It comes against the backdrop of the Jan. The Defense Department’s anti-extremism initiative is not taking place in a vacuum. It’s important for the military to treat them equally, even if corporate media outlets typically don’t,” Mr. “Sadly, we have seen both far-left and far-right extremists surface within the ranks recently. “That could crush the all-volunteer force or alternatively turn it into a left-wing Praetorian Guard, both of which pose severe threats to national security. Gordon, a former Pentagon spokesman who is now an analyst with One America News Network.
#Pentagon root out farright ranks trial#
It must strike the right balance between White House pressure for action with ensuring the military doesn’t become overwhelmed by a Salem witch trial mentality,” said J.D. “The Pentagon is in a tough spot over today’s anti-extremism push. Some former Defense Department officials fear that without proper precautions, the military could create a dynamic in which liberal-minded troops feel emboldened or even required to report their conservative-leaning colleagues, or vice versa. “Thus, those who follow the law and all the policies on extremism could still find themselves accused of ‘extremist behavior’ and have their careers suffer accordingly.” “Quite clearly, considers that activity that does not violate the Constitution, or any law, regulation or extremism policy could still be categorized as ‘extremist behavior,’” Gen.
In practice, that system opens the door to a situation in which one individual’s interpretation of what is “hateful” or “extreme” could be used to lob damaging accusations against other troops.
government’s national security adjudicative guidelines” even if they violate no laws or extremism policies. The Pentagon says some behaviors “may still be a concern under the U.S.
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Service members could be reported for extremist behavior even if their actions do not violate any federal laws, the Uniform Code of Military Justice or a service’s anti-extremism policies. Dunlap and other observers say the Defense Department guidance is problematic. The Pentagon’s stand-down framework reiterates that military policy “expressly prohibits service members from actively advocating supremacist, extremist or criminal gang doctrine, ideology and causes.” It also says that all troops “must reject active participation in organizations that advance supremacist or extremist ideology, which includes those that advance, encourage, or advocate illegal discrimination based on race, creed, color, sex, religion, ethnicity or national origin, or those that advance, encourage or advocate the use of force, violence or criminal activity or otherwise advance efforts to deprive individuals of their civil rights.” The discussions are to be completed by early next month. Austin has ordered military leaders at all levels to set aside time to talk with their units about extremism, racism and discrimination in the ranks. Still, the concerns underscore the pitfalls that confront the military as it moves through its 60-day “stand-down” period. “This stand down has nothing to do with political beliefs or religion and everything to do with extremist ideology that runs counter to our oath to the Constitution and our core values.” They are citizens as well as soldiers,” he said. “We take seriously our obligations to encourage service members to participate in the electoral process. In a statement to The Washington Times, Defense Department spokesperson John Kirby pushed back hard on the idea that a service member’s faith or politics could lead to charges of extremism. Dunlap Jr., now the executive director of the Center on Law, Ethics and National Security at Duke University.įew believe the Pentagon would ever intentionally single out Catholics. “I still find definition of extremism in its underlying instruction ambiguous enough to remain concerned that, for example, Catholics and other pro-life advocates who equate abortion, as Pope Francis does, to the ‘murder of children’ could be branded as ‘extremists’ even if they are adamantly opposed to violence or other illegal activities,” said retired Air Force Maj.
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