Perspectives: Should Gen. Milley Be Fired Over Calls With Top Chinese General?
Summary from the AllSides News Team
Gen. Mark Milley, the nation's highest-ranking military officer, is facing criticism over phone calls he had with China's top general last year. According to a forthcoming book, Milley acted to limit former President Donald Trump's powers and told the Chinese general that he'd warn him of any forthcoming U.S. attack. After the book's contents became public, Trump accused Milley of treason. President Joe Biden said he has "great confidence" in Milley Wednesday. A spokesperson for Milley tweeted Thursday defended the calls, saying they were done to "maintain strategic stability." Contrary to initial reports, sources across the spectrum say the calls were not secret and that 13 other people were present, including a State Department official.
Voices on the right have been highly critical of Milley. Many argue that if the book is accurate, Milley stepped outside the chain of command and unjustly undermined the president. Some called for him to resign or be fired, including several Republican lawmakers and retired Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, who testified against Trump in his first impeachment trial. An analysis from CNN (Left bias) suggested the book's claims raised more concerns about Trump's mental fitness. A report from Politico (Lean Left bias) suggested the authors exaggerated the calls and that Trump Defense Sec. Chris Miller approved them. Miller denied that narrative in a recent Fox News (Right bias) interview.
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From the Right
If the China Story Is True, Milley Has to GoIagree with our editorial that General Mark Milley should be aggressively investigated and, if the Washington Post reporting is verified, removed from office. In fact, I think he ought to be pressed, as a preliminary matter, about whether the reporting is substantially accurate; if he concedes that it is, he should be suspended immediately pending an investigation.
But we need a real investigation. I carry no brief for Milley, who personifies the politicization of institutions that must be apolitical in a properly functioning republic. Nevertheless, conclusions about his alleged behavior have gotten way out in front of the...
From the Center
Joint Chiefs Chairman Milley becomes lightning rod on rightMark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has become a lightning rod for the Biden administration, which is facing calls for him to resign over book excerpts underscoring his maneuvering during former President Trump’s final days in office.
Milley was already a target for conservatives before the revelations in “Peril,” the upcoming book by Watergate reporter Bob Woodward and Robert Costa of The Washington Post.
But the new bombshells, including that Milley twice called his Chinese counterpart following the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol to assure him...
From the Left
Pentagon, White House mobilize defense of Milley amid criticism over China callsThe defense of the top US military official kicked into gear across Washington Wednesday in response to claims that Gen. Mark Milley overstepped his authority during the waning days of the Trump administration.
The Joint Chiefs chairman came under attack Tuesday over new reporting in "Peril," a forthcoming book by Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward and Robert Costa, which details Milley's phone conversations to reassure a nervous Chinese general and efforts Milley took to limit then-President Donald Trump from potentially ordering a dangerous military strike.
Milley's actions, which were reported by CNN and others on Tuesday...
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