Over 100 years ago, France was racked by a scandal referred to as the “Dreyfus Affair.” A French army officer was wrongfully accused and convicted of treason for allegedly passing information to Germany. He eventually was exonerated after it was discovered that the French military had withheld information that proved him innocent of the charges. He was returned to military service and later fought in World War I.
We now have the “Vindman Affair.” Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, a highly decorated career Army officer, has been accused of treason and espionage by President Donald Trump’s supporters because he testified about the now-infamous Ukraine telephone call in response to a congressional subpoena. The truth of his testimony is supported by the written record of the conversations Lt. Col. Vindman testified he overheard.
Shortly after the end of Mr. Trump’s impeachment trial, both Lt. Col. Vindman and his twin brother, also an Army lieutenant colonel, were summarily removed from their positions at the National Security Council. The Trump spokepersons [sic] say this was not an act of vindication, but part of a previously planned reduction in the size of the NSC staff. At the same time, Mr. Trump tweets a signal to the U.S. Army that Lt. Col. Vindman’s action should be reviewed for possible disciplinary action.
Today, the question is not whether you support the United States, but whether you support Mr. Trump. It is sad that Mr. Trump is unwilling to follow the lead of President George Washington, who argued that national interests—not individual interests—are supreme.
Stephan K. Todd
Cranberry
Note from KBJ: Have you ever heard of insubordination, Stephan? Look into it.
