DP. You've had several people with good points speaking up about this. You just ignore, as always. Oh, and not everyone is "MAGA." Give it a rest. |
Nobody has been made any good points in defense of this pick. |
You all are confusing combatant commanders with the Sec Def. |
Wasn’t he in the hospital having a terrible medical crisis and didn’t inform the president? Nobody knew? That’s the fantastic executive skills dcum progressives are so enthralled with; he’s a 4 star, in charge of everything, service members around the world are under his command, and that’s what happened. Unbelievable. Let an e4 miss formation and see what happens, but Lloyd Austin is hospitalized and tells no one. |
So he's such a bad pick you guys have already resorted to "waddabout"... |
The SecDef is not in "command" |
Agree. Let's hear about why he will be good at managing this responsibility beyond "he will give the finger to the pentagon." |
The United States secretary of defense (SecDef) is the head of the United States Department of Defense, the executive department of the U.S. Armed Forces, and is a high-ranking member of the federal cabinet.[5][6][7] The secretary of defense's position of command and authority over the military is second only to that of the president of the United States, who is the commander-in-chief. This position corresponds to what is generally known as a defense minister in many other countries.[8] The secretary of defense is appointed by the president with the advice and consent of the Senate, and is by custom a member of the Cabinet and by law a member of the National Security Council.[9] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Secretary_of_Defense |
Pardon my ignorance. Who is responsible for the country's defense and advises the president? |
Obama appointed Chuck Hagel. He was didnt have a long military career (a couple yrs in Vietnam), also wasn’t in the CIA or anything else that stands out as superior qualification. |
The DOD is a massive organization. I’m not saying it needs to be a general, but I don’t think it is too much to ask to have someone with significant experience running large organizations or agencies and have a background in security or defense. It’s a huge responsibility. |
This makes me very anxious. Hope he doesn't get confirmed. |
After a regiment of human growth hormones. |
DP. Just out of curiosity, I looked up some former Sec. Defs. Here are the ones who were appointed by Democratic presidents: Ashton B. Carter Barack Obama Administration: ZERO military experience Chuck Hagel Barack Obama Administration: fought in Vietnam as enlisted, left as Sergeant (which I believe is lower than Major?) Leon E. Panetta Barack Obama Administration: ZERO military experience, unless you count two years as a young Army intel officer Robert M. Gates George W. Bush / Barack Obama Administration: left Air Force as 2nd Lieutenant (lower than Major, correct?) William S. Cohen William Clinton Administration: ZERO military experience Leslie Aspin William Clinton Administration: ZERO military experience The point isn't to diminish the wealth of *other* experience all of these men had, but simply to point out that having military experience is NOT a criterion for the job. https://history.defense.gov/Multimedia/Biographies/Article-View/Article/571296/ashton-b-carter/ |
Maybe Dr. Drew can be the Secretary of Health and Human Services. |