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David Rinker's avatar

Ulysses Grant had a drinking problem, won the Civil War, became President. General's Patton and Eisenhower cheated on their wives, won WWII.

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Dr. Paul Alexander's avatar

great...for them. we are in 2025...are you comparing 1930s and 40s to now?

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Tori's avatar

Hegseth is only smeared as having a *drinking problem*. Funny how the Dems didn't care when Teddy Kennedy had one...

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Dr. Paul Alexander's avatar

I detested Ted for he is also a murderer, well, was...and .FOX news reported he was repeatedly drunk...I smile...why? because I can safely say I am not a yes man...its refreshing...I pride myself in this thinking...even if I love you, if you did wrong, there is a price to pay...this guy is unqualified and is not the person you put in charge of a military that has a rape problem

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AwakeNotWoke's avatar

Hopefully it is just a smear. Drinking problems and military incompetence go hand in hand. Winston Churchill who was an alcoholic and whose military incompetence led to costly failures, such as the Dardanelles campaign and the Ironside plan is the classic example.. 

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Dr. Paul Alexander's avatar

the truth is never far behind.

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Luc Lelievre's avatar

Nobody is perfect.

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Dr. Paul Alexander's avatar

for sure

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AwakeNotWoke's avatar

Cheating on wives is the norm at the highest levels of all rank structures. It has no relationship to military competence. I just hope Hegseth is lazy as that is a good predictor of military leadership suitability.

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Dr. Paul Alexander's avatar

its not the cheating...its the abuse. the mistreatment of women...reports are that he abused women...maybe still does. Maybe he has a power control problem. who knows....

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AwakeNotWoke's avatar

The mistreatment of women is a major red flag.

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Jan 26
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AwakeNotWoke's avatar

"The man who is clever and lazy qualifies for the highest leadership posts. He has the requisite nerves and the mental clarity for difficult decisions." - Kurt von Hammerstein-Equorda, a German general who was the Commander-in-Chief of the Reichswehr, the Weimar Republic's armed forces. He is regarded as "an undisguised opponent" of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi regime.

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Kathleen Janoski's avatar

Retired military here.

I am OK with Pete being SecDef.

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Dr. Paul Alexander's avatar

thank you very much for this. and I value your views always. I have this site just for this. and you will know more than I and many here from that side...I write as a civilian and what I think matters more. But let us see, the floor is his. His every action will be watched but from all I know, the leadership in the military runs the military, not the Sec Defense. and by extensive, runs America...I can only hope for the best. hell, you would have been a far better choice.

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Kathleen Janoski's avatar

Thanks.

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AwakeNotWoke's avatar

He needs to clean up the problem of military sexual assault. It's long been at plague proportions and results in military sexual trauma that often endures after separation from service. VA spends a lot of time studying it.

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Kathleen Janoski's avatar

VA studies lots of stuff...and does nothing about it.

Look how long it took them to acknowledge the illnesses associated with exposure to Agent Orange.

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AwakeNotWoke's avatar

It ought to be a priority to do something about. The PTSD caused by sexual assault and rape can be worse than that caused by combat.

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Patti Kay Wooldridge RN BSN's avatar

I totally agree with your statements. I know a retired Navy/Marine Corp doc who told me about the rape gangs in the Marine Corp. She was an OBGYN doc who saw the results of the physical and emotional trauma of gang rape among those who were injured by this.

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Kathleen Janoski's avatar

Being a woman in the military is a delicate balance.

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Jan 26
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Kathleen Janoski's avatar

I trust Trump's judgement...most of the time.

He must have seen something in Pete.

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Jan 26
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Kathleen Janoski's avatar

Not trying to excuse his awful choices in his past, but combat is not something I would wish on anyone.

It changes people.

The average person has no idea of the horrors that combat veterans have seen. When they return, they are never the same.

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AwakeNotWoke's avatar

There's also "moral injury" and "posttraumatic embitterment" for some when they're deployed to fight in unjust wars as opposed to wars of necessity.

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Heather B's avatar

From a family of many military veterans, all my male cousins, all my uncles, my Father, my Mother, all veterans. I'm fine with him. Also, I don't think women should be in combat unless they volunteer knowing all the risks. It is much more horrible to be a woman prisoner in a war for reasons I won't state here but OMG. The torture is abominable for women prisoners of war...I speak having heard from some women POW's.

