From: "Dave Ings" 

> That I really don't care whether this guy was forced out because he had
> his 20 years and full pension and the government didn't want to carry his
> salary any longer

I've long been amazed at the generous pensions offered to police and
fireman in the US. Not so much the dollar amounts per se, but the ability
to retire at full pension after (say) 20 years, young enough to start a
second career and "double dip". I didn't realize this was also
true of US military personnel.

It does tend to provide a comfortable financial backstop at taxpayer expense,
doesn't it? I wish I had access to those kind of fringe benefits. No wonder
there is supposedly an impending fiscal crisis at the (US) municipal level.

> or if he was forced out as punishment for the insubordination implied in
> his language directed at the commander in chief.

I don't feel informed enough to comment about any purported
insubordination. However I have noticed in US culture what I'd deem to be
an excessive amount of respect for the holders of senior political office,
including the Presidency and its role of "commander in chief". I
know it's easy to be overly cynical, but I don't lose sight of the fact
that the office holder is more often than not just another lying
politician.

No different in my coutnry of course (at least the lying part).

Dave.

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