After introducing his health care team with Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris, President-Elect Joe Biden penned an article in The Atlantic, revealing to the American People the reasons why he has chosen Army General Loyd Austin to be his Administration’s first Secretary of Defense.
If he receives a Congressional Waver (he has been retired from the military for only four years) and is confirmed by the Senate, General Austin would be the first Black person to become the Secretary of Defense.
In justifying his selection, President-Elect Biden wrote:
“In his more than 40 years in the United States Army, Austin met every challenge with extraordinary skill and profound personal decency. He is a true and tested soldier and leader. I’ve spent countless hours with him, in the field and in the White House Situation Room. I’ve sought his advice, seen his command, and admired his calm and his character. He is the definition of a patriot. He rose through the Army’s ranks during his distinguished and trailblazing career. He was the 200th person ever to attain the rank of an Army four-star general, but only the sixth African American. He built a career grounded in service to this country and challenged the institution that he loves to grow more inclusive and more diverse at every step….”
“The fact is, Austin’s many strengths and his intimate knowledge of the Department of Defense and our government are uniquely matched to the challenges and crises we face. He is the person we need in this moment.”
“The next secretary of defense will need to immediately quarterback an enormous logistics operation to help distribute COVID-19 vaccines widely and equitably. Austin oversaw the largest logistical operation undertaken by the Army in six decades—the Iraq drawdown.”
“The next secretary of defense will need to ensure the well-being and resilience of our service members and their families, strained by almost two decades of war. Austin knows the incredible cost of war and the commingled pride and pain that live in the hearts of those families that pay it.”
“And the next secretary of defense will have to make sure that our armed forces reflect and promote the full diversity of our nation. Austin will bring to the job not only his personal experience, but the stories of the countless young people he has mentored. If confirmed, he will ensure that every member of the armed forces is treated with dignity and respect, including Black, Latino, Asian American, Native American, women, and LGBTQ service members.”
“Above all, I chose Lloyd Austin as my nominee for secretary of defense because I know how he reacts under pressure, and I know that he will do whatever it takes to defend the American people…”
While many (including this writer) thought President-elect Biden would make history by nominating the equally well qualified Michele Flournoy as the First Woman Secretary of Defense, General Austin’s selection is equally historic.
Do not be surprised if Flournoy receives a top assignment like Ambassador to N.A.T.O. or, later as Secretary of Defense after Austin, if confirmed, completes his service in that capacity.
With the nomination of General Austin, the makeup of the Biden/Harris Administration is:
White Women: 14
Black Women: 8
Latino Women: 3
Asian Women: 4
White Men: 10
Black Men: 3
Latino Men: 4
Asian Men: 1
UPDATE
Please watch President-Elect Biden and Vice President-Elect Harris introduce General Austin as their nominee for Secretary of Defense by clicking below:
Discover more from Blog for Arizona
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
And it gets worse – He’s on the board of Raytheon! Weapons manufacturer. And he has opposed ending large sales of arms. Those arms just prolong proxy wars and are often turned against U.S. soldiers at some point. So NO he is not the guy. And we shouldn’t just support someone because they tick a box.
We do NOT want a military man in charge of the military. There is a reason that job is required to be a civilian. We are not a nation that is supposed to be run by the military. You may not worry about Biden, but it sets a terrible precedent for the next Rumper guy who comes by. So yes it’s great he’s Black, but it’s terrible he’s military. So NO, find a qualified civilian – I’m sure there are many.
One problem, identified by Adam Silverman at Balloon Juice, is that military officers with 40 year careers show too much deference to higher authority. Not their fault, a military career can condition someone that way. His example was early in his administration Trump was verbally savaging the military during a meeting and all the attending senior officers, including Secretary of Defense Mattis, a retired four star Marine, could do was look down and not challenge him. This was the meeting after which, Secretary of State Tillerson referred to Trump as a f**king moron.
A Secretary of Defense has to be able point out to the President when he’s wrong. Let’s hope that if he gets the job General Austin is capable of that.
I don’t think that civilian or military is as important as the individual when choosing a Secretary of Defense.
Past civilians include:
– Robert McNamara, arguably the worst ever.
“In 1995 Vietnam released its official estimate of the number of people killed during the Vietnam War: as many as 2,000,000 civilians on both sides and some 1,100,000 North Vietnamese and Viet Cong fighters. The U.S. military has estimated that between 200,000 and 250,000 South Vietnamese soldiers died.”
Donald Rumsfeld, probably second to McNamara. The death toll from the so-called War on Terror is yet to be determined.