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Tori's avatar

It really is a no-brainer why women should not be in combat roles, for their own safety and for the safety of the better physically equipped male counterparts. It shouldn't even need elaboration, as you point out.

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AwakeNotWoke's avatar

A woman's place is in front line combat and clearing minefields etc and this includes older as well as younger women. Older women should be enlisted. Not all women but Liz Cheney, Lisa Murkowski, Susan Collins, AOC etc would be ideally suited to these roles.

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Patti Kay Wooldridge RN BSN's avatar

I once asked my commander if I could be sent to the front lines during the Vietnam War. His answer was absolutely, but historically it's never been done. He also told me that in 1945 or thereabouts, Congress passed a bill that women could be called up and drafted just like men. It's been in law for a long time but its been forgotten by most people.

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AwakeNotWoke's avatar

I was being facetious in that particular comment Patti. I'm not really in favor of women being used as cannon fodder or to clear mine fields etc EXCEPT in the case of warmongering RINOS like Cheney, Murkowski and Collins plus those feminists who are man haters.

I'm glad you didn't make it to the front lines in Vietnam. I still vividly remember the first words to me of one of the first Vietnam veterans I ever spoke to, who had been a conscript: "Nobody ever said anything about killing kids."

He told me of his recurring dreams of being trapped in an upside down APC on fire, terrified, and then suddenly being in the jungle rolling over the body of a dead Vietnamese woman with her dead baby clutched to her chest, a bullet having gone straight through her back and into the child.

Then he would be standing over the pistol whipped body of another woman, who never got up again, and so on. He would wake from sleep thrashing and punching. This went on for decades and then he died, an alcoholic, wracked with guilt. He always wondered what happened to the pistol whipped woman.

As regards drafting women, that makes no sense at all. A society cannot repopulate readily if fertile women are decimated whereas it can if only men are depleted in number.

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Patti Kay Wooldridge RN BSN's avatar

My brother went through similar things that you described. He has had nightmares about what he saw and had to do. He once shared some of his experiences. I would not want to do what the men are trained to do in war.

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Kathleen Taylor's avatar

"As regards drafting women, that makes no sense at all. A society cannot repopulate readily if fertile women are decimated whereas it can if only men are depleted in number."

I could not agree more.

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Dr. Paul Alexander's avatar

tremendous informed sharing, thank you. thank them all for their service to this great nation.

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AJoy's avatar

Agree agree agree!

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Larry Arnold's avatar

In the last year, through the very illegal aliens were be flown into our at a rate exceeding 70,000 a month. This was done on US based carriers that in many cases fly charters for DOD. IMO, Their actions were illegal in bringing these folks into and around our country. IMO, POTUS should make them do it at bargain prices or charge the executives in the companies with federal crimes.

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Graham's avatar

I go with that idea big time!

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Bruce L Boros MD's avatar

Bruce L Boros MD FACC- all of your recent posts have been excellent and thought provoking! I appreciate more than ever this type of information presentation! Hegseth is in, better than Austin IMO however the TRUE HERO who I was told would take the job if asked is Gen. Micheal Flynn! He was sandbagged by the scum who worked behind Trumps back and still knows more about our DOD than all the Generals in Charge currently. I still hope their is a place for him as an Advisor! Gen Flynn is a TRUE AMERICAN HERO!~

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Hannahlehigh's avatar

Riddle me this Paul, WHY do all of them have to take an oath to stand with Israel BEFORE they can be confirmed in the US, Pete H. had to. I saw some say, they would make Israel great again with their flag hanging next to yours. This is wrong on so many levels, The fact that Trump had to travel to Israel and kiss the wall is insane, which country is he working for. Plus he just signed a paper sending them more bombs to kill more innocent people in Gaza and Lebanon. I hope you know Netanyahu is evil, if you don't, go check out the videos on X on Gaza Notifications, thats one place to look and don't tell me the IDF is looking for Hamas, Hamas just released prisoners and the women bragged about how well they were treated by Hamas and they thru a party for them. My heart literally breaks when I see babies heads blown to bits and women murdered. Just who does Trump work for, Israel or the US. STOP the damn killing and STOP sending more bombs. Trump wants the Palestinians cleansed from the Gaza Strip by sending them to Egypt and Jordon, thats so Netanyahu can have his greater Israel, its all wrong.

