one, and is resoundingly quiet about the other.
Hegseth's actions have raised significant legal and ethical issues
regarding the drug boat strikes. The Trump administration has carried out more
than a dozen of these strikes since September 2025. More than 70 people have
been killed in what may well be declared illegal operations by the American military
under Hegseth’s command.
It is incredible that the FBI is investigating a sitting
senator for reciting the Military Uniform Code of Justice while ignoring the
highly suspect bombings in international waters that have cost the lives of these individuals without the benefit of evidence, a court or a jury. American patriots
all over the country must speak up just as Kelly and his compatriots did.
We are a nation of laws. In times such as these, it is good
when we are reminded.
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