Current Events > Pentagon, stumped by extremism in ranks, orders stand-down in next 60 days

(+) Yeah! (+)

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-biden-pentagon-extremism-idUSKBN2A335W

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. military on Wednesday acknowledged it was unsure about how to address white nationalism and other extremism in its ranks, and announced plans for military-wide stand-downs pausing regular activity at some point in the next 60 days to tackle the issue.

The decision to a hold a stand-down was made by Lloyd Austin, who made history by becoming the militarys first Black defense secretary after a long career rising in the ranks of the Army. In his confirmation hearing, Austin underscored the need to rid the military of racists and extremists.

Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said Austin ordered the stand-down after a meeting with the U.S. military branch leaders, who are under pressure to show progress in combating extremism after current and former military servicemembers were found to have participated in the siege of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6.
The Pentagon has yet to define how it will deal with extremism or offer data estimating how many service members hold white nationalist ideology. It has also not disclosed how many troops have been disciplined for extremism.

We dont know how were going to be able to get after this in a meaningful, productive, tangible way and that is why he had this meeting today and that is why he certainly ordered this stand-down, Kirby told reporters.

It was unclear whether the announcement was meant to foreshadow any near-term concrete actions by President Joe Bidens Pentagon or whether the stand-down was more of a symbolic move, meant to demonstrate Austins acknowledgement of the problem and continued resolve.

The Pentagon did not define whether stand-downs pausing regular activity across the U.S. military might last minutes or hours, or what commanders would do during that time to express opposition to extremism.

The announcement came as mourners filed beneath the U.S. Capitol dome to pay tribute to Brian Sicknick, the Capitol Police officer who died from injuries sustained during the Jan. 6 storming of the seat of government.

The assault on the building led to the second impeachment of former President Donald Trump, who spoke at a rally in his final days in office and urged supporters to go to the Capitol and fight. His impeachment trial in the Senate for inciting the siege is scheduled to start next week.

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Eekk

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A stand down wont wot all we had them on different subjects when i was in , its just lectures no one listens to

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skermac posted...

A stand down wont wot all we had them on different subjects when i was in , its just lectures no one listens to

Skermac = vet?

Yeah, I guess that fits.

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Yikes
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skermac posted...

A stand down wont wot all we had them on different subjects when i was in , its just lectures no one listens to

This, unfortunately.

The most effective method might be social media monitoring but that brings its own slew of issues.

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Alteres posted...

Skermac = vet?

Yeah, I guess that fits.

yep US Navy for me

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wackyteen posted...

This, unfortunately.

The most effective method might be social media monitoring but that brings its own slew of issues.

Before we do social media monitoring, where is the study showing all people making extremist posts stormed the capitol. Look at all of the members of CE who post opinions like white supremacy and such! Look at all the members of CE who support Trump and want his kids to run for office.

Did any of you storm the capitol?


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CobraGT posted...

Before we do social media monitoring, where is the study showing all people making extremist posts stormed the capitol.

https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Not_all

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skermac posted...

yep US Navy for me

Go Navy
Beat Army

(dad and grandparents on mothers side were all in the the Navy)
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sktgamer_13dude posted...

Go Navy
Beat Army

(dad and grandparents on mothers side were all in the the Navy)

Cool, i had a lot of fun in the navy

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skermac posted...

A stand down wont wot all we had them on different subjects when i was in , its just lectures no one listens to

I have been thinking about this one and I think it will work for just the reason you give.

After a while the victims of the lectures will come up with suggestions of methods that will work just to avoid the boredom.

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It's almost like this shit is a systemic issue that has rotted stuff like the military to the core, not that the military doesn't have some other issues.

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CobraGT posted...

Before we do social media monitoring, where is the study showing all people making extremist posts stormed the capitol. Look at all of the members of CE who post opinions like white supremacy and such! Look at all the members of CE who support Trump and want his kids to run for office.

Did any of you storm the capitol?

Why does it matter?