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Tori's avatar

Please, take a course in geopolitics and history before defecating Jew-hatred like this. 'Innocent people in Gaza and Lebanon'???? Jew Derangement Syndrome, hunny...fix it.

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Hannahlehigh's avatar

OH STFU, do some research Tori.

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Margaret Shattuck's avatar

So you just showed your true colors here, Hannahlehigh. Just telling someone to STFU instead of actually backing up your statements with evidence is totally dumb. It makes you lose ALL credibility.

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Hannahlehigh's avatar

I dropped a video as proof, go watch it.

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Margaret Shattuck's avatar

As I already told you, anything from X is not worth wasting my time on.

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Stephanie S's avatar

They aren’t innocent people. And it’s Samaria and Judeah- no left bank. Promised thousands of years ago to the Jews by God Almighty. And He never changes or rescinds His promises whether you agree or not with His will.

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Hannahlehigh's avatar

And here lies the problem, you think the Israel of 1948 is the one from the Bible, sorry but it isn't, go research for yourself.

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Stephanie S's avatar

It doesn’t matter what YOU think. What matters is what God thinks and His will cannot be thwarted.

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AwakeNotWoke's avatar

Hannahlehigh is a devout Catholic. That's the same religion that cosmologist and general relativity theorist Prof. Frank Tipler converted to after studying the goodness of fit between the laws of physics and Judeo-Christian-Islamic and other models of the universe. Hannahlehigh may know what God thinks better than you do. Do you have any hard scientific evidence that she doesn't know and that you do and are not deluded?

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Stephanie S's avatar

Faith is a gift from God. You can’t gin it up on your own. We know that God’s ways are NOT our ways nor His thoughts like our thoughts. Those are His words, not mine. And whether or not you consider me deluded doesn’t matter to me at all. In fact, since you don’t know me at all, you have no basis to form an opinion about me that has any validity.

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AwakeNotWoke's avatar

First up, let me say that I have no hostility toward you and I like many of your posts.

I didn't say you were deluded. I asked if you have any evidence that you know better than Hannahlehigh and that you're not deluded.

You don't have any and that's perfectly okay.

As for your statement that" ... since you don’t know me at all, you have no basis to form an opinion about me that has any validity" many people say things like that but the Bible says differently and, no offense but, I would prefer to believe the Bible over you Steph.

I never met Hitler but I have a sound basis (e.g., from Hitler's writings) to form an opinion about Hitler that has validity

Similarly, I and Hannahlehigh, know you by your fruits

Matthew 7:16:"You will know them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorns, or figs from thistles?". 

Matthew 7:17: "So, every sound tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears evil fruit."

Matthew 7:18: "A sound tree cannot bear evil fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit"

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Stephanie S's avatar

And I know you by your fruits. Stirring up discord , slandering a sister in Christ. I know my Bible, I suggest you read yours and start exercising some of the fruit of the spirit like self-control.

I’ll take the Bible over you and Hannah Lee any day. God is unchanging and immutable. God will never abandon Israel . And his will cannot be thwarted. I don’t really see any fruit In your life just like you don’t see any fruit in mine. But your opinion of me matters little. I serve the audience of One. Proverbs 29:25

25 iThe fear of man lays a snare,

but whoever trusts in the LORD is safe.

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Graham's avatar

If you are going to have an opinion, base it on facts. Read a little history that goes back several thousand years and then voice your opinion.

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Hannahlehigh's avatar

Oh I have my FACTS correct, I see you don't.

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Graham's avatar

Do you know who is really behind this war? Probably not!

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Margaret Shattuck's avatar

I respect your right to have your opinion. However, you are just WRONG on this. There is so much you just don't know. I've posted many links here to listen to Israel's side, but clearly, you just don't want to hear their side. You are just too filled with hate for Israel. Hate based on lies and propaganda is very DANGEROUS. You need to hear that.

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Margaret Shattuck's avatar

I won't be reading anything you post from X. If that's where you get your information, it's no wonder you are so misinformed. X is nothing but a smuthole. Get more reliable sources, and I might look at them. How about reading the Bible. It documents that Israel (which included Gaza and the West Bank) was given to the Israelites by GOD, as their inheritance, and GOD promises they will be getting it back FOREVER. Look at the maps of the original Israel in the back of your Bible. It's all there plain and easy to see. That's the territory that GOD gave to Israel, not some treaty by some men.

