Althouse: Hegseth gives the military leaders a talking-to.

30 సెప్టెంబర్, 2025

Hegseth gives the military leaders a talking-to.

164 కామెంట్‌లు:

Kakistocracy చెప్పారు...: Hundreds of generals and admirals had to fly in from all over the world so Pete Kegseth can live out his Patton fantasies.; 30-09-25 8:10 AM
rehajm చెప్పారు...: I was hoping they’d go full Patton with the stage and the flag. Maybe the audience was too young so…close enough…; 30-09-25 8:10 AM
rehajm చెప్పారు...: I can’t see past the bald spots to the stage..; 30-09-25 8:11 AM
rehajm చెప్పారు...: Guess our military is getting shit done while others are still shampooing…; 30-09-25 8:12 AM
Achilles చెప్పారు...: How many of them were fired? They are all worthless losers.

Obama Generals are worthless.; 30-09-25 8:13 AM
mindnumbrobot చెప్పారు...: I'll guessing 75% of these military "leaders" believe they're above being summoned to DC by the Secretary of War.; 30-09-25 8:14 AM
mindnumbrobot చెప్పారు...: Actually, summoned is not the correct word. They were ordered.; 30-09-25 8:15 AM
Jamie చెప్పారు...: There is indeed a whole lotta bald going on, isn't there? [shrug] In Starship Troopers, Heinlein suggested via the story that just shaving your head might be a practical approach to the problem of hair, so maybe they're doing that.; 30-09-25 8:18 AM
Lem Vibe Bandit చెప్పారు...: When is this movie gonna start?; 30-09-25 8:18 AM
Dave Begley చెప్పారు...: I listened to a good part of it. What an amazing speech on both style and substance. One of the best ever.; 30-09-25 8:18 AM
Dave Begley చెప్పారు...: No more fat generals or admirals in Trump's Department of War. They will have to meet weight standards and pass a PT test twice a year.

I'd love to have Ann during her Althousian analysis of this speech, but now that I've said it she probably won't.; 30-09-25 8:20 AM
Mike (MJB Wolf) చెప్పారు...: Wow. "We are DONE with that SHIT!" might be the best quote to come out of this admin.; 30-09-25 8:23 AM
Ann Althouse చెప్పారు...: "I'd love to have Ann during her Althousian analysis of this speech, but now that I've said it she probably won't."

Too much drama. I loathe his bad-actress delivery. I know... there's a transcript. YouTube always makes a transcript.; 30-09-25 8:24 AM
Goldenpause చెప్పారు...: I’m sure a number of these flag rank officers are grumbling about being inconvenienced by a mere Secretary of War. How dare he.; 30-09-25 8:26 AM
Mike (MJB Wolf) చెప్పారు...: Too much drama. I loathe his bad-actress delivery.

Almost exactly word for word what I used to say about Obama after he opened his boring mouth too many times so long ago.; 30-09-25 8:27 AM
Lars Porsena చెప్పారు...: We have a manager class running the military not a warrior class. That's a big problem.; 30-09-25 8:27 AM
Mike (MJB Wolf) చెప్పారు...: Quote from Andy Kolvet just now on X:

"I’ve just had a bunch of military and ex-military guys tell me the speech Sec. Hegseth delivered was pitch perfect and exactly what they’ve been waiting to hear for years. It wasn’t PC or polite, and that appears to be the point.

"No more weak warriors. No more fat generals."

Target audience reached.; 30-09-25 8:31 AM
Clyde చెప్పారు...: That was a great speech! All of the right people will love it and all of the wrong people will hate it.; 30-09-25 8:35 AM
Clyde చెప్పారు...: And yes, I'm a veteran. Chatting with some of my old Army buddies this morning and they liked it, too.; 30-09-25 8:37 AM
RNB చెప్పారు...: An elderly, liberal friend supplied me with the latest leftwing angst about this meeting: "What if terrorists blow up the building. Trump is putting the entire High Command in mortal peril!"

I said, "The next officer down the org chart gets a promotion. It's called 'chain of command.' "; 30-09-25 8:38 AM
Peachy చెప్పారు...: oh no - Is Hegseth a Nazi or Hitler? Is he a Fascist? Come on leftists - you got this.; 30-09-25 8:38 AM
Peachy చెప్పారు...: How dare he make over-paid woke assholes get off their lazy asses.; 30-09-25 8:39 AM
Mason G చెప్పారు...: "Is Hegseth a Nazi or Hitler? Is he a Fascist?"

Well, of course he's a nazi. He can't be Hitler, though. Because Trump.; 30-09-25 8:40 AM
Peachy చెప్పారు...: We need that old sick dude from the Biden regime back in, man.; 30-09-25 8:41 AM
narciso చెప్పారు...: oh noes no lectures on white fragility and intersectionality,

exactly what we voted for,; 30-09-25 8:41 AM
Limited blogger చెప్పారు...: Trump is making us reassess everything. It is the path to return to greatness.; 30-09-25 8:41 AM
narciso చెప్పారు...: darth austin, yeah another cigar store indian; 30-09-25 8:41 AM
narciso చెప్పారు...: marshal haotian laughed every time he showed up; 30-09-25 8:44 AM
Amadeus 48 చెప్పారు...: Obama replaced warriors with social workers in the US military senior ranks. Time to clean house.; 30-09-25 8:46 AM
narciso చెప్పారు...: twitter general donahue was still promoted to nato command,
he disgraced himself at HKIA; 30-09-25 8:51 AM
n.n చెప్పారు...: Talking or talk'n? To, too, or two? LLM would literary... literally consume a terawatt in this semantic space. Speaking of litter, there was a pussy in a hat, a Mexican sombrero, walking on a global warming tin roof.

