Friday Night News Dump

Secretary of Defense Robert Gates is calling on a replacement of the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Friday he has decided to replace the chairman and vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff rather than see contentious renomination hearings before Congress.

Speaking to reporters, and referring to the debate over the war in Iraq, Gates said he had wanted to renominate Marine Gen. Peter Pace as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff but then concluded doing so would create "a confirmation process that would not be in the best interest of the country."

"I concluded that because Gen. Pace has served as chairman and vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff for the last six years, the focus of his confirmation process would have been on the past rather than the future," Gates said.

"There was the very real prospect the process would be quite contentious," he said. "A divisive ordeal at this point is not in the interest of the country."

Admiral could replace Pace
Gates said he had recommended that President Bush nominate Adm. Mike Mullen, chief of naval operations, to replace Pace, whose term expires in September.

Mullen has the "vision, strategic insight and integrity to lead America's armed forces," Gates said.

Gates said his choice of Mullen required him to also not seek the renomination of the vice chairman, Adm. Ed Giambiastiani, since it would create an imbalance among the armed forces, which each get a seat on the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

He will instead recommend to Bush that Gen. James E. Cartwright, currently the commander of the Strategic Command, become vice chairman.

So, politics is going to trump sound military judgment and policy? Lovely.

I don't have a problem with the Administration shifting and adjusting the Joint Chiefs, but if Pace is the best man for the job, fight to keep him there instead of claiming that you want to avoid a fight over his confirmation because you want to look forward instead of what he's done until now.

The fact is that we have to look at who is best capable of providing solid military judgment on all the facts of national security, and that means reviewing their prior decision making. How else is anyone to be judged sufficiently capable of holding such an important post?