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Hannahlehigh's avatar

HAHAHAAHAHAHAHA

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Stephanie S's avatar

God will have the last laugh,like it or not.

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Jorge Fernandez's avatar

Totally agree. Hegseth may be "okay" (remains to be seen) but there are people that are DEFINITELY super-qualified for Defense Secretary. My pick would have been Ret. Col Douglas Macgregor.

We'll have to wait and see how Hegseth performs -- it won't take long.

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Graham's avatar

When and how long were you in the military? What rank did you earn?

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Jorge Fernandez's avatar

Odd question - very odd. I was a Captain in the US Air Force for over 7 years.

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AwakeNotWoke's avatar

Sorry Jorge, I just answered for you and then seconds later you answered! Forgive me being so presumptious.

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AwakeNotWoke's avatar

Very odd

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AwakeNotWoke's avatar

I'll take it upon myself to answe for Jorge. Jorge is a former Air Force Officer but before going any further let's talk about YOU. Tell us all about your service.

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Noel Stratch's avatar

In deference to your opinions of Pete, I think he will do a good job for President Trump.

Biden's DoD was certainly worthless!

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Remus's avatar

Hey Paul...you're wrong! But...now that he's confirmed, only time will tell. Thus far we had a retired 4-star bungle DoD worse than anyone in the last 100 years. Remember A-stan? $85B in equipment left to the Taliban? 13 military personnel killed senslessly? AWOL 2x...we still don't know why? Chinese intl balloons flying across the country unabated? Hundreds of drones flying across 12-15 states...still don't know why. Embraced WOKE that cost DOD billions. So, give Pete a chance. BTW...God Bless Bellavia for his courage and honorable service...but I don't know him. I've read Petes books and listened to his positions for the last 5 years.

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andrew adach's avatar

Dr. Alexander You are absolutely right in your reservations, many more deserving candidates in this arena.

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Lindsay.'s avatar

I don't know anything about Pete Hegseth, however Rep Anna Paulina Luna seems to support him and to me suggests he isn't a terrible choice.

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Mark Smith's avatar

The payday on the other side of appointments must be staggering. He was making big cash at Fox. Every administration is identical. High paid people leave their employers for a relatively short time at a low wage in comparison.

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Dr. Paul Alexander's avatar

payday on the other side...nice way of putting it

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Graham's avatar

Try not to be so pessimistic.

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Philip Joseph's avatar

McConnell, Murkowski and Collins, all the Democrat Senators, the propaganda media, and the military contractor industrial complex actors are all saying much the same things about Pete Hegseth as stated here. Trump says different. Going with President Trump on this one.

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David Kukkee's avatar

I am not pleased with this article demeaning Pete Hegseth. Many men have been quite noble, honorable and heroic in serving their nation, living up to the standards THEY set when THEY took power and accepted the responsibility for the lives of millions of men. I believe Hegseth will live up to and surpass the expectations made...stop cutting him down and give him a chance to show what he has to offer...or provide a list of the personal failures of every one else, and we will vote on who is the best or worst at running their private lives. You are not helping here, Doc. How about focusing on the criminals that have had a part in the killing of millions of people over the last five years, ...folks from HHS, WEF, WHO, PAHO, GAVI, CEPI, DoD, NIAID, NIH, ETC. AD NAUSEUM. Run some articles demeaning Hotez, Barric, Daschak and Fauci, EVERY DOCTOR AND PHILANDERING CEO. Lay off Hegseth, and let him get to work without the quibbling over his troubled past...much of which was likely CAUSED by the alphabets listed above, during his service to this country.

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Kathleen Taylor's avatar

I had never heard of Pete Hegseth before his nomination, so it's difficult to separate fact from bitter recrimination for a relationship gone sour. The first thing that occurs to me is the fact that many prominent men have been falsely accused of rape. President Trump and Justice Kavanaugh, for example.

It sounds as it Hegseth should be more careful about who he associates with. No doubt he will be on his best behavior in his new position, given the controversy surrounding his appointment.

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Kathleen Taylor's avatar

I am not aware of who Dr. Alexander supported for Secretary of Defense. Can someone fill me in?

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