Hegseth is neither a Nazi nor a Democrazy, not even a faceist. He's a RepublICAN in America first.; 30-09-25 8:53 AM
Achilles చెప్పారు...: NATO is about to lose in Ukraine.

It will be stark and humiliating.

Joe Biden made a career of starting wars and making sure the US lost them in the most humiliating way possible.

Ukraine will be Joe Biden's penultimate achievement.; 30-09-25 8:54 AM
mindnumbrobot చెప్పారు...: Ann Althouse said...
Too much drama.

Or, perhaps, too much "toxic" masculinity?; 30-09-25 8:55 AM
narciso చెప్పారు...: the thing about the Steppes, is even winning is a pyrhhic victory,; 30-09-25 8:56 AM
hanuman_prodigious_leaper చెప్పారు...: Wow. "We are DONE with that SHIT!"
also seen on my YouTube feed for FACTOR prepared meals ads; 30-09-25 8:58 AM
Leland చెప్పారు...: I only went a few minutes in. I quit listening to political speeches 2 decades ago, and this is just another one. Action is more important than words. However, I do have a problem with the focus on war.

While I understand the notion and generally don't disagree with the sentiment; I do think the US Military is also known and valued to world over for its humanitarian aid during disasters. Probably the most recent examples are here at home, with the Army Corps of Engineers clean up in North Carolina and the Palisades, as well US Coast Guard rescue in the Texas Guadalupe River flood.

Maybe Hegeseth talks about these actions somewhere in the speech. I hope he does. But I can see were the focus on the warfighter argument leaves little room for the humanitarian aspects. That makes me wary. You prevent a lot of wars by winning the peace by being there to help a would-be adversary in their moment of need.; 30-09-25 9:00 AM
Oh Yea చెప్పారు...: Purging general officers? I wonder if there is any historical example that we could study on whether this is a good idea?; 30-09-25 9:02 AM
Kakistocracy చెప్పారు...: The most unqualified Secretary of Defense in U.S. history would like to talk to our generals about merit.

Imagine you're an air group commander who left your aircraft carrier in the West Pacific and flew across the world and filed into a Quantico auditorium to sit there listening to this.

Hegseth thinks he’s Patton.

Unbelievable; 30-09-25 9:04 AM
narciso చెప్పారు...: reading comprehension is not your strong suit rich,; 30-09-25 9:05 AM
n.n చెప్పారు...: NATO's loss is Ukraine's win... as much as can be salvaged and properly buried in the woke of Spring.; 30-09-25 9:06 AM
Clyde చెప్పారు...: Trump's speech, by contrast, is a bit rambling. He's going into way too many political subjects when he should be just letting the generals know to get with the Warfighter program or resign/retire. What do they care about tariffs or any of the rest of Trump's normal campaign speech? They are supposed to be publicly apolitical, anyway.; 30-09-25 9:07 AM
Left Bank of the Charles చెప్పారు...: First, Hegseth rails against fat generals. Then out comes the fat commander-in-chief. What a total humiliation for Donald Trump. Also, J.D. Vance will have to shave.; 30-09-25 9:07 AM
n.n చెప్పారు...: Well, he's not green. Hopefully, of the 3 Rs, he focuses on Reduce.; 30-09-25 9:08 AM
MadTownGuy చెప్పారు...: Peachy said...

"oh no - Is Hegseth a Nazi or Hitler? Is he a Fascist? Come on leftists - you got this."

Kamala Harris compared Trump to a Communist dictator. I guess she maxed out the Fascist card.; 30-09-25 9:08 AM
narciso చెప్పారు...: Austin was picked because he surrendered forces to Islamic state in 2011, which we had to recover that territory three years later,; 30-09-25 9:10 AM
hanuman_prodigious_leaper చెప్పారు...: inefficient use of resources
with so many CO's = speech makers in audience why not draft a few for warmup activities?; 30-09-25 9:13 AM
n.n చెప్పారు...: Shave? That's what a faceist would do if he were a fascist with a facetious facade.; 30-09-25 9:13 AM
narciso చెప్పారు...: the services recruiting has picked up, but they can't really chalk it up to their efforts but the sprit de corps of this administration,; 30-09-25 9:13 AM
Lem Vibe Bandit చెప్పారు...: He memorized it. Not bad for an alcoholic.; 30-09-25 9:15 AM
Jamie చెప్పారు...: Left Bank, what are you talking about? We are a nation under civilian governance. The military carries out the prerogatives of the civilian leadership, as Hegseth pointed out. Civilians aren't held to military standards.; 30-09-25 9:17 AM
narciso చెప్పారు...: its just whatever script he is given,; 30-09-25 9:18 AM
n.n చెప్పారు...: Boot camp.; 30-09-25 9:18 AM
bagoh20 చెప్పారు...: ఈ కామెంట్‌ను రచయిత తీసివేశారు.; 30-09-25 9:19 AM
bagoh20 చెప్పారు...: "NATO is about to lose in Ukraine."

