The codes of honor of West Point, the Naval Academy and the Air Force Academy all require officers to tell not just the truth, but they also prohibit telling half-truths with intent to deceive. Another word for it is “dissembling”, which comes from the Latin dissimulare, meaning to disguise or conceal.
When the Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth was asked about the Atlantic reporter’s charge that “war plans” were texted on the signal chat, he denied it. “Nobody was texting war plans,” he said. Even if that is technically true, there evidently were, call it what you may, strike plans or attack plans, and battle damage assessment discussed, which he did not admit. Perhaps war plans are comprehensive plans about a war, while the other terms refer to specific attacks. Then technically, the reporter used the wrong term in his story about the impending strikes in Yemen. Our Secretary of Defense, who is at the top of the military chain of command, apparently seized on that to wiggle out by dissembling and then attacking the reputation of the reporter and his magazine. The alternative explanation is that he simply lied.
As a former military officer and having had top secret clearances as a civilian, I fear for our country. Leaving classified details aside, our national leadership must be straight, credible with the American people, especially in matters of national security. If there was a screw up, admit it, fix it, and take responsibility. There will come a time when our government may ask for sacrifices from our military and even the public. Our government’s credibility must not be squandered today.
Jim Bruce
Talbot County
Louise E says
Dissembling is exactly right. This is spot on!
Bob Parker says
Coming from a family of Naval Academy grads, it was drilled into me that you tell the truth, and “splitting hairs” about the truth was the same as lying. Not o ly has trump and his high level appointees lost faith with many Americans, they have lost the respect of our many “allirs” around the globe. Without a commitment to tell the truth and stick to your word,this is. Ound to end badly.
Michael Davis says
Mr. Bruce makes a good case that our Secretary of Defense is not concerned with basic rules of security. Given a choice between lying and admitting a mistake, he chose to lie. Exactly like his boss.
One reason to admit a mistake is for security agencies to exam how the mistake was made and take corrective action. The correcting action does not always mean firing someone. It could ba a necessary change in procedures that had not been discovered until the mistake was made. Admitting mistakes is essential to keeping the United States secure.
For four decades I received extensive annual training on security rules and procedures by the department of defense. The training was mandatory and I could not continue my employment each year if I did not do it. It would not surprise me if some people responded here by repeating the lie that what was in that text exchange was not classified information. The first day in a one-week mandatory security class would teach them it was classified. Further, once classified information is leaked, it is still classified. Hegseth and company cannot claim that discussing the information with someone in Russia who was on a private phone automatically declassified it. That’s not how the system works.
And, I should add for those who do not know this, lying about a national security matter is a crime. Failure to report a breach of national security is a crime for anyone with a clearance. Everything about this beach of national security information is criminal. Not only making Hegseth a criminal, but all the people on that chat.
Robert Douglass says
Mr. Bruce,
I’m a retired Navy Commander and former Commanding Officer of a fast attack nuclear submarine who carried tomahawks on deployment and am currently working at the Pentagon, including working in strike operations.
Every soldier, sailor, airman and marine who has ever been involved in classified operations, which is most everyone, now knows, without a shadow of doubt, that their Secretary of Defense is a liar and cannot be trusted with our national secrets, and more importantly, their lives. It’s that simple.
We who have served know the absolute, not fungible standards around truth, honesty, credibility, and integrity and accountability.
It makes me personally sick to hear and watch what Mr. Hegseth and those in the current administration are doing via their slippery contortions, word smithing, and bold faced lying, thinking the military and strikes on other countries are an episode of Fox News or the Apprentice.
The soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines always know integrity is a 1 or a zero and there is nothing in between. Mr. Hegseth is a liar and he has set a new low standard for DoD leadership.
My only hope is that our dedicated military and civilian leaders below him in the DoD will never waver, helping him and the DoD to be successful, because our national defense still depends on it.
Very Respectfully
Bishop Joel Johnson says
Well said, sir! Lying and dissembling by the President and our officials is the type of behavior which rapidly dissolves the public’s trust in government. How utterly shameful of them.
Rick Hughes says
Well said, Jim!
Jim Franke says
As Rep Jamie Raskin said: “We’re being governed by a bunch of morons.”