Alexander Vindman: Coming forward ended my career. I still believe doing what?????s right matters.

[_subgenius]

After 21 years, six months and 10 days of active military service, I am now a civilian. I made the difficult decision to retire because a campaign of bullying, intimidation and retaliation by President Trump and his allies forever limited the progression of my military career.

Pfft. If he'd been an enlisted Marine, he'd have spent his entire 21 years, six months, and 10 days of active military service enduring nothing BUT a campaign of bullying, intimidation, and retaliation by superiors. I'm calling "snowflake" on this guy.

If he really wanted to show his integrity, he'd continue following the conscience he so carefully outlines above and keep serving his country in SPITE of anything Trump did. But a mere "limitation on the progression of his military career" is all it took to make him give up on all that? Especially when everything will be reversed in January anyway when Trump and his allies are gone?

Cry me a river.

True story, but it is election season and the time is now for this type of stunt.
yawn.

[_subgenius]

After 21 years, six months and 10 days of active military service, I am now a civilian. I made the difficult decision to retire because a campaign of bullying, intimidation and retaliation by President Trump and his allies forever limited the progression of my military career.

Pfft. If he'd been an enlisted Marine, he'd have spent his entire 21 years, six months, and 10 days of active military service enduring nothing BUT a campaign of bullying, intimidation, and retaliation by superiors. I'm calling "snowflake" on this guy.

If he really wanted to show his integrity, he'd continue following the conscience he so carefully outlines above and keep serving his country in SPITE of anything Trump did. But a mere "limitation on the progression of his military career" is all it took to make him give up on all that? Especially when everything will be reversed in January anyway when Trump and his allies are gone?

Cry me a river.

True story, but it is election season and the time is now for this type of stunt.
yawn.

[_Temp. Admin.]

I know who you are.

That's 'cause I told you who I am. Dr. Shades, posting under the "Temp. Admin." account.

I don't have sympathy for your view.

No surprise there.

Regarding what was actually happening did your Google break with the board?

No. Look, we all know that President Trump is appallingly vindictive, but the notion that he'd actually punish a group of entirely unrelated 0-5s in order to get at Major Vindman is pretty much unthinkable. Therefore, I didn't think to google "Is Trump holding up the promotions of multiple 0-5s in order to stick it to Alexander Vindman?" any more than I've ever thought to google "Are a race of shape-shifting reptilians secretly ruling the world?"

It doesn't take much to learn what was going on.

Good.

There is a list of O-5s who have been waiting on Congress to approve their eligibility for promotion that was being held up over the politics around Vindman. It was led by Sic et Non. Duckworth who was demanding a statement confirming Vindman not being deemed eligible was not retaliation. With his retiring, he cleared the political game board so the others aren't being held up.

That seems like highly pertinent information that Major Vindman should've included in his missive. Rather than making it all about himself, if he had stated that he was taking one for the team, then that's far more honorable and I'd be onboard.

I also feel it needs noted what confabulatory ____ took place above. Rather than take time to actually get informed on the issue and update accordingly, Shades nutted out some off the cuff justifications for his original arguments.

No, I didn't "nut out" (blech, what gutter speech) justifications for my original arguments. Those stand on their own. I did nothing more than respond to the additional points you made after-the-fact, as revealed by the fact that I actually, you know, quoted you.

Classic confabulation.

No, just incorporating new information as it's received. Information that Major Vindman owed it to us to include in the original message.

Would you rather I die on a hill, like any random mopologist, rather than incorporate new information as it's received?

[_Chap]

Look, we all know that President Trump is appallingly vindictive, but the notion that he'd actually punish a group of entirely unrelated 0-5s in order to get at Major Vindman is pretty much unthinkable.

I don't think the suggestion was that Trump intended to block the careers of any officers apart from Vindman. He is almost certainly too stupid and ignorant of army promotion procedures to have known that would be the effect of his vindictive blocking of Vindman. But it was an inevitable consequence that (if they had any guts) several people in the White House and out of it could easily have pointed out to him. Of course he might not have listened even had they done so ...

[_Some Schmo]

Look, we all know that President Trump is appallingly vindictive, but the notion that he'd actually punish a group of entirely unrelated 0-5s in order to get at Major Vindman is pretty much unthinkable.

Dude, he's let over 150,000 Americans die because he was worried about reelection. He separates families and puts them in cages. There are hundreds of documented cases of him being an infinitely selfish prick.

You think he gives a sh-it about military brass waiting for promotions? Holy fu-Celestial Kingdom balls, you must be insane (or just not paying attention). He's not fu-cking human in the same way we think about that term. He's a psychopath.

[_Gunnar]

I wonder what the chances would be of Vindman running for Congress or the Senate or some other political office, now that he is retired. Time will tell, I guess. I have no doubt of the honesty and integrity he would bring to any office to which he would be elected. I have some doubt however, that all or even most of the current establishment in Washington would be more likely to regard that honesty and integrity as an asset, rather than a liability.

[_honorentheos]

I wonder what the chances would be of Vindman running for Congress or the Senate or some other political office, now that he is retired. Time will tell, I guess. I have no doubt of the honesty and integrity he would bring to any office to which he would be elected. I have some doubt however, that all or even most of the current establishment in Washington would be more likely to regard that honesty and integrity as an asset, rather than a liability.

Just a guess but his background and skillset lend themselves to the intelligence field so I wouldn't be surprised to see him in civilian side version of his old job. State needs people and, once Trump's been replaced it's going to be hard work rebuilding the infrastructure of a functional institutional government.

