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amateurs and political Operatives micromanage the DoD from the White House

Discussion in 'Political Debate & Discussion' started by carpro, Nov 30, 2014.

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  1. carpro

    carpro Well-Known Member
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    http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/storie...ME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2014-11-29-08-26-35


    FOR OBAMA AND THE PENTAGON, AN UNEASY RELATIONSHIP
    BY JULIE PACE AND ROBERT BURNS
    ASSOCIATED PRESS


    WASHINGTON (AP) -- On a trip to Afghanistan during President Barack Obama's first term, Defense Secretary Robert Gates was stunned to find a telephone line at the military's special operations headquarters that linked directly back to a top White House national security official.

    "I had them tear it out while I was standing there," Gates said earlier this month as he recounted his discovery. "I told the commanders, `If you get a call from the White House, you tell them to go to hell and call me.'"

    To Gates, the phone in Kabul came to symbolize Obama's efforts to micromanage the Pentagon and centralize decision-making in the White House. That criticism later would be echoed publicly and pointedly by Gates' successor, Leon Panetta.

    The president's third Pentagon chief, Chuck Hagel, was picked partly because he was thought to be more deferential to Obama's close circle of White House advisers. But over time, Hagel also grew frustrated with what he saw as the West Wing's insularity.

    SNIP

    "When a president wants highly centralized control in the White House at the degree of micromanagement that I'm describing, that's not bureaucratic, that's political," he said. (Gates)
     
    #1 carpro, Nov 30, 2014
  2. Revmitchell

    Revmitchell Well-Known Member
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    From the op:

    In other words he has surrounded himself with political yes men.
     
    #2 Revmitchell, Nov 30, 2014
  3. Don

    Don Well-Known Member
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    This is why all that conjecture about Obama declaring martial law is without merit. He can't get his own SECDEF chiefs to stay with him (especially Hagel, who was chosen because he was expected to toe the line); how do you think he'll get the entire military to turn on their own country?
     
    #3 Don, Nov 30, 2014
  4. Rolfe

    Rolfe Well-Known Member
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    :thumbsup::thumbsup:
     
    #4 Rolfe, Nov 30, 2014
  5. Revmitchell

    Revmitchell Well-Known Member
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    I never believed in the Martial Law stuff but he has been getting rid of Military Leaders who do not toe the line as well. My concern is what is he replacing the with.
     
    #5 Revmitchell, Nov 30, 2014
  6. Don

    Don Well-Known Member
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    I'm aware of military leaders being replaced; most recent one was a ship's captain. However, he was replaced because of inappropriate behavior towards female subordinates, which led to a declaration of "loss of confidence."

    And it doesn't matter how many are replaced: each one has hundreds of enlisted and officer subordinates that must also be counted in the equation.

    For those top leaders to turn on their country, we would have to believe that all of those hundreds (thousands) of subordinates would blindly, mindlessly follow those orders.

    I find it easier to believe that Homeland Security would be used.
     
    #6 Don, Nov 30, 2014
  7. OldRegular

    OldRegular Well-Known Member

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    The last two democrat administrations to occupy the White House hated the Military. Hillary was reported to be one of the worst.
     
    #7 OldRegular, Nov 30, 2014
  8. carpro

    carpro Well-Known Member
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    Can't seem to help themselves. I don't know of any democrat that can be trusted to deal with or use the military properly.
     
    #8 carpro, Nov 30, 2014
  9. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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    Makes me think of the micro management of LBJ during Vietnam
     
    #9 Salty, Nov 30, 2014
  10. carpro

    carpro Well-Known Member
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    LBJ was a democrat, right?
     
    #10 carpro, Dec 1, 2014
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