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A gaggle of House Republicans is demanding that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin investigate “left-wing extremism” in the U.S. military.
Rep. Derrick Van Orden, R-Wis., himself a veteran, led 5 different GOP lawmakers in elevating issues associated to the current self-immolation of an active-duty Air Force member exterior of the Israeli embassy.
“We write you today as members of Congress, many of us having served our country honorably, in our commitment to the security and integrity of our nation’s armed forces. Your dedication to rooting out extremist behavior within our ranks has been well documented and demonstrates a commitment to maintaining the honor and cohesion of our armed forces,” the Republicans wrote.
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Rep. Derrick Van Orden is main a letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin urging him to behave on “left-wing extremism” in the military. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc by way of Getty Images | Thomas Niedermueller/Getty Images)
“It is with this shared commitment in mind that we urge your attention toward the equally pressing issue of left-wing extremism among active-duty service members and veterans.”
Their letter identified that the airman who lit himself on fireplace in February to protest Israel’s invasion of Gaza, Aaron Bushnell, was a self-declared “anarchist.” They argued that his world view was “incompatible with that of our constitutional republic and entirely inappropriate for a member of the United States Military who had taken an oath to defend it at all costs.”
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Aaron Bushnell, 25, an active-duty member of the U.S. Air Force, died after setting himself ablaze in protest of Israel’s ongoing conflict in Gaza on Feb. 27, 2024. (Fatih Aktas/Anadolu by way of Getty Images)
“This act, motivated by his stated desire to protest Israel in what he described as complicity in injustice, demonstrates the potential for ideologically driven behaviors to undermine the values, discipline, and safety of our military community, irrespective of the political orientation of those ideologies,” Van Orden’s letter stated.
The lawmakers identified a number of instances that Austin has made combating extremism in the military a precedence of his management.
In 2021, Austin established a working group on extremism in the military. He introduced in April 2021 that it will be led by Bishop Garrison, the senior adviser to the secretary of protection on human capital and variety, fairness and inclusion.
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“Given your prior work in confronting extremism within the ranks, we are confident that you recognize the importance of a comprehensive approach to this challenge,” they wrote.
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“It is imperative that our efforts to identify and mitigate extremist influences encompass all forms of ideology that threaten the cohesion and effectiveness of our armed forces.”
A Pentagon spokesperson instructed Fox News Digital when requested for touch upon the letter, “As with all congressional correspondence, the Department will respond directly to the Members.”
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