I listened to a radio show just yesterday and the "expert" was railing about how well Ukraine was doing and how they were clearly wining and on the verge of victory. That sounded like bullshit to me. I have no idea what is true any more about this war, but stalemate has the power of regression to the mean. I think Trump hates the stalemate more than anything, and may be planning to do something about that, but stalemate is still favored by 2 to 1.; 30-09-25 9:21 AM
narciso చెప్పారు...: its much like trench warfare,; 30-09-25 9:23 AM
tcrosse చెప్పారు...: If any of these officers is indispensable to his command's mission, then he's doing it wrong.; 30-09-25 9:24 AM
Rusty చెప్పారు...: Leland @ 9:00

"In times of peace, prepare for war"
" Only the dead haver seen the end to war."
It's not their job to deliver food and water. It's their job to deliver death and destruction. And if that unhappy event occurs it means we have failed at peace.; 30-09-25 9:26 AM
bagoh20 చెప్పారు...: If a Democrat was in the White House and they somehow chose Hegseth for Secretary of War, and he gave the exact same speech, our detractors here would say it was long overdue and epic, and I would agree, as would many on the right, but how many on the left will agree this was needed.; 30-09-25 9:26 AM
mindnumbrobot చెప్పారు...: The Althouse blog is smart, which smart commenters, which is a part of the attraction. The quality of its trolls, however, has always been lacking.; 30-09-25 9:31 AM
Clyde చెప్పారు...: @ Rusty

The mission, of course is to prepare for war, and to be so fearsome that our adversaries decide not to mess with us. However, combat engineering and logistics are important in times of peace as well. Responding to natural disasters within CONUS (and perhaps adjoining areas in Canada, if requested) is good training, as well as helpful to our nation.; 30-09-25 9:34 AM
Moondawggie చెప్పారు...: Kak said "Imagine you're an air group commander who left your aircraft carrier in the West Pacific and flew across the world and filed into a Quantico auditorium to sit there listening to this."

Gee Kak, us Navy vets know that a CAG is an O-6 billet, not an admiral. So they wouldn't have been invited to attend, and would still be on their carrier out in the WESTPAC.
Try learning some facts, pal, before you mouth off.; 30-09-25 9:37 AM
Aggie చెప్పారు...: @Left Bank: "...Then out comes the fat commander-in-chief. ...."

How much does Donald Trump weigh, then?; 30-09-25 9:39 AM
Howard చెప్పారు...: The message is simple. The rest of the military is now required to operate like the Marine Corps.; 30-09-25 9:42 AM
Inga చెప్పారు...: Trump’s longgg rambling speech was to tell the Generals that he’s declaring war on the American people.; 30-09-25 9:42 AM
Howard చెప్పారు...: Trump seemed dull and tired. He needs to start leading MAHA by example; 30-09-25 9:43 AM
Achilles చెప్పారు...: bagoh20 said...
"NATO is about to lose in Ukraine."

I listened to a radio show just yesterday and the "expert" was railing about how well Ukraine was doing and how they were clearly wining and on the verge of victory. That sounded like bullshit to me. I have no idea what is true any more about this war, but stalemate has the power of regression to the mean. I think Trump hates the stalemate more than anything, and may be planning to do something about that, but stalemate is still favored by 2 to 1.

“Stalemate” means Russia gets everything they want.

Russia has been clear about their goals and intentions from the start.

What is really painful about all of this is that just like the democrats accuse republicans of doing everything they are doing NATO is accusing Russia of doing everything they are doing.

It is the same people doing the same things.; 30-09-25 9:49 AM
Iman చెప్పారు...: They will transition from a jobs program that also prioritized “the firsts”, to a laser focus on growing stronger… so powerful and menacing no one will want to fuck with the USA.

If the likes of the Axis of Assholes (China/Russia/Iran) dominate the world, all of the non-essential crap the left has been focusing on won’t matter even the tiniest bit.; 30-09-25 9:51 AM
Achilles చెప్పారు...: Inga said...
Trump’s longgg rambling speech was to tell the Generals that he’s declaring war on the American people.

People who believe in kicking Trump off social media and passing gun restrictions on law abiding citizens are not American.; 30-09-25 9:51 AM
bagoh20 చెప్పారు...: ఈ కామెంట్‌ను రచయిత తీసివేశారు.; 30-09-25 9:53 AM
bagoh20 చెప్పారు...: I don't know. Just yesterday I saw Trump eagle a par four by driving it within 4 feet of the hole and sinking the putt with ease, besting the young guys with him. He seems unusually strong and able for going on 80.; 30-09-25 9:54 AM
narciso చెప్పారు...: they wouldn't these aren't their priorities,; 30-09-25 9:56 AM
bagoh20 చెప్పారు...: "he’s declaring war on the American people."
No, Doc, I'm fine. I don't feel crazy at all.
Remember when the Biden DOJ identified parents at school board meetings as the enemy.; 30-09-25 9:57 AM
narciso చెప్పారు...: there are no good trolls; 30-09-25 9:57 AM
Kevin చెప్పారు...: But I can see were the focus on the warfighter argument leaves little room for the humanitarian aspects.