[_honorentheos]

I know who you are.

That's 'cause I told you who I am. Dr. Shades, posting under the "Temp. Admin." account.

In a sense this actually is a reminder of who you are. I supposed most people saw the name, the red color, and content of your early posts and knew who you were. But yeah, there were aspects of who you are I am now reminded of quite well, so thank you.

Regarding what was actually happening did your Google break with the board?

No. Look, we all know that President Trump is appallingly vindictive, but the notion that he'd actually punish a group of entirely unrelated 0-5s in order to get at Major Vindman is pretty much unthinkable.

Nor is that what happened. Maybe I'm weird but my instinct when reading something like this is to go find out more before commenting because having informed opinion to share starts with being informed. I guess that's just me.

There is a list of O-5s who have been waiting on Congress to approve their eligibility for promotion that was being held up over the politics around Vindman. It was led by Sic et Non. Duckworth who was demanding a statement confirming Vindman not being deemed eligible was not retaliation. With his retiring, he cleared the political game board so the others aren't being held up.

That seems like highly pertinent information that Major Vindman should've included in his missive. Rather than making it all about himself, if he had stated that he was taking one for the team, then that's far more honorable and I'd be onboard.

Lieutenant colonel Vindman.

And again, I'm reminded of who I'm talking to here. I doubt most people here share this view that he should have made sure everyone knew he was taking one for the team because most of us probably view that as undermining doing something good.

I also feel it needs noted what confabulatory ____ took place above. Rather than take time to actually get informed on the issue and update accordingly, Shades nutted out some off the cuff justifications for his original arguments.

No, I didn't "nut out" (blech, what gutter speech) justifications for my original arguments.

Excellent. That visceral reaction to the phrase "nutted out"? Exactly the narrative choice I made to convey my reaction to your having done so. I'm glad it registered.

I did nothing more than respond to the additional points you made after-the-fact, as revealed by the fact that I actually, you know, quoted you.
No, just incorporating new information as it's received. Information that Major Vindman owed it to us to include in the original message.

Would you rather I die on a hill, like any random mopologist, rather than incorporate new information as it's received?

Confabulation means making up explanations. The correct response would have been to realize you had the basic facts wrong, found out what they were, and revising your argument or position based on the new information. My comment was fully intended to show you that you were missing information so your points weren't even wrong, they were ignorant. What you actually did, which again is confabulatory, was reframe your uninformed initial position to try and account for my comment without actually incorporating knowledge you would have gained had you became informed.

[_Temp. Admin.]

That's 'cause I told you who I am. Dr. Shades, posting under the "Temp. Admin." account.

In a sense this actually is a reminder of who you are.

It's more than simply a reminder of who I am. It is a direct, straightforward declaration of who I am.

I really don't know how much clearer I can make it.

I supposed most people saw the name, the red color, and content of your early posts and knew who you were. But yeah, there were aspects of who you are I am now reminded of quite well, so thank you.

Don't keep us in suspense. What are those aspects?

No. Look, we all know that President Trump is appallingly vindictive, but the notion that he'd actually punish a group of entirely unrelated 0-5s in order to get at Major Vindman is pretty much unthinkable.

Nor is that what happened. Maybe I'm weird but my instinct when reading something like this is to go find out more before commenting because having informed opinion to share starts with being informed. I guess that's just me.

That's very noble of you, but my instinct was that Mr. Vindman had included all pertinent information in his epistle. I'm ashamed to admit that the thought, "What relevant information is this guy leaving out?" didn't cross my mind.

That seems like highly pertinent information that Major Vindman should've included in his missive. Rather than making it all about himself, if he had stated that he was taking one for the team, then that's far more honorable and I'd be onboard.

Lieutenant colonel Vindman.

Actually, it's "Mr." Vindman now, right?

And again, I'm reminded of who I'm talking to here. I doubt most people here share this view that he should have made sure everyone knew he was taking one for the team because most of us probably view that as undermining doing something good.

How so? Taking one for the team is a noble endeavor. He should've led with that.

No, I didn't "nut out" (blech, what gutter speech) justifications for my original arguments.

Excellent. That visceral reaction to the phrase "nutted out"? Exactly the narrative choice I made to convey my reaction to your having done so. I'm glad it registered.

If you say so.

Confabulation means making up explanations. The correct response would have been to realize you had the basic facts wrong, found out what they were, and revising your argument or position based on the new information.

I didn't so much have a fact wrong as I wasn't supplied enough of the relevant facts in the opening post. But I'm curious: What explanation am I supposedly making up? The fact that he didn't include the pertinent fact that he was dropping out so others' promotions would be approved (which procedure makes no sense whatsoever anyway)? I'm not making that up; according to you, that's exactly what happened.

My comment was fully intended to show you that you were missing information so your points weren't even wrong, they were ignorant. What you actually did, which again is confabulatory, was reframe your uninformed initial position to try and account for my comment without actually incorporating knowledge you would have gained had you became informed.

I just DID incorporate the fact that he was taking one for the team. Did I not admit that he should've just stated that in order to paint the correct picture of his motives? Where did I somehow fail to do that?

[_Morley]

Honor: Sounds like marine basic training still haunts you in your dreams, Shades.
Shades: Of course it does. Regularly. If it doesn't, then you haven't been through it.


Please tell me you’re kidding us.