Army Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Vindman, a military officer at the National Security Council, center, arrives on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2019, to appear before a House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, and Committee on Oversight and Reform joint interview with the transcript to be part of the impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

A Federalist article published on November 12, opened with this provocative lede:

Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman is living, breathing, testifying proof the Deep State exists. He has shown his true colors and the agenda of the self-appointed elites who think they run this country.

The author, Jim Hanson, is spot on in his assessment (emphasis mine).

Let me state categorically that I am not implying dual loyalty or questioning Vindman’s patriotism or even his devotion to duty as he sees it. I’m questioning his judgment about where that duty lies and the execution of those duties as a military officer and civil servant.

Hanson goes on to provide perhaps the most useful aspect of his article…a good definition of “Deep State.”

Deep State (noun): The permanent, professional bureaucracy of the U.S. government, specifically those who believe their judgment and continual service makes them better suited to run the country than elected officials or political appointees.

I couldn’t agree more. As I watched the testimony of two Department of State bureaucrats during the so called “impeachment inquiry,” I could see that example in full force. Although this investigation was supposed to be about alleged misconduct by President Trump, there was absolutely no testimony from the witnesses that led me to believe that either of them had directly observed any illegal or even improper act.

While a goodly part of their testimony focused on rumor, innuendo and conjecture, most of it appeared to be these careerists opining about how “Foreign Policy Business should be conducted.” Their whole shtick centered around an apparent belief that President Trump “wasn’t doing things their way and that was bad.”

LTC Vindman manifested much the same attitude with his statements on US-Ukraine policy, opining that President Trump “was undermining U.S. Policy.” As I’ve written previously, this Commissioned Officer, appointed by the President, needs to understand that it’s The President who sets policy, not him and certainly not some pickup group of unelected bureaucrats.

Here’s Hanson’s money paragraph, emphasis mine

The interagency he mentions is a collection of staff from the major agencies like the State Department, Department of Defense, and intelligence agencies, who meet to coordinate and plan implementation of policy. They most certainly are not supposed to decide what policy the United States will follow. That is 100 percent the purview of the president.

Hanson goes on to cite chapter and verse, actions and statements by Vindman that demonstrate that he truly believes that permanent bureaucrats who are part of “the Interagency,” are the only ones who should be deciding matters of foreign policy.

Hanson also uses LTC Vindman’s own statements under oath to demonstrate his singular and gross lack of maturity, citing an incident where he chided newly-elected president Zenlinky, regarding meddling in U.S. elections and did so in front of senior U.S. and Ukrainian officials. I cannot imagine a circumstance where a duly accredited Ambassador, much less an Army Lieutenant colonel, would publicly chide the president of a foreign country.

Hanson has written a devastating article. I recommend you read it in detail. LTC Vindman is but a small symptom of the rot that has not only infected the Civil Service bureaucracy, but it would appear also, my beloved Army. President Trump has promised to drain the swamp. Vindman et al obviously don’t want to be drained and are fighting back. Stay tuned for further words on how this has infected our Military.

Mike Ford, a retired Infantry Officer, writes on Military, Foreign Affairs and occasionally dabbles in Political and Economic matters.

Follow him on Twitter: @MikeFor10394583

You can find his other Red State work here.