Much better than the reverse.; 30-09-25 9:58 AM
narciso చెప్పారు...: Biden did suggest to sic the air force, on lawful gun owners,; 30-09-25 9:59 AM
Kakistocracy చెప్పారు...: Whether it’s Pete Hegseth saying “We are done with that [DEI] shit” or it’s Trump sharing an AI-generated Chuck Schumer saying Democrats are “woke pieces of shit,” a norm-shattering expletive is having a moment across the political spectrum; 30-09-25 9:59 AM
Iman చెప్పారు...: The direction the Left has had our armed forces moving in leads to stunning defeats and the destruction of our nation.

Which is the Left’s objective.; 30-09-25 10:00 AM
Inga చెప్పారు...: “People who believe in kicking Trump off social media and passing gun restrictions on law abiding citizens are not American.”

MAGAs like Achilles who murder Mormons in their house of worship are not American, they are criminals. MAGAs like Achilles who shoot Mormons and burn them alive don’t deserve Constitutional protections.; 30-09-25 10:02 AM
bagoh20 చెప్పారు...: When they send their Bruce Lee, we'll send our Dylan Mulvaney.; 30-09-25 10:03 AM
Aaron చెప్పారు...: "the Army Corps of Engineers"

Is not part of the military.; 30-09-25 10:06 AM
bagoh20 చెప్పారు...: I wonder what China's war planners thought of our DEI military objectives. Do you think that scared them or made them think a war might be winnable and maybe worth trying?; 30-09-25 10:07 AM
Jamie చెప్పారు...: This gathering of generals illustrates something the Trump administration seems to be doing everywhere.

The government, the real government, the huge entity that actually runs everything, has been carrying on uninterrupted for many decades no matter what election results have been. Popular, or populist, initiatives have received lip service from the elected, and occasional cosmetic regulation changes from the bureaucracy (and I include the military in that term), and have engendered no significant changes unless they were something that the increasingly leftist bureaucracy already wanted (thank you, Marx and especially Gramsci, for your march through the institutions). There's been no clear look into the bureaucracy - maybe ever? Since its inception? - despite the fact that administration after administration has said it was going to dig into how our government really operates.

Instead, every administration gets its orientation early on: this is how we do it here in DC. These are the people who do things - don't worry, we'll make it look as if you're in charge, but continuity is of prime importance - you do see that, don't you?

And Trump isn't going along. In every agency, he's having agency heads take a hard look at what the agency does, why, and how well.; 30-09-25 10:09 AM
narciso చెప్పారు...: so lame is this their best material, yes,; 30-09-25 10:11 AM
narciso చెప్పారు...: China facilitated DEI through their various think tanks that influenced the camarilla that was running this country for four years,; 30-09-25 10:12 AM
narciso చెప్పారు...: national pulse had the receipts,; 30-09-25 10:13 AM
Iman చెప్పారు...: "It's unacceptable to see fat generals and admirals in the halls of the Pentagon, and leading all around the world. It's a BAD LOOK, and it's not who we are!
…You need to meet the height and weight standards.

… Today, at my direction, every member of the Joint Force at every rank is required to take the PT test twice a year, as well as meet height and weight requirements twice a year. EVERY year of service."

—— Pete Hegseth; 30-09-25 10:15 AM
Iman చెప్పారు...: Fruit Salad Milley would be in serious trouble!; 30-09-25 10:16 AM
minnesota farm guy చెప్పారు...: Prelude to a house cleaning in the General ranks. Lincoln said the most important thing about General Officers when he spoke of Grant: " I can not spare this man; he fights!" The mythology of the Marine Corps is based on the credo that every Marine is a rifleman - that is, no matter what MOS or what rank, every Marine is prepared to go into battle. This is the warrior ethos that Hegseth is trying to revive.; 30-09-25 10:17 AM
Kakistocracy చెప్పారు...: But this — the kind of performative Andrew Tate cartoon—masculinity, the clumsy swagger, the maundering braggadocio, the needy desperate I’m a many man—I’m a manly man, speaks to a howling void of inadequacy in some people’s souls.

So let’s try to steelman this. Is there any data showing any degradation of combat function of any kind as a result of any of the things Hegseth is mad about?; 30-09-25 10:18 AM
narciso చెప్పారు...: Milley was pretty much like a Colonel Hindenberg, blimp; 30-09-25 10:20 AM
narciso చెప్పారు...: we saw the paras were embarassed by the performance of certain units at HKIA; 30-09-25 10:26 AM
john mosby చెప్పారు...: Aggie: "How much does Donald Trump weigh, then?"

If he weighs the same as a duck, then he floats, so he's a witch!

We are men of science here after all. CC, JSM; 30-09-25 10:29 AM
Kakistocracy చెప్పారు...: "You should not pay for an earnest mistake for your entire career. That's why today, at my direction, we're making changes to the retention of adverse information on personnel records." Pete Hegseth

The William Calley Most Improved Award

Hegseth’s way of saying that war crimes will be considered "minor mistakes."; 30-09-25 10:32 AM
Inga చెప్పారు...: It will take years and years to clean up the pigsty Trump has left behind when he’s finally gone.; 30-09-25 10:35 AM
john mosby చెప్పారు...: On the whole, I loved Hegseth's speech. He's coming at them from the POV of a junior officer. He kept mentioning the "E6 Test:" Does this regulation, program, etc, make sense to the staff sergeants and petty officers who have to implement it? Not a bad rule of thumb.

