Some of you may remember the graphic to the right. It first appeared in 2010 during Israel’s response to Hamas’ indiscriminate launching of rockets from Gaza into Israeli towns and villages. The message was obvious. Israel used its military to protect its children, while Hamas hid its weapons and ammunition in schools and hospitals. The latter’s primary purpose was to lure the Israel forces into harming or even killing innocent women and children in order to score points in the court of public opinion. Hamas spokespersons denied the Israeli accusations related to human shields throughout the four-year “Gaza War.” However, in September 2014, Ghazi Hamad, a senior Hamas official, admitted that rocket launchers were positioned close to civilian residences and educational facilities, often within a couple of hundred meters. (Source: The Daily Mail, September 12, 2014)
The term “human shield” immediately came to mind as I watched Donald Trump’s tirade following the news the FBI had raided the offices, home and hotel room of his consigliere Michael Cohen. The remarks were made prior to what was presented as a meeting of the national security team to discuss an American response to the Syrian chemical weapons attack.
I want to show you two pictures. The first is of Trump meeting yesterday with his “war cabinet” in the actual Cabinet Room in the West Wing of the White House. (NOTE: This image is a thumbnail of copyrighted photo offered by the European Pressphoto Agency.) No official White House photos were available. And I think I know why. I have personally attended meetings in that room on more than one occasion and I can tell you two things. First, you may notice it is not what one would call a secured space. Second, there are no monitors or other audio/visual equipment. When discussing options for a military response against any nation, the inputs generally consist of two important elements: classified intelligence and maps/charts of potential targets.
The picture to the left is a September 10, 2014 meeting of President Barack Obama’s national security team in the situation room in the basement of the White House. First, notice the array of monitors on the walls. Second, this room meets Department of Defense standards, referred to as a Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF, pronounced “skiff”) to guard against electronic surveillance and external transmission of sensitive security and military information. (Source: scifglobal.com)
The only reason for holding a national security meeting in the Cabinet Room is to allow photo ops and hold a”press gaggle,” an informal briefing by the president or his representatives. If you were watching cable news yesterday afternoon, you may have noticed Trumps remarks were not carried live. Instead, there was a disclaimer on the screen which read, “Moments Ago.” While comments made during a “gaggle” are on the record, no independent videography is allowed. In other words, the only video record comes from the White House.
Which brings me back to the issue of human shields. Donald Trump has a right to express his opinion about actions taken by a Republican FBI director, a Republican deputy Attorney general, a Republican district attorney representing the southern district of New York and a federal judge appointed by Trump himself. But if he was the “straight-shooting, stand-up guy” he claims to be, he should have addressed the nation from his desk in the Oval Office or from a podium in the East Room. Even Richard Nixon had the courage to claim (wrongly I might add), “I am not a crook.” during a nationally televised press conference on November 17, 1973. You do not hold the Joint Chiefs of Staff hostage for the purposes of making it look as though they share your opinion.
But it doesn’t end with yesterday’s dog and pony show. Trump has not held a formal press conference where he alone answered journalists’ questions in 418 days. On every other occasion, Trump has had a foreign leader share the podium. Last week it was the heads of state of the Balkan nations. Today it was the Emir of Oman. It’s one thing to ask people who you pay to be your human shields. It’s another to expect the same of house guests.
Do not be surprised if HBO soon announces a spin-off of its popular drama “Orange is the New Black.” The new series? “Orange is the New Yellow.”
For what it’s worth.
Dr. ESP
Trump will throw each and every human in this country – and the world – out the window and at any cost to salve his worthless ego. He never learned to read. Never learned about responsibility. Never learned to think. Never had a pet. A common, classless thug – and a potential war criminal. I hope those responsible for legal advice to our military command structure (of which I know a bit about), and those in that command structure remember B.Gen. Telford Taylor.
For those wondering who Telford Taylor was, he was a decorated military lawyer who three times spoke truth to power: at Nuremberg, to Senator Joseph McCarthy and in opposition to the Vietnam War. Bob, thanks for reminding us that there are patriots who are unafraid to challenge authority when they are misguided.
Absolutely. He is such a coward. I am pinning my hopes on Robert Mueller. Thanks.