Pentagon rebukes Fox host Tucker Carlson for mocking female troops

[GMDino]

I shared a response to this from Tammy Duckworth over in the memes thread but I just ran across this article too.

I get the Tucker is just riling people up for ratings but I wonder how it helps him to have the base have to disagree with the military?

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-56368679?xtor=AL-72-%5Bpartner%5D-%5Bbbc.news.twitter%5D-%5Bheadline%5D-%5Bnews%5D-%5Bbizdev%5D-%5Bisapi%5D&at_custom4=95B901E8-82BB-11EB-A51D-58CB4744363C&at_custom2=twitter&at_custom3=%40BBCWorld&at_custom1=%5Bpost+type%5D&at_medium=custom7&at_campaign=64

Quote:The Pentagon has condemned a Fox News host who called female troops "a mockery of the US military".


Tucker Carlson, one of the most popular hosts on the network, made the remark on his Tuesday programme.


Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said Mr Carlson's programme "essentially demeaned the entire US military" and hoped he would realise his error.


Other top brass, as well as veterans groups, have also rebuked Mr Carlson.


What did Tucker Carlson say?
Mr Carlson, who hosts the conservative network's highest rated programme, used part of his show to deride military "maternity flight suits" and recent updates to Army and Air Force hair regulations.


"Pregnant women are going to fight our wars," he said. "It's a mockery of the US military."

"While China's military becomes more masculine as it's assembled the world's largest navy, our military, as Joe Biden says, needs to become more feminine," Mr Carlson opined.

• China promotes drive to make boys more 'manly'
• The myth and reality of the super soldier
  

How did the military respond?
Senior members of the military who use to Twitter as a means to speak directly to their troops, used their accounts to denounce Carlson's comments.


General Paul Funk, who leads the Army Training and Doctrine Command tweeted that "thousands of women serve honourably every day around the globe".


"They are beacons of freedom and they prove Carlson wrong through determination and dedication," he wrote. "We are fortunate they serve with us."

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.View original tweet on Twitter


Major General Patrick Donahoe posted a video of him "conducting a re-enlistment for one of the tens of thousands of women who serve in our Army."


"Just a reminder that @TuckerCarlson couldn't be more wrong," he said.

Mr Kirby said he hoped the commentator would "realise the mistake he made and express some regret about the manner in which he essentially demeaned the entire U.S. military and how we defend and how we serve this country."


The Pentagon would not be take military advice from Mr Carlson in any case, he said.

Plus the abuse he so richly deserves that it being directed at him on social media.  Big misstep by TC.