The statement, published in the Washington Post, is a symptom of America’s imperiled democracy. Ten former Secretaries of Defense, including Dick Cheney, vizier of the George Bush’s presidency, are denouncing President Trump’s efforts to overturn his electoral defeat.
Although they don’t use the phrase, they say the danger is a military coup,
As senior Defense Department leaders have noted, “there’s no role for the U.S. military in determining the outcome of a U.S. election.” Efforts to involve the U.S. armed forces in resolving election disputes would take us into dangerous, unlawful and unconstitutional territory. Civilian and military officials who direct or carry out such measures would be accountable, including potentially facing criminal penalties, for the grave consequences of their actions on our republic.