I understand the PT emphasis too, but I am a bit worried because no PT test really measures combat fitness. They all measure athlete fitness. If you're in combat for a year, you might not even pass a PT test. If you're on a ship in peacetime for a year, will you pass a PT test? Where do you practice your run? In the recent wars, where the troops operated like a gendarmerie from big bases, then maybe you have gym facilities, or at least a safe place to do pushups and situps and pullups, and maybe a safe running route.

Even if you have an MOS-specific combat PT test, like a ruck march for infantry, a shell toss for tankers and artillery, an evac-the-guy-up-the-ladder event for sailors, etc, and you overcome the logistics of getting the equipment to the whole MOS community including the recruiters, Pentagon people, etc, peacetime soldiers are going to have more time and safety to train for it than the ones who are actually out there doing that job for real.

I hope the PT cult doesn't push out effective professionals. CC, JSM; 30-09-25 10:42 AM
narciso చెప్పారు...: one recalls how mccrystal, cheered over his proficiency on powerpoint, having not understood the enemy, no matter what his G2 general Flynn taught him; 30-09-25 10:45 AM
Iman చెప్పారు...: “It will take years and years to clean up the pigsty Trump has left behind when he’s finally gone”

Lord knows YOU will have to hire a crime scene cleaning company to get your head squared away.; 30-09-25 10:52 AM
Achilles చెప్పారు...: Inga said...
“People who believe in kicking Trump off social media and passing gun restrictions on law abiding citizens are not American.”

MAGAs like Achilles who murder Mormons in their house of worship are not American, they are criminals. MAGAs like Achilles who shoot Mormons and burn them alive don’t deserve Constitutional protections.

You don’t.

Killing Charlie Kirk proved me right about you.

Ever since your people killed Kirk you have doubled down on the hate and violent rhetoric.; 30-09-25 10:52 AM
Ampersand చెప్పారు...: The American experiment might seem to be that of a free civil society promoting individual happiness. But it can only continue if our military can protect us through the threat of brutal force. Ugly, but necessary.; 30-09-25 10:57 AM
Inga చెప్పారు...: You don’t.

Killing innocent Mormons proved me right about you.

Ever since your people killed innocent Mormons you have doubled down on the hate and violent rhetoric.

You are unAmerican and don’t deserve Constitutional protections. You are a murderer.; 30-09-25 10:59 AM
narciso చెప్పారు...: about the make up of tribes in each district,; 30-09-25 11:00 AM
narciso చెప్పారు...: If what she had said is true, which all her other lies make me doubt, why did she come here from Germany,; 30-09-25 11:03 AM
narciso చెప్పారు...: so the ADL seems to have lost it's focus, and put Turning Point USA, on their hate list; 30-09-25 11:08 AM
narciso చెప్పారు...: everything is upside down, Senior Chief Gallagher should have been promoted for his skills, yet NCIS tried to jail him with compromised witnesses, Major Gant another innovative war fighter, also barred from the upper ranks,; 30-09-25 11:11 AM
Bushman of the Kohlrabi చెప్పారు...: Gone are those halcyon days when Dementia Joe and AWOL Austin led the US into a generational humiliation at the hands of a bunch of goat farmers. Godspeed boys.; 30-09-25 11:11 AM
Achilles చెప్పారు...: Inga said...
You don’t.

Killing innocent Mormons proved me right about you.

Ever since your people killed innocent Mormons you have doubled down on the hate and violent rhetoric.

Show me the videos of thousands of people on the right celebrating the killing of these people.

We invariably want the people who do this punished and we want crazy people committed to institutions.

You want them free to kill. You dance when they kill people. You use their violence to attack our freedom.

You are a piece of shit. We are not like you at all.; 30-09-25 11:11 AM
Beasts of England చెప్పారు...: Inga said…

’You are unAmerican and don’t deserve Constitutional protections. You are a murderer.’

Defamation, per se. I have no idea why this is allowed.; 30-09-25 11:16 AM
Kakistocracy చెప్పారు...: Why does it look and sound like a Fox News host cosplaying as Secretary of Defense ... Oh wait

“You kill people and break things for a living, you are not politically correct and don’t necessarily belong always in polite society" he says after an Iraq veteran just shot up a Mormon church in Michigan. The mass shootings will increase until morale improves.

Some serious strategic thinking there. I bet the generals are all satisfied now that it was worth the effort.; 30-09-25 11:16 AM
narciso చెప్పారు...: in pacem para bellum, is that the phrase,; 30-09-25 11:17 AM
Leland చెప్పారు...: Aaron said...
"the Army Corps of Engineers"

Is not part of the military.; 30-09-25 11:18 AM
mindnumbrobot చెప్పారు...: I'm disappointed nobody has trotted out the old "Hegseth is performing for an audience of one" trope.; 30-09-25 11:21 AM
Inga చెప్పారు...: ఈ కామెంట్‌ను రచయిత తీసివేశారు.; 30-09-25 11:21 AM
Inga చెప్పారు...: MAGAs like Achilles invariably want the people who do this to get away with it and do it to Democrats.

