Reassuring words from the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs (but he doesn't have the final say)

Genghis Khan

General Mark A. Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, spoke to the House Armed Services Committee about President Donald J. Trump's recent intervention in three military justice cases:

"We do maintain, and we will maintain good order and discipline," Milley told lawmakers during a hearing before the House Armed Services Committee on Wednesday. "We will not turn into a gang of raping and burning, pillaging throughout … That is not going to happen because of this or anything else."

Milley, the military's top officer, was responding to questions from Democratic Congressman Seth Moulton of Massachusetts, a Marine Corps veteran who said he received a text message from a Marines sergeant major raising concerns about Mr. Trump's decision to intervene in the military justice cases of three service members last month. Some warned the president's move would undermine the military justice system.

The unidentified sergeant major who texted Moulton called Mr. Trump's efforts "appalling" and said it "encourages folks to start burning villages and pillaging like Genghis Khan."

"I think that the uniform code of military justice and the means by which we maintain good order and discipl[in]e are a critical element in order to maintain that capability and some level of humanity in combat zones," Milley said, adding that the president is "part of the process" and has the legal authorities to intervene.

Who's right? The Chairman or the Sergeant Major? What assurance is there that this history will not repeat itself?

For a defense of President Trump's actions, consider this piece from The Hill, which concludes:

Like Presidents [Richard M.] Nixon and [Barack] Obama before him, President Trump acted to balance what he felt was unfair action by the military bureaucracy. The president must be the final arbiter of the military justice system and be allowed to issue clemency — without question — when he feels it is the right thing to do.

"Without question"?