SMAL didn't storm the capital, would you still want to be a person of Mexican descent serving in the military with someone like that knowing he wants you dead?
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Bio1590 posted...

Why does it matter?

SMAL didn't storm the capital, would you still want to be a person of Mexican descent serving in the military with someone like that knowing he wants you dead?

You think you are making a point? You are missing the point. If someone is wishes you dead, you need to read his social media to establish this?

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CobraGT posted...

You think you are making a point? You are missing the point. If someone is wishes you dead, you need to read his social media to establish this?

Yes? It's not like all of these people are openly shouting out their beliefs in their every day lives

If he's "normal" irl but his social media is full about how much he hates Mexicans, wants the government/ICE to round them all up and deport them, and says they should nuke Mexico, why shouldn't that be monitored and used to kick him out?

Why are you concern trolling over literal Nazis in the US military
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Bio1590 posted...

Yes? It's not like all of these people are openly shouting out their beliefs in their every day lives

If he's "normal" irl but his social media is full about how much he hates Mexicans, wants the government/ICE to round them all up and deport them, and says they should nuke Mexico, why shouldn't that be monitored and used to kick him out?

Why are you concern trolling over literal Nazis in the US military

Trolling. Ha ha

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Not sure what's more pathetic, the extremists in the military or Bio advocating government monitoring of social media while acting sanctimonious about it.

CobraGT posted...

Before we do social media monitoring, where is the study showing all people making extremist posts stormed the capitol. Look at all of the members of CE who post opinions like white supremacy and such! Look at all the members of CE who support Trump and want his kids to run for office.

Did any of you storm the capitol?

spoken like a man that posts extremist content on the internet

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MyTummyHurt posted...

spoken like a man that posts extremist content on the internet

So you are in favor of paying people to surveil social media posts of soldiers?

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CobraGT posted...

So you are in favor of paying people to surveil social media posts of soldiers?

Yep.

Don't like it, don't join the military.
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Bio1590 posted...

Yep.

Don't like it, don't join the military.

if butchers, or car salesmen, or any other profession or trade were known for having a disproportionally high number of radicalized members among their ranks known for being a security threat theyd get monitored.

why would soldiers be any different?

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Do police next

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Bio1590 posted...

Yep.

Don't like it, don't join the military.

I do not like it because it is stupid. It is small minded, hateful and accomplishes nothing other than making little minds feel big.

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CobraGT posted...

It is small minded, hateful and accomplishes nothing other than making little minds feel big.

I feel the exact same way about Charlottesville and the Capitol insurrection attempt.

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MrMallard posted...

I feel the exact same way about Charlottesville and the Capitol insurrection attempt.

So do I . I on the other hand object to it because I believe in democracy. Wanting to surveil people is not believing in democracy. Wanting to surveil people is belief in your own superiority.

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CobraGT posted...

I do not like it because it is stupid. It is small minded, hateful and accomplishes nothing other than making little minds feel big.

Just say you're okay with Nazis in the military and go
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Orchestrion posted...

Do police next

Do the Police first. They have a fair greater impact on the day to day life of the citizenry.

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CobraGT posted...

So do I . I on the other hand object to it because I believe in democracy. Wanting to surveil people is not believing in democracy. Wanting to surveil people is belief in your own superiority.

Do you believe the CIA shouldn't surveil foreign countries?

Ruvan22 posted...

Do you believe the CIA shouldn't surveil foreign countries?

Not people from foreign countries, otherwise you get instances like this
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/08/27/palestinian-harvard-student-denied-entry-us-friends-posted-anti/

PBusted posted...

Not people from foreign countries, otherwise you get instances like this
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/08/27/palestinian-harvard-student-denied-entry-us-friends-posted-anti/

Wouldn't that completely demolish any foreign intelligence the U.S. has?

Ruvan22 posted...

Wouldn't that completely demolish any foreign intelligence the U.S. has?