Achilles wants them free to kill. Achilles dances when MAGAs kill people. You use their violence to attack our freedom.

Achilles and his brand of MAGAs are violent pieces of shit. We are not like you at all.; 30-09-25 11:22 AM
Kakistocracy చెప్పారు...: There's a reason that the military have adopted a culture with a strong honor code. You need to implicitly trust your fellow soldier when he says he's got your back in a firefight.

I find the extraordinary hubris — and the lack of imagination and intellectual curiosity of a man who has made a living of shouting his mouth off without ever enduring the consequences of his ideas -- in front of the US military's finest (who have worked their way up by being accountable for their actions).

This was the day that performative dishonorable liars and draft dodgers chose to lecture the honorable on what it is to be a soldier. Tragic.

I’m sure the generals and admirals in attendance were all duly impressed.; 30-09-25 11:24 AM
Inga చెప్పారు...: “Defamation, per se. I have no idea why this is allowed.”

It’s no different than Achilles calling me a killer of Charlie Kirk for weeks now. Why was that allowed?; 30-09-25 11:25 AM
Left Bank of the Charles చెప్పారు...: When did the Armed Forces become the Joint Force and how does that fit into Hegseth’s warrior ethos?; 30-09-25 11:27 AM
Inga చెప్పారు...: I’m astounded at the snowflakes who talk like big tough guys until their rhetoric is turned on them.; 30-09-25 11:29 AM
narciso చెప్పారు...: stochastic terrorism that was the fancy term, the left came up to pretend that words lead to murder, of course it never applies to them, we used to call that fighting words doctrine,; 30-09-25 11:30 AM
Jamie చెప్పారు...: Give me a break, Kak. Generals are virtually always political. You're not a political animal - you won't do well in charm school, and you probably wouldn't have gotten promoted to that rank in the first place. (If your spouse is insufficiently political, or your children don't behave properly, that too may affect your likelihood of promotion.); 30-09-25 11:30 AM
narciso చెప్పారు...: tens of thousands scream for charlie kirk's blood, and you are silent, including members of the Supreme Court bar, this Lawrence Katz fellow, just as they volunteer to hold Hamas's blade,; 30-09-25 11:32 AM
Inga చెప్పారు...: Beasts of England…
How many times has Achilles said that the Left doesn’t deserve Constitutional freedoms and protections in the last several weeks? Many many many times. So pull up your man panties.; 30-09-25 11:32 AM
RCOCEAN II చెప్పారు...: Hope Mr. Pete's message got through. But so many Generals and Admirals are conformists. They came up through a system that was built on affirmative action and Diversity training. If you weren't a "true believer" you didn't get promoted.

We'll see if his talk did any good.; 30-09-25 11:34 AM
Inga చెప్పారు...: I bet those Admirals and Generals appreciated being called to Quantico to hear Trump give another campaign speech.; 30-09-25 11:36 AM
Beasts of England చెప్పారు...: He’s never called you a murderer, Inga. Big difference.; 30-09-25 11:36 AM
narciso చెప్పారు...: we'll see how many are on the revolving door to MSNBC or CNN; 30-09-25 11:37 AM
Inga చెప్పారు...: “He’s never called you a murderer, Inga. Big difference.”

Oh yes he most certainly did.; 30-09-25 11:37 AM
Beasts of England చెప్పారు...: Show me the quote, Inga.; 30-09-25 11:37 AM
Peachy చెప్పారు...: Hegseth is impressive and spot on.

The corrupt left keep on shitting all over him. It's not working.; 30-09-25 11:41 AM
The Cracker Emcee Refulgent చెప్పారు...: A lot of frothing about a very basic management technique-

"But I was never told."
"Yes, you were. You all were."

Lousy employees always assume you were talking about someone else.; 30-09-25 11:41 AM
Inga చెప్పారు...: “Show me the quote, Inga.”

Ohhhhh no, I’m not going to waste my precious time looking for Crazy Achilles quotes. I don’t know where you’ve been, but if you had been reading this blog’s comments sections everyday since Kirk was killed, you’d have seen it. Stop with the double standard. Achilles posts crazy shit about people on the Left, he will get it back in spades now that a MAGA like him murdered those poor Mormons.; 30-09-25 11:43 AM
Beasts of England చెప్పారు...: ’Ohhhhh no, I’m not going to waste my precious time looking for Crazy Achilles quotes.’

Thanks for admitting that you’re a coward and a liar, unwilling to defend your claim. Very on-brand. lol; 30-09-25 11:47 AM
Peachy చెప్పారు...: Hegseth:
The secretary asserted that America’s military must be strong and lethal to protect its interests and security. “To ensure peace, we must prepare for war,” he said. “From this moment forward, the only mission of the newly restored Department of War is this: Warfighting, preparing for war, and preparing to win. Unrelenting and uncompromising in that pursuit. Not because we want war, no one here wants war, but it's because we love peace.”

The collective ankle-biting left:
' No! *whine* We need fat dick-jerking DEI bullshit and woke nonsense, & vile leftists on payroll, We demand nanny lecture BS as seen in NFL End-zone. We need a Department of Baby sitting!; 30-09-25 11:48 AM
Peachy చెప్పారు...: Purging as much corrupt leftist BS as possible is so important to the long-term health of our democracy.; 30-09-25 11:54 AM
Inga చెప్పారు...: This is only one of many many many times Achilles called me a killer.

