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Saturday, May 29, 2021

Extremism Is In The Eyes Of The Beholder

H/T/ Jim

So the big question becomes, who's doing the beholding in the military? Because the Pentagon is looking to come up with new regulations to prosecute "extremism" in the military. What extremism are they beholding?


The Pentagon wants a new ‘reg’ for prosecuting extremism


Any country that has a large professional military and a huge intelligence and government legal establishment that cooperates in an Interagency community need to take great care to prevent those institutions from taking on lives of their own to further interests of their own--which may run counter to the interests of the society and culture within which they exist. Movements within the ruling establishment that seek to transform the surrounding culture and political structures as embodied in founding documents in ways that are resisted by major portions of the populace become extremely concerning when they are joined by organized groupings within the military. To such an extent, "extremism" so defined is a very real concern. 

But, again, the question is: who's beholding "extremism"? What extremist grouping is seeking to enlist the military to the cause of transformation or, alternatively, what extremist grouping is seeking to neuter the military to prevent it from resisting transformation?

With that background consideration, the Military Times reports:


The Defense Department has been rolling out initiatives to address the threat of domestic extremism serving in uniform since early this year, and now its next budget request hopes to throw some money behind them.

The proposal released Friday includes $30.8 million to enhance technology and manpower for training, screening and policy updates, including a big one: “the development of a punitive regulation on extremist activities.”

...

While commands can currently charge service members for espousing extremist views, or participating in extremist plots, through misconduct regulations in both the Uniform Code of Military Justice and a current DoD instruction covering extremist activities, this year’s renewed discussion about extremism has included calls for new, concrete guidelines and tools for commanders to hold troops accountable. Those millions in funding will also go to improving “vetting protocols and screening of public available electronic information (aka social media) and develop and deploy an Enterprise Case Management tracking tool for tracking activities of concern.”

A Pentagon spokesman recently refuted a report that the department was pursuing a contract with a private firm to troll social media for questionable service member activity on a mass scale, clarifying that social media is already part of existing screening and background check protocols.

Another $9.1 million will go to combating extremism and insider threats, according to budget documents, in the spirit of the findings of a report done after an attack at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida, by a Saudi Arabian pilot trainee. That will include “enhanced federal capabilities in reporting; tracking extremism activities; and improved DoD accession processes.”

Many of these initiatives fall under an extremism working group that first met in April. So far, the group has been tasks with facilitating a study to take a look at the prevalence of extreme ideologies in the services, as well as to develop an official department definition of extremism, and to update training for transitioning troops, who are often targeted by domestic extremist groups.


It seems worth noting that this concern for "extremism" in the ranks is being driven by the same societal groupings that have propagated such conspiracy theories as that the January 6 Event constituted an armed White Supremacist insurrection--contrary to videotaped evidence--or that concerns for the integrity of elections is also part of a White Supremacist plot.

My own view remains that the current anti-extremist crusade will have an extremely detrimental effect on discipline within the military and, therefore, on morale, training, and preparedness. In particular, the military will likely result in extreme difficulty in re-enlisting qualified and high value personnel. My reasoning is based on the view that those demographics most inclined to pursue a professional military career will be least inclined to tolerate living within the anti-extremist narrative we are being subjected to currently. Conversely, those demographics most inclined to accept that narrative will be least inclined to pursue a professional military career.

Trouble ahead. It's time that the GOP and conservatives generally took note, before the military--with its politicized leadership--faces a major crisis.


8 comments:

  1. A quick personal update. My wife's recuperation is going very well. Currently, of course, her time on her feet is quite limited--mostly to induce the post op swelling to subside. As a result I'm doing most of the household and kitchen chores, as well as yard work. As a result, blogging will be slower than usual and enabling of comments may be delayed more than usual. However, we're optimistic that this will gradually change in the coming week or so.

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  2. God speed to you both! ;<)

    Boarwild

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  3. A standing army is always problematic, the standing professional army we have developed to fight the war on terror is another second step toward tyranny.

    Opening the general ranks to women and the crazies will, at great expense, completely destroy the military's ability to engage in combat.

    Due to reduced physical standards, our infantry will no longer be capable of caring for those who are wounded in battle. Men can forget about obtaining training in the military as those positions will be held in reserve for those with physical limitations.

    The 'woke' army will consume itself just as the 'woke' members of government and business feed on each other today. Imagine a military composed primarily of men such as Lt. Col Vindman of impeachment fame. A totally worthless yet extremely dangerous organization.

    mso

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    1. @mso

      As a thought exercise, ask yourself what kind of people would do this if the effects are so obviously detrimental and put our national security at risk?

      One clear answer is people who are more worried about the threat to their own illegal grip on power from patriotic Americans than from foreign powers. It's not difficult to envision a scenario where the bad guys succeed in driving out masses of effective patriots from the service and then, faced with the inevitable threats from China in the Pacific, say, must make whatever accommodation they can or immediately escalate to nukes. The path to destruction down which the oligarchs are leading us is so clear and ineluctable that i have to think patriots in the military will step to stop it sooner than later. I don't like to think of a military coup in the US but we are already a banana republic and the current regime is not legitimate. If we have to revote 2020 elections by hand counted paper ballots, so be it.

      Rms

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  4. But Frank Luntz Focus Group says Extremism is a MAJOR CONCERN for GOP Voters!

    And that supporting Trump in the 2022 Elections is a huge risk for the GOP.

    And we need to purge those icky, deplorable, smelly Trump Supporters from our AMAZING Politically Correct Military.

    And my tenant, Kevin McCarthy, is full speed ahead supporting this effort!

    End Sarcasm.

    Unfortunately I don't see 99% of the elected GOP doing anything, they are to busy virtue signalling how pure of heart they are, unlike that Racist, Sexist, Corrupt Trump and his supporters.

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    1. @ Ray

      I wonder, assuming we could wipe the slate clean and start over somehow, can you think of any changes that would prevent the same, slimy politicians from reemerging and taking over again? Are we witnessing the limits and even failure of the political system designed by the Framers? It took about 200 years but it may be that we've reached the expiration date for the Constitution, at least under our present conception where all power resides in the DC feds. Maybe a rebirth of real federalism and the devolution of powers to the states could revivify the Constitution. Too much power in DC corrupts every check and balance we know. (This is one reason I am so pessimistic about federal elections, 2022 or whenever: even the best person elected will be corrupted by the concentration of power in DC).

      D not C

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  5. "My own view remains that the current anti-extremist crusade will have an extremely detrimental effect on discipline within the military and, therefore, on morale, training, and preparedness. In particular, the military will likely result in extreme difficulty in re-enlisting qualified and high value personnel."

    In other words, mission accomplished for those behind all this.

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