LTC Alexander Vindman, an Army Borgist

(Dutch Harbor)

"When I joined the NSC in July 2018, I began implementing the administration’s policy on Ukraine. In the Spring of 2019, I became aware of outside influencers promoting a false narrative of Ukraine inconsistent with the consensus views of the interagency. This narrative was harmful to U.S. government policy.While my interagency colleagues and I were becoming increasingly optimistic on Ukraine’s prospects, this alternative narrative undermined U.S. government efforts to expand cooperation with Ukraine."  Vindman

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The US Army sends too many officers to graduate schools to study Political Science and International Relations.  These subjects are pseudo sciences based on the 19th Century yearnings of some European scholars for a paradigm change in human affairs that would relieve them of their minority status.   Sadly, these disciplines also create a mentality in officer students that gives inculcates them with the idea that they are members of a kind of fraternity that dominates or should dominate the American foreign policy establishment.  I call that establishment The Borg. 

The Army lent Vindman to the NSC staff, much as the marines lent Oliver North to the White House staff long ago.   In an NSC staff led by the arch neocon John Bolton he must have felt quite at home.  Last Summer he was given the task of listening (with several others) to Trump's conversation with Zelensky.  This is a routine precaution taken to avoid misunderstandings as to what is said.

Vindman says that the president holds views inconsistent "with the consensus views of the interagency." (the Borg)  LTC Vindman has evidently been seduced by the idea that the president of the US is obligated to accept the consensus of The Borg or to tell them the truth about his intentions as he directs US foreign policy.  Vindman is wrong about that.  He, and all the other Borgists are staff, not partners.

Vindman has evidently been returned to the Army.  As a serving Army officer he can only be ejected from the officer corps for legal cause.  IMO it is likely that the Army will be deeply offended by his rejection of his assigned role as a staff officer to the president and his preferred loyalty to The Borg and will find a comfortable place for him in a basement or on a distant island.  (not Hawaii)

I should say that there is nothing wrong with the Army sending officers for study of useful subject but poly sci/ IR are not among them.  pl

https://www.washingtonpost.com/context/read-the-document-opening-statement-of-lieutenant-colonel-alexander-s-vindman/2573a183-18ee-4036-9638-939677a1b9d6/

Comments

[walrus]

Putchists always claim they have a loyalty to the constitution and/or the nation that overrides their duty to the elected Government. This guy is just another such brat.

[Factotum]

In the Air Force, Lt Col was where military careers came to dead ends. Good Thai restaurant in Dutch Harbor. You may want to reconsider his preferred next assignment if one is looking for a new Siberia..

[Mr Zarate]

Perhaps an assignment to make a detailed report into the condition of Camp Century?

[J]

Colonel

So Vindman was subpoenaed to testify before the Congressional Committee. He said he volunteered to testify [under subpoena]. Why did Vindman go in whistleblower 'stuff' in his prepared statement?

Presidential prerogative trumps NSC 'staffer'. Guess that one went way over Vindman's head.

[Ghost Ship]

In the Spring of 2019, I became aware of outside influencers promoting a false narrative of Ukraine inconsistent with the consensus views of the interagency.

Did he ever for one second consider the possibility that "the consensus views of the interagency" might be the false narrative? Does the Washington Borg have a history of false narratives? Nah.

[fredw]

Vindman says that the president expressed views inconsistent "with the consensus views of the interagency."

No, he didn't say that. At least not in the document you linked to. The sentence you seem to be referencing is "In the Spring of 2019, I became aware of outside influencers promoting a false narrative of Ukraine inconsistent with the consensus views of the interagency. This narrative was harmful to U.S. government policy." Not about the president and not about the phone call. It also fits much better into his job description as I perceive it.

He does seem a bit arrogant, but he was living in John Bolton's world so ...

[Vig]

The U.S.government policy community’s view is that the election of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the promise of reforms to eliminate corruption will lock in Ukraine’s Western-leaning trajectory,and allow Ukraine to realize its dream of a vibrant democracy and economic prosperity.