That's for people suspected of espionage and terrorism, not random people. If we're talking about people being suspected of extremism and not a blanket surveillance that would be better.

PBusted posted...

That's for people suspected of espionage and terrorism, not random people. If we're talking about people being suspected of extremism and not a blanket surveillance that would be better.

Hmm since I was responding to Cobra, I got the impression he meant *any* surveillance..

Ruvan22 posted...

Hmm since I was responding to Cobra, I got the impression he meant *any* surveillance..

Oh, that wasnt my intrepretation. His post was in response to wackyteen's post which I assume is about a blanket surveillance on everyone since I don't see how monitoring stuff like people on watchlists would be an issue.

totalnerdken posted...

Majority of Trump supporters and conservatives in general are against what happened at the capital building and do call those ppl terrorists. Granted, I have seen some defend it as well. So there's a faction that do think it was ok. But most don't agree with it.

Yeah that's total bullshit
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totalnerdken posted...

Majority of Trump supporters and conservatives in general are against what happened at the capital building and do call those ppl terrorists. Granted, I have seen some defend it as well. So there's a faction that do think it was ok. But most don't agree with it.

https://www.newsweek.com/45-percent-republican-voters-support-storming-capitol-1559662

While it was less than 50%, literally more Republicans surveyed said they supported it than those that said they didn't. 68% of them also said it wasn't a threat to democracy.
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Any organization as large and as diverse as the military is going to have extremism in its ranks, unfortunate but true.

Just need to show that its unacceptable and any instance of it will be severely punished. Make an example of the ones that thought Trump would have their back.

Kinda dont like how the media/Pentagon isnt being too specific about it though. Almost makes it sounds like those instances of extremism are part of the military culture which just isnt true at all. Its a small minority that isnt tolerated anywhere on an organizational level.

Admittedly the military in general hasnt focused on combating extremism in the ranks like it has other issues in the past. Before Trump it was never really an measurable issue, he kind of made it acceptable for the extremists to rear their ugly lil heads. Overall this stand down is going to be a good thing for them to focus on this issue and stomp it out before it has any chance to grow legs.

totalnerdken posted...

Majority of Trump supporters and conservatives in general are against what happened at the capital building and do call those ppl terrorists. Granted, I have seen some defend it as well. So there's a faction that do think it was ok. But most don't agree with it.

Actually polling soon after the event showed 45% of Republicans supported the riot/insurrection, which is ALMOST HALF

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-election-2020/republicans-congress-capitol-support-trump-b1783807.html

Saying "most don't agree with it" is really splitting hairs

totalnerdken posted...

I clicked on the survey to see where it came from and the link was broken. This seems like fear mongering to me.

Edit, they had another link further down. I'll look at it.

Post 40 too
Bio1590 posted...

https://www.newsweek.com/45-percent-republican-voters-support-storming-capitol-1559662

While it was less than 50%, literally more Republicans surveyed said they supported it than those that said they didn't. 68% of them also said it wasn't a threat to democracy.

Classic right-wing troll thinking we're going to take his opinion and attempt to downplay everything seriously
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Bio1590 posted...

Classic right-wing troll thinking we're going to take his opinion and attempt to downplay everything seriously

Well iirc (and I'm thinking of the correct poster) he claimed that if Trump truly believed the election had been fraudulent, his using any means (including inciting violence) was justified...

The white military that spent the last 200 years killing brown people is racist?

Huh

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totalnerdken posted...

I didn't justify inciting violence, the fact that you said that tells me you're either talking about someone else, you didn't read what I said, or you purposely mis-stated what I said (but I'll give the benefit of the doubt and say it wasn't this).

I did say using legal means to try and examine things further was fine. But he should have stopped after all the legal avenues failed.

And regardless if he thought it was legit stolen from him or not, it was irresponsible for him to rile ppl up like that. And even worse, not responding to events until smth like 2 hours later. Should have told them to stop immediately.

Then my apologies, I'm thinking of someone else, I should have used a tag