Only former Vice President Joe Biden and former New York Mayor Mike B[l]oomberg have not signed the pledge, but say they would address the issue.Query: why limit this overdue reform to sex offenses? What about selection of members?
The Biden campaign said in a statement to CNN that he is committed to changing "the culture of abuse" within the Armed Forces.
"He will immediately appoint a commission comprised of current and former military leaders, military sexual assault survivors and their advocates, and prominent sexual assault experts, to make concrete recommendations to him within 90 days," the statement said. "All options should be considered to end this scourge."
Bloomberg's campaign said it is considering the issue.
"We're considering this pledge as we continue to release our policy proposals, including plans around the military and the best ways to prevent sexual assault," a spokesperson for the Bloomberg campaign wrote in an email.
What better day for this story to have run than George III's yahrzeit?
Canada did away with the power of commanders to confirm court martial verdicts years ago, and I have never met anyone who regretted the loss. It's hard to see how a court can be independent and impartial and still have its judgment subject to confirmation by some commander. As for selection of members by commanders, that was ended years ago as well, and has certainly made the court martial selection process more cumbersome and expensive, but that was probably the price that had to be paid for retention of a meaningful military justice system. Under the present system, members are selected at random from anywhere in the country and travel to wherever the trial is being held. Query: whether the CF could afford that process if they had anything like the numbers and operational commitment of the US Armed Forces?
ReplyDeleteIt will be a net win if we simply start with a president who does not pardon convicted war criminals.
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