Achilles said...
“You have succeeded in making everyone else feel the same way I have for a long time. You killed the nicest guy on the right. You celebrated his murder. You tried to blame it on us.”

9/14/25, 8:46 AM

https://althouse.blogspot.com/2025/09/at-saturday-night-cafe.html#comment-form; 30-09-25 11:54 AM
Iman చెప్పారు...: “It will take years and years to clean up the pigsty Trump has left behind when he’s finally gone”

If it’s a “pigsty”, I guess you can keep the cleaning deposit, Inga. BTW… a cleaning deposit when you allowed Trump to live rent free in your head? Who does that!!!; 30-09-25 11:55 AM
The Cracker Emcee Refulgent చెప్పారు...: The Chinese general staff were also included in Hegseth's address. They were unable to attend but I'm sure they'll get a transcript.

Some things are so obvious only a Prog could miss them.; 30-09-25 11:55 AM
narciso చెప్పారు...: , you were totally on board with his murder, don't pretend,; 30-09-25 11:59 AM
Beasts of England చెప్పారు...: ’You killed the nicest guy on the right.’

Ambiguous, at best. I read that as people who share your ideology killed him. I do appreciate the effort, though. Thanks.; 30-09-25 11:59 AM
Inga చెప్పారు...: Here is Achilles calling Lonejustice a murderer.

Achilles said...
Pieces of shit like you never called them out. Here we are. Fuck you and fuck your couch. One set of rules you piece of shit. Charlie Kirk was the nice guy and you shot him.
So if you call me a fascist it is time for you to expect violence too.

Rules will be equally enforced from here on out.”

9/13/25, 2:37 PM

https://althouse.blogspot.com/2025/09/but-one-man-who-did-not-agree-with.html#comment-form; 30-09-25 12:04 PM
Inga చెప్పారు...: “I read that as people who share your ideology killed him.”

Of course you do while ignoring the words I’ve bolded. I didn’t expect anything else.; 30-09-25 12:06 PM
Peachy చెప్పారు...: Nato / Europe should be doing the same thing in the face of China and Putin. Instead these Soros-Leftist countries are importing millions of illegal Islamicists, allowing rampant crime ala the US - and indulging in speech crime / anti-free speech BS.; 30-09-25 12:08 PM
Inga చెప్పారు...: Achilles said...

“You people killed Charlie. I am sure you feel pretty tough right now.

9/13/25, 10:15 PM

https://althouse.blogspot.com/2025/09/charlie-always-believed-that-gods.html#comment-form; 30-09-25 12:15 PM
Howard చెప్పారు...: I think the main point that people are missing about Hegseth assembling all of the Nations flag officers to hear a lecture is that he was speaking to all of the O3's and below and the E6's and below letting them know that he has their back and if they high-ranking leadership falters they are going to be the ones that pay the price.; 30-09-25 12:21 PM
Bushman of the Kohlrabi చెప్పారు...: AWOL Austin was the Emma Watson of Defense Secretaries. Then again, Emma at least showed up for her scenes with Harry.; 30-09-25 12:21 PM
Kakistocracy చెప్పారు...: No doubt — Achilles would benefit from a blood draw to monitor his lithium levels, as he has been exhibiting increased manic symptoms.; 30-09-25 12:23 PM
Beasts of England చెప్పారు...: Let’s try this again, Inga. The assassination of Kirk was politically motivated and thousands on your side openly celebrated the result. That’s the ‘you’. There has been no suggestion that the church killings were political, so there is no pretense to associate the event with Achilles.; 30-09-25 12:26 PM
Achilles చెప్పారు...: Inga said...
“He’s never called you a murderer, Inga. Big difference.”

Oh yes he most certainly did.

It is the difference between the Taliban with guns and the people who all showed up to the funerals when we killed the taliban scum.

Inga supports the antifa people who kill us. She is in the same party and votes for the same people. She mourns when they are jailed or deported or blown up in a boat.

She calls us racists and fascists and dances when we are killed.

Inga isn’t a killer. She is too much of a coward to do so.; 30-09-25 12:29 PM
Inga చెప్పారు...: “There has been no suggestion that the church killings were political, so there is no pretense to associate the event with Achilles.”

Yet. Your hypocrisy is noted.; 30-09-25 12:30 PM
Inga చెప్పారు...: “Inga supports the antifa people who kill us.”

Liar.

Pay attention to what this extremist says. Listen to what his plans are for the US. Hopefully he will continue his life as a powerless loser and never attains power of any sort.; 30-09-25 12:33 PM
Inga చెప్పారు...: “No doubt — Achilles would benefit from a blood draw to monitor his lithium levels, as he has been exhibiting increased manic symptoms.”

And when one thinks he can’t get any crazier, he does.; 30-09-25 12:36 PM
Beasts of England చెప్పారు...: ’Yet. Your hypocrisy is noted.’

