I have a hard time reading this as anything but PR, as a sibling commenter pointed out. There is zero chance that the military will stage a coup. None. If you don't believe me, I encourage you to ask members of the military themselves what their feelings are on this.
The military is under the command of the civilian government. There's no protocol for them to act alone. I don't understand why we insist on telling each other these ghost stories about a potential takeover.
It really doesn't matter if there were a few ex-military people in the march on the capitol, either. They're not military leaders.
The military, like the police is a different beast, in America or otherwise.
The troops are conditioned to follow orders. That is why, the troops are always gauged and defended on the basis of the orders and their faithful execution of the orders, no matter how horrific they are. Troops are punished for not following orders.
Those in the administrative side of the army, they are punished for orders and decisions.
So, to subvert the military, you don't have to control the whole of it, just the leadership.
In the present case of America, the military is under the full command of trump. He holds all power and that power is absolute.
Unfortunately, he is a fascist moron with dreams of authoritarian rule.
These statements from the military are essentially telling him, the military will take a decision when push comes to shove, and that decision by the Joint Chiefs of Staff, will be on the understanding of law, and their oath to the constitution, even though they are bound to follow the orders of the president
The letter is a message to those in uniform reminding them that they are to protect to constitution. Considering the police, military and ex-military involved in the Capitol violence it seems reasonable.
The military is under the command of the civilian government. There's no protocol for them to act alone. I don't understand why we insist on telling each other these ghost stories about a potential takeover.
It really doesn't matter if there were a few ex-military people in the march on the capitol, either. They're not military leaders.