In Voice of the People (July 1) two writers lament the fate of the Air Force general who was punished for making derogatory remarks about President Clinton in a public speech before his officers and men in a foreign country.
Are they aware of the fact that the president is the commander-in-chief of all U.S. armed forces and that derogatory and insulting remarks made by an officer about the commander-in-chief is punishable under the Military Code?
How can military discipline be maintained if soldiers are told by their superior officer that their commander-in-chief is some kind of a lout? This is not a matter of “free speech” but a question of proper conduct by an officer. It would be the same in civilian life. Surely a corporate officer would be fired if he gave a public speech accusing his CEO to be a “pot-smoking, womanizing, draft-dodging and gay-loving CEO.”
Furthermore, the accusations are unsubstantiated and a mere rehash of idle election campaign rhetoric. However, their public utterance in a foreign country (Holland) holds the United States, its armed forces and its president up to ridicule and results in a loss of prestige among our allies and in the world at large.
Even without it being a violation of the Military Code, an officer on active military duty should have enough common sense not to make such slanderous comments.
