Blackfive:
We’ve received many emails over the last week or so from readers asking us to get to the bottom of this situation/rumors du jour…I’m not sure that we can actually do that quickly, but here is what we’ve been hearing…
First of all, over the last week there have been many reports that the AFRICOM commander, GEN Carter Ham, had been arrested by his second in command and relieved of command. The reasoning in several articles from journalists and bloggers is that GEN Ham was ready to violate a do-not-assist order with regards to Benghazi. I would think that there are too many people who would know about this that could keep an event like that as quiet as it seems to have been kept.
Photo courtesy of Armed Forces PressGEN Ham, with 42 years under his belt, could actually retire TOMORROW, and we should see what he has to say when he retires. Since the announcement of his being replaced, GEN Ham has been seen speaking at several functions. Hardly the position of someone who was arrested for insubordination…or as some are suggesting, the leader of a coup. But it is possible that he was removed for violating orders in a manner without arrest.
On back channel, there has been talk that GEN Ham is actually being relieved for another mission – one that was denied airspace access by a sovereign nation, and that GEN Ham intentionally violated airspace rules/laws in order to complete a mission (not Benghazi). There is also talk that GEN Ham is resigning in disgust of the chain of command – literally, with the Commander in Chief – and that he is trying to do so as apolitically as possible (and Ham is seen as being one of “the President’s guys”). One would think that someone would wait for an election just days away to be over before resigning in protest (because you might have a new CinC), but who knows? On Monday, GEN Dempsey, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, declared that GEN Ham’s departure was part of a planned rotation in the works since July. Hhmmm…
Then, we have an up and coming Rear Admiral being relieved of command of the Stennis carrier group. This is significant as it is not due to conduct unbecoming, personal conduct, or for incompetence, but for “inappropriate leadership judgment“. What?!
Photo Courtesy of USS Stennis/US NavyAdmiral Charles M. Gaouette was relieved of command mid-deployment which is rare (understatement).  From the AP:
General Ham is also quitting the military.
This will give him freedom to speak, although I don’t know if he leaves in time before the election.
Pretty simple, I’d bet for the current regime (if it slithers into another term) to deny retirement benefits if these fellas talk.
AS MUCH AS OBAMA want to cover his guilt of having let down AMERICANS THE BEST OF COURAGE, THE PEOPLE WON’T LET HIM GET AWAY WITH IT, UNTIL HE GET WHAT HE DISERVE,