There is nothing hypocritical about the facts I stated, and, most importantly, the known circumstances when you made your initial comment to Achilles.; 30-09-25 12:45 PM
Inga చెప్పారు...: Beast,
You say Achilles is not accusing me or Lonejustice or other commenters on the left personally when he said many times “YOU killed Charlie Kirk”, “YOU tried assassinating Trump”, ‘YOU want us dead”, “YOU want to kill us”, soooo when I say Achilles is a murderer I could also say that his fellow MAGA travelers want Mormons dead. Guilt by association goes both ways.; 30-09-25 12:52 PM
Inga చెప్పారు...: ఈ కామెంట్‌ను రచయిత తీసివేశారు.; 30-09-25 1:02 PM
Beasts of England చెప్పారు...: My comment at 12:26 PM addresses your above comment, and it’s okay if you don’t want to understand the clear distinction. However, it’s obvious that neither you or anyone on the blog actually murdered Kirk, ergo, the use of ‘you’ can’t possibly support your interpretation.

Lastly, we should all be more precise and judicious in our comments. Cool?; 30-09-25 1:05 PM
Inga చెప్పారు...: And BTW Beasts, you and I and the rest of America don’t know yet what the Tyler Robinson’s motive was, or even IF he was the actual shooter. He and his parents claim he didn’t kill Kirk and was never on the University’s campus. Lots of things are unknown about the Kirk murder, but that didn’t stop you folks from blaming the left en masse.; 30-09-25 1:05 PM
Inga చెప్పారు...: “Lastly, we should all be more precise and judicious in our comments. Cool?”

I’d agree with you, but historically in this blogs’ a comments sections, that sounds like “Civilty Bullshit”.; 30-09-25 1:10 PM
Zavier Onasses చెప్పారు...: Well it's aboouuuut time!

Have a grand-nephew who was going through Annapolis during Trump's first term. I was astonished and dismayed at the politicization and disrespect shown to the President at the school.

Zavier Onasses; USAFA '65; 30-09-25 1:47 PM
minnesota farm guy చెప్పారు...: A lot of whining and crying on this thread. I am amused by Inga's outrage when it has always been clear that she has no use for the "other side". However in the fraught back and forth you all miss the important point that Howard made. This was all about the junior officers, ncos and enlisted who actually have to do the fighting. I am sure they enjoyed Hegseth telling the Generals to get off their fat asses and get out with the troops.; 30-09-25 3:15 PM
DINKY DAU 45 చెప్పారు...: From the FOX guy who spread serious information over open channels as the Master of Signalgate. Yeah he's the guy to listen too. Talking about Fat generals,how about FAT presidents,you think that fella could do a sit up or even walk a mile.. cmon man. THE LOYALTY CREW oh and I think Pete needs to get a suit that fits its 2 sizes too small,get one like trumps with rook for diapers,heart monitors and spare french fries. :); 30-09-25 3:45 PM
DINKY DAU 45 చెప్పారు...: Also you would thtink a president of the US and head of the military should know you dont tell the military theu can applaud if they want to ,and they didnt.Trump didnt get his fix.
Active-duty military members are prohibited from cheering or applauding political statements while in uniform, especially as a group. This restriction is based on Department of Defense (DoD) Directive 1344.10, which aims to avoid any appearance of official military endorsement of a political candidate, campaign, or cause. When I served (65-72) we had many situations where there were groups listening to an official speaking,WE DIDNT APPLAUD ANY POLITICAL STATEMENTS. Of course,many wouldnt know that,I can bet there is not 10% of people up in here who ghave served and make braindead statements on the military and its evident to tell when they start their spiels. Of course trump(should have) but wouldnt know that.. The guy got there late,2 weeks planning and he shows u late,fat and out of shape,not a good look as Hegseth would say.; 30-09-25 5:17 PM
Jim at చెప్పారు...: And BTW Beasts, you and I and the rest of America don’t know yet what the Tyler Robinson’s motive was, or even IF he was the actual shooter.

Imagine still being this clueless after what's come out publicly weeks ago.; 30-09-25 5:18 PM
Biff చెప్పారు...: Oh Yea said...

"Purging general officers? I wonder if there is any historical example that we could study on whether this is a good idea?"

It's largely forgotten today, but there was a major purge of US Army flag officers and other senior commanders at the direction of General Marshall in anticipation of World War II. More than a thousand officers were involved. The Navy was a little slower, but by the time the war had started, the Navy was on its way to doing the same.

Marshall's purges were the mirror opposite of Stalin's infamous purges, both in intent and outcome.

I'm less familiar with the US Civil War, but I understand that the north's military leadership in 1863 had very little resemblance to its leadership in 1860.; 01-10-25 7:07 AM
Robert Cook చెప్పారు...: "oh no - Is Hegseth a Nazi or Hitler? Is he a Fascist? Come on leftists - you got this."

He's just a drunken toady. It's Trump who is a Hitler, but Hitler's very low I.Q. narcissistic nephew, who who has been an asshole fuckup throughout his life.; 01-10-25 11:16 AM
Rusty చెప్పారు...: Inga said...
“People who believe in kicking Trump off social media and passing gun restrictions on law abiding citizens are not American.”

"MAGAs like Achilles who murder Mormons in their house of worship are not American, they are criminals. MAGAs like Achilles who shoot Mormons and burn them alive don’t deserve Constitutional protections."

There it is. The tolerant left. Check your six Achilles.
What do you believe MAGA to be, Inga?; 01-10-25 12:53 PM

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