Cpl. Adam Kokesh is an Iraq war veteran who is fiercely anti-war.  Since leaving the Marine Corps he has participated in, and organized, all sorts of anti-war stunts, and given his status as an honest-to-goodness veteran (as opposed to the usual posers who flock to the anti-war side) he’s risen to some prominence.

Recently, however, he invoked the wrath of the Marine Corps brass for a protest he participated in.  His honorable discharge is being reversed and the Corps is trying to get him dishonorably discharged.  The left is screeching about the military trying to silence a veteran who is simply exercising his free speech, but it’s not as simple as that.

The Marine Corps’ beef is this: Kokesh wore his uniform to a protest.  That might sound like a minor issue, but I think it’s a legitimate beef.

The military has never, ever allowed our troops to use their military status (and the uniforms/insignias that go with it) to promote political causes.  Democrat, Republican, liberal, conservative, pro-war or anti-war; nobody gets to do it.  And that goes for Kokesh too.

Now, if the anti-war left would like to strike a deal and let all of the soldiers who support the Iraq war (who outnumber the Kokesh’s of the world by several orders of magnitude) advance their political agendas while wearing their uniforms then Kokesh can protest all he wants in his uniform.  But, frankly, I’d just as soon our troops remain politically neutral while in uniform.  It’s a sign of respect for this country and the uniform of our armed service.

A level of respect Kokesh apparently can’t muster.

Update: The Marine Corps’ position as per W. Thomas Smith Jr. at National Review’s The Tank:

This is not about free speech. This is about violating rules and regulations. The uniform regulations are very specific about when you can and cannot wear the uniform. And you cannot show disrespect toward a superior officer. When you are in the IRR, you are still under contract with the Marine Corps. There are still rules and regulations, and you have to abide by those rules and regs.

Remember that Kokesh is not entirely out of the Corps.  He still has a remaining commitment as an Individual Ready Reservist.  And before anyone mentions “backdoor draft,” keep in mind that this is service Kokesh himself signed up for.

Also per Smith, Kokesh responded to word that he was being investigated for violating uniform regulations by emailing the investigating official (an Marine officer superior to Kokesh) with obscene suggestions about what he should do with himself.  That is also grounds for disciplinary action, as the Corps tends to frown upon cussing out your superiors.

This guy broke the rules, pure and simple.  All he had to do was follow uniform regulations and none of this would be happening to him.  But he didn’t, and now he has to pay the piper.  Just as an Marine who showed up at a pro-war rally in his uniform would.