Given this perspective and my commitment to advancing our government’s strategic interests, I will nowrecount several events that occurred

He misunderstood the "U.S, government policy community’s view"? Or Trump's and/or Pence's view? Or he assumes, wrongly I understand, that their (Trump's) view is the borg's view?

[Paco]

Are you suggesting Unalaska as a good working destination for the LTC?
Lovely place, great fish and lots of it. He should get living quarters with a view to mount Ballyhoo and entertain himself reading Jack London’s works.

[plantman]

Isn't this a case of misplaced loyalties?

It seems to me that Vindman remained loyal to the "members of the (foreign policy)fraternity" rather than the president of the United States. Isn't that what's really going on here?

At some basic level, these people like Vidman don't seem to accept our system of free elections where bureaucrats are required to implement the policies of democratically elected leaders. They seem to think it is patriotic to sabotage those policies that don't square with their narrow idea of how things should work. Unfortunately, this sickness appears to be pretty widespread across the government, military and intel agencies.

We need a good purge.

[turcopolier]

plantman

"Isn't that what's really going on here?" Isn't that what I said?

[turcopolier]

Fredw He made it clear that his gripe was that the president was not taking the Borg's direction.

[Jack]

LTC Vindman, apparently never read Article II, Section 1 of our Constitution.

I honestly just don’t get the clown show of the impeachment “inquiry” that Nancy is running. She clearly doesn’t want to have an open and transparent impeachment investigation where both the President and the minority could subpoena witnesses and retain counsel to cross-examine all witnesses and review all the evidence.

Why this sham? Why not just bring forward the articles of impeachment without any open investigation and have the House vote. The Democrats have enough votes in their caucus to pass it. Or is Nancy concerned she actually doesn’t have the votes in the House?

[vegetius]

Perhaps Vindman is loyal to something other than just "members of the fraternity."

Aren't intelligence people supposed to be trained to detect patterns?

There is an unmistakable ethno-religious thread running through the entire effort to destroy Trump. It is not a coincidence.

Over half a millennium ago, Machiavelli warned against trusting exiles, yet our forpol has revolved around the interests of exiles - when it has not been dictated by them directly, and it has brought us nearly to ruin.

[K]

"Why this sham?"

My opinion is that the sham is designed to vent steam from the dangerously fried brains of the "Resistance" before these zombie troops can destroy the Democrats' (dwindling) hopes of taking over the White House next year.

They need to be kept in the corral, given some food and water (not too much), reminded hourly that Orange Man bad, and yet not be allowed to eat Republican brains YET.

Happy Halloween, America.

[Factotum]

To paraphrase, ....I became aware of outside influences promoting a false agenda in Iraq that was inconsistent with the consensus views of the interagency that Saddam Hussein had stockpiles of WMD. Therefore, it was my opinion as a subordinate, President Bush should be impeached.

[Andy S]

This Lt. Col thinks we are all idiots. Using foreign gov'ts to investigate U.S. citizens is his sudden concern? Where was this idiot when Obama was doing that? Guess this Lt. Col never heard of the "Five Eyes" Program. It is common knowledge that the U.S. cannot spy on its own but heck it doesn't mean Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and the U.K cannot do it for us. Lt. Col Vindman needs to be drummed out of the Army and sent to the Federal Prison at Ft. Leavenworth, KS. Also nice of his smart *** to wear his uniform to the hearing but not on a daily basis to his job. Who the F is he trying to impress OR why is he stupid enough to let the Dem's use him. He is a disgrace to me and every Veteran that has served or is serving

[Factotum]

I was a tourist in Ukraine shortly before the Russian re-annexation of Crimea, and our tour bus leader was quite candid about wanting to side with western Europe instead of Russia in the upcoming referendum. For her, was all about access to more consumer goods and potential of getting her hands on EU investment money; nothing political.

[Factotum]

Nancy wants a deafening anti-Trump drum beat to continue until November 2020. She has to in order to appease the big government employee unions who fund the Democrat party and provide the GOTV ground troops. She doesn't care about substance; only form.

