By D. Allan Kerr

Personally, I hope Donald Trump tries to fire special counsel Robert Mueller III.

Citizens are generally more inclined to take a side when clear-cut battle lines are drawn between good and evil, and drastic action such as Mueller’s firing would help folks decide where they stand.

Think Batman versus Joker. Skywalker versus Vader. Roosevelt versus Hitler. Red Sox versus Yankees. Captain America versus The Red Skull.

Which is why I love it when Trump tries to spar with someone like a John McCain, who dwarfs him in character, wit, class, courage and pretty much every significant category. Ultimately, Trump’s attacks wind up spotlighting his own shortcomings.

So even Trump is probably smart enough to recognize the firestorm he would unleash upon himself by firing or even trying to discredit Mueller. Yet there remain voices on the right encouraging him to undermine the special prosecutor by cutting his funding or placing limits on his investigation. Some have called for Mueller to resign.

Which is why Mueller is the ideal choice for the job he’s doing, and the perfect foil for the guy who feels threatened by his Russia investigation.

Mueller is an ex-Marine captain who commanded a rifle platoon in Vietnam. He was wounded in combat in April 1969 and received the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Vietnamese Cross for Gallantry, and two Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals for his service.

His Bronze Star citation describes his actions in 1968 after his platoon sustained a barrage of enemy fire in the Quang Tri Province:

“With complete disregard for his own safety, (Mueller) then skillfully supervised the evacuation of casualties from the hazardous area and, on one occasion, personally led a fire team across the fire-swept area terrain to recover a mortally wounded Marine who had fallen in a position forward of the friendly lines.”

This occurred while a young Trump zealously avoided the same conflict thru five deferments, including one for the infamous bone spurs McCain recently ridiculed.

Mueller didn’t have to fight in Vietnam. He attended St. Paul’s School in Concord, NH, where he captained the lacrosse, soccer and hockey teams, skating with future Secretary of State John Kerry. Mueller graduated from Princeton in 1966 and earned a master’s degree from New York University.

Then he joined the Marines in the midst of a brutal war.

After serving on the battlefield, he spent years serving in U.S. Attorney offices and the Justice Department. He took the reins of the FBI as its director in 2001 and is credited with revamping the bureau during the years of the “war on terror.”

Upon completing the 10-year term to which he was appointed by George W. Bush, President Barack Obama asked him to remain in the job for an additional two years and Congress passed the measure with bipartisan support. Only J. Edgar Hoover, whose name is on the FBI headquarters in Washington, had a longer tenure as director.

And beyond the remarkable resume, Mueller’s integrity has never been impugned — until he started making headway in the Russia investigation.

Republican congressman Jason Chaffetz of Utah said Mueller was a “great selection” with “impeccable credentials” when his appointment as special counsel was first announced.

“I commend (Department of Justice) for bringing in an independent voice to help bring clarity to this situation,” said fellow Republican Orrin Hatch of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

I don’t want to be too hokey here, but hell, man, this guy IS Captain America.

Members of Congress, representing both parties, have already initiated legislation to thwart any attempts to oust Mueller as special prosecutor.

Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham previously warned firing Mueller “could be the beginning of the end” of Trump’s administration.

But now stuff is about to get real. Actual indictments are being dished out to those around Rosey Old Donald.

Supporters like TV evangelist Pat Robertson are encouraging Trump to just pardon everybody, cancel the Russia investigation like a failed sitcom and pretend he didn’t try to sell out the country.

The time may come soon to pick a side.

(November 3, 2017)