New SEC DEF?

[OverTQ]

October 01, 2010

Military.com|by Ward Carroll

Legendary author and reporter Bob Woodward indicated that former JCS Chairman and Secretary of State Colin Powell might get the nod to replace Robert Gates as Secretary of Defense when Gates leaves in 2011.

“I’ve heard suggestions that [President Obama] might lean on Colin Powell,” Woodward said to Military.com during an exclusive interview behind the release of Obama’s Wars, his latest book. “Obama needs some good news in this war,” he added with the notion that persuading Powell to take the job would certainly be a good move in the eyes of most of the American public. Woodward also pointed out that the Powell Doctrine deals with the use of overwhelming force, which could mean Powell’s instincts might be to ask for even more troops in order to end the war faster and more definitively.

Obama’s Wars is Woodward’s latest look at the innermost workings in and around Washington’s halls of power, and the book gives some of the most detailed behind-the-scenes glimpses of the Obama White House to date.

Hours after the election – well before the inauguration – Obama starts to make a rapid transition from candidate to fledgling commander-in-chief.

“One of the first things the generals tell [Obama] is that Pakistan is living a lie,” Woodward said. Pakistan supports terrorist and creates some of the other terrorists who are killing Americans. “When Obama asks, ‘What are we doing about it?’ the intel people answer, ‘Not much.’”

Citing Pakistan’s tradition of coups, tolerance of groups like al Qaeda, and instability of government, as well as their possession of nuclear weapons, Woodward suggested that Pakistan is “the knot that has to be untied in some way if we’re going to stabilize the situation in Afghanistan.”

[Duck]

I would love to see the Honorable Gates in the unemployment line! Cheers!

[zrooster99]

Personally, I think Powell would be a good choice, but I might end up eating those words. At a minimum, I definitely agree with the Powell doctrine.

[Dead Last]

Personally, I think Powell would be a good choice, but I might end up eating those words. At a minimum, I definitely agree with the Powell doctrine.

I think Stormin' Norman Schwarzkopf would be a great fit right now...

Cheers

[brickhistory]

Personally, I think Powell would be a good choice, but I might end up eating those words. At a minimum, I definitely agree with the Powell doctrine.

I don't think the last Administration (when Powell was actually part of it) and certainly not this Administration believe in the Powell Doctrine.

See the arguments about asking for 40,000 troops in Afghanistan, finally getting a committment for 30,000, but with a specific begin to pull out date attached.

Don't remember those clauses in the Powell Doctrine.

Powell will do himself a disservice if he joins this Administration. Nothing good could come to his reputation from being SECDEF now. The next guy/gal is going to have a helluva rear-guard action either voluntarily or otherwise undoing some Gates' measures, i.e., JFCOM, et al. Congress, of whatever flavor, likes it some defense spending in the home district/state.

[nsplayr]

I'm predicting Michele Flournoy who's the current Undersecretary of Defense for Policy. And I for one am a big fan of Gates so here's to hoping the talk of his demise is premature.

P.S. - the Woodward book is very good and interesting for those into political back-stories and/or those with questions about how decisions about the war in Afghanistan came about. I'm only 1/2 way in but recommend it so far.

Edited October 3, 2010 by nsplayr

[disgruntledemployee]

If you recall, Gates agreed to stay on the job, but not for a full term. In any case, I don't see the next SecDef sharing my views (or the majority of our military). So hold on tight, I believe moderate to severe turbulence is ahead.

Out

[Guest Hueypilot812]

If you recall, Gates agreed to stay on the job, but not for a full term. In any case, I don't see the next SecDef sharing my views (or the majority of our military). So hold on tight, I believe moderate to severe turbulence is ahead.

Out

Unfortunately the Sec Def isn't appointed because they share the mindset of the majority of those in uniform...they are appointed because they share the same philosophies of the current civilian administration, Gates notwithstanding (although I don't think Gates thinks like Obama, he's done a pretty good job towing the line). Always remember the Sec Def (and any cabinet appointee, really) is a political appointment, made with politics in mind.

[Whitty]

Unfortunately the Sec Def isn't appointed because they share the mindset of the majority of those in uniform...they are appointed because they share the same philosophies of the current civilian administration, Gates notwithstanding (although I don't think Gates thinks like Obama, he's done a pretty good job towing the line). Always remember the Sec Def (and any cabinet appointee, really) is a political appointment, made with politics in mind.

2

However it plays out, I'm worried things will still get worse before they begin to get better.

[BQZip01]

^^^

3

It would be nice if there were a SecDef/SecAF who sought the opinions of "the little people" like SecDef Gates did in his previous job:

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/colleges/texasam/stories/120906dnspogates.2afb538.html

[PapaJu]

While Powell is one of my favorite public figures (and personally I think he's done with being a cabinet secretary), the tradition of not having former generals (MacArthur being the exception) as SECDEF exists for good reason.

Edited October 5, 2010 by PapaJu

[OverTQ]

I think whoever is the Sec Def the budgets and manning are going to get cut.