She knows this can lead to voters finally screaming, just get rid of the guy. We want peace. We see this same thing play out in California - it is dedicated Democrat tactic, until even a candidates mother would not recognize anyone who dares take on the powerful public employee unions in this state - aka the well-funded Democrat Mean Machine.

[Keith Harbaugh]

There is another part of the story.
Let any member of the bureaucracy express a view contrary to that of President Trump,
and WaPo will present the view of the bureaucrat as being clearly right, and in America's interest,
and the view of President Trump as being wrong.
President Trump is clearly the Rodney Dangerfield of our time, with regard to the media.
It's worse than a shame; it's not a crime;
I don't know the right word to describe the situation.

[Keith Harbaugh]

Sundance writes:
"Seditious Conspiracy / Sketchy Witness – Schiff Blocks Questioning of NSC Staffer Alexander Vindman to Protect Him from Legal Exposure…",
sundance, 2019-10-29

[ISL]

We are the Borg. Lower your shields and surrender your ships. We will add your biological and technological distinctiveness to our own. Your culture will adapt to service us. Resistance is futile.

Not for a Borg Drone

[Jim Ticehurst]

Its not hard to get background information on LTC Alexander Vindman and His brother who is also an Army Officer and Attorney by doing a google search..and reading on the News Articles Defending Him..As an Immigrant from the Ukraine..fluent in the Language and fluent in Russian..He held many interesting Posts including Assignments to Our Embassy in Russia..and then into the NSC Circle so well That He could listen in on Phone Calls by President Trump.. .With his Background and Political Bias...I have to wonder if He had Contact with any of the People who are Part of the Hillary Clinton Team..or participated in the Christopher Steele Circle here or in Europe or Russia..or The Ukraine.. that Put together the Steele Dossier. .All I see and read is Absolute Verification of Every Point you have ever Made here …. No Coincidence that MANY First or Second Generation Politicans..are also the Ones Trying to take down Prsident Trump..and it is a COUP Attempt..IMO

[anon]

Vindman wore his uniform because he does exactly what he is ordered to do.He does report to senior officers after all.If this turns into a drefuss then it is all over

[Fred]

To quote LTC Vindman:
" I was a politico-military affairs officer for Russia for the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs where I authored the principle strategy for managing competition with Russia."

So the JCS didn't draft the strategy a LTC did? Why do we need all those generals?

" I am appearing today voluntarily pursuant to a subpoena"
So, no subpoena = no testimony. I sure hope zero reporters ask just how your name came to be known to the committee to they would force your appearance by issuing a subpoena.

"In my position, I coordinate with a superb cohort of inter-agency partners. I regularly prepare internal memoranda, talking points, and other materials for the National Security Advisor and senior staff."

So you are a highly skilled speechwriter and PowerPoint expert.
"I became aware of outside influencers promoting a false narrative of Ukraine inconsistent with the consensus views of the interagency. This narrative was harmful to U.S. government policy."
As President Trump’s decision determines what is U.S. Government policy.

"... it is my sacred duty and honor to advance and defend OUR country, irrespective of party or politics."

So you are on a mission from God and elections won't get in the way of what you and your colleagues determine is the national interest? Please remind me when the political commissar elections were held, I don't remember any but do remember quite clearly Trump winning the presidential election of 2016.

"I have never had direct contact or communications with the President."

Imagine that. But you do know what the best policy for the US is and what the elected President decided isn't acceptable to you and your "interagency colleagues", thus the sabotage of US policy, by you, the good officer and let us emphasise, the good immigrant. The entire Democratic Party stands ready to defend you. How many more junior officers will decide that sabotage of US policy - as inspired by their own enlightened understanding of course - will we see in the years to come? Congratulations to Adam Schiff, Nancy Pelosi, et. al. What a wonderful achievement. Perhaps you should vote LTC Vindman an honorary gold medal for his courage.

[Fred]

Factotum,

An EU passport meant a ticket out of the sticks and none of that nation building stuff. Why create a civilization worth living in when you can just high tail it to one other people built?