What Does Tommy Want?

Much ink has been spilled over Senator Tommy Tuberville's blockade of senior military officers' promotions. He reportedly launched his personal crusade to kneecap the Pentagon's senior leadership because he is offended by the Defense Department's willingness to let women in the services, stationed in states where abortion is criminalized, travel to states where it's still legal to terminate pregnancies.

Tuberville is ostensibly a good football coach. As a senator, however, he has displayed zero capacity for writing or furthering legislation. His knowlege of basic American governing principles is abysmal (the three branches of government are not the White House, the Senate and the House of Representatives). Frankly, I was impressed he knew that some states allowed abortions while others did not.

Which, then, raises a question: What if Tuberville's blockade has little or nothing to do with abortion? What if his actions are meant to do something different and harmful to our Republic and its democratic institutions?

We now know, thanks to extensive reporting and investigations, in the waning days of 2020, our democracy rested on the shoulders of a few individuals who refused to support the big lie that would unravel 230 years of political precedence and law supporting the peaceful transfer of power from one administration to the next. A few individuals in the Department of Justice and the military services refused to back a defeated administration's attempt to hold onto power.

General Mark Milley, then Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, obseved that a coup d'etat can only succeed if its supported by "the people with guns; tbe military, the FBI...," etc. On the military side of that equation. Milley was joined in opposition by all his colleagues on the Joint Staff and likely by all the senior leaders of the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps. It's also been well reported that the senior leadership of the Department of Justice was prepared to resign rather than back the big lie.

If Tommy Tuberville's blockade lasts into next year he may manage to whittle down the number of officers who place country and Constitution above party and personality. A well of outrage in the Senate and nation forced votes on confirming the service chiefs and the Chairman, but hundreds of Flag and General Officers remain in limbo. The vacant positions those blocked officers represent exercise direct "man, train, and equip" authority, as well as operational control over all of our military forces. Tuberville and those his blockade helps would like as many of those positions filled by Flag and General Officers whose loyalty to our Constitution is more fungible than their predecessors.

To be honest, I think it's improbable that any such plot would succeed, which doesn’t mean Tuberville and company aren't already trying.

I have confidence in the loyalty and patriotism of the vast majority of our officer cadre and think if Tuberville was able to hold those vacanct positions open through the next election, a future administration’s attempt to stack the miliary senior leadership with yes-men would find slim pickings. However, great damage to the existing and future force--not to mention the Republic--will have and has been done.