You'd be hard-pressed to learn from media analysis the real argument for impeachment, which is that it's the only conceivable way to hold Trump accountable.

Reading over the particulars is a reminder of just how systematic Trump’s assault on democracy has been. If the 120th Congress does not make an effort to hold him accountable for these abuses, you can be sure that a future president will use this as a to-do list.

  • gAlienLifeform@lemmy.world
    8·
    20 hours ago

    they all limited their criticism to INCOMPETENCE, never war crimes

    That reminds me of an interesting moment in an interview earlier this week (arc)

    NPR’s Steve Inskeep speaks with former Pentagon spokesman John Ullyot about articles of impeachment brought against Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.

    …

    INSKEEP: … Now, I want to take seriously, though, this suggestion that you mentioned, Hegseth saying, if you come after me, you’re coming after the troops; if I broke the law, the troops broke the law; if I committed war crimes, the troops committed war crimes. Let’s just look at that for a moment. Do you believe that is accurate? If, as Thomas Massie says, this is an illegal war waged without proper authority from Congress, is everybody in the military guilty of a crime?

    ULLYOT: No. That’s obviously a bogus accusation there because the troops are following lawful orders, or what they believe are lawful orders. And they’re told by their commanders. And so nobody’s going to be going after the troops or military.

    Ullyot is a dumbass who really needs to read up on the Nuremberg trials and international law, because he’s 100% wrong about “just following orders” being an acceptable excuse, but American society is really not prepared to have this conversation, so we just talk about incompetence and never war crimes

    • schipelblorp@sh.itjust.works
      11·
      20 hours ago

      Yes, they don’t want to challenge the United States’ right to murder people for their resources, so they can’t actually go after Hegseth because I honestly don’t think incompetence is much of an impeachable offense, and even if it were, it’s a pisspoor and subjective argument.

      As far as troops go, yes, that guy is a moral midget and “just following orders” is widely known as an invalid Nazi dodge. I do have some sympathy for soldiers doing legal war-type stuff in an illegal war, but actual illegal actions like doubletap-murdering the sailors in the Carribean would be a war crime even if the war were legal.