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file photo Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Washington DC, the recent firing of Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair Gen. CQ Brown Jr., along with five other top defense officials, has sparked controversy in Washington. While critics argue that the move threatens military stability, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is standing by the decision, calling it a necessary step in reshaping the nation’s defense strategy.
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Newark NJ, A Turkish man who owns a New Jersey defense contracting business has been charged in a scheme to fraudulently acquire lucrative manufacturing contracts with the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), and for conspiring to export military technical drawings to Turkey without a license from the State Department, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced today.
Is it any wonder no one wants Chuck Hagel’s job?
https://www.thenational.ae/opinion/comment/is-it-any-wonder-no-one-wants-chuck-hagels-job
Does anyone want Chuck Hagel’s old job? (AP Photo above /Mark Wilson, Pool)
First, Rhode Island Senator Jack Reed said ‘no’. He’s enjoying serving his constituents too much to consider leaving the Senate.
Then, former undersecretary of defence Michèle Flournoy announced she wasn’t interested either. She is committed to spending more time with her family.
Nobody, it would seem, wants to succeed the dismissed Chuck Hagel as Barack Obama’s defence secretary.
But who would want the job?
Given what Mr Hagel had to deal with, and what happened to him as a consequence, the downside of any such appointment is glaringly obvious.
Since the financial meltdown of 2008, it’s almost universally agreed that significant budget cuts are essential to restore the American economy. Cuts in military spending are an indispensable component of this because the overall share of the Armed Forces’ funding is at least 17 per cent, which is a significant part of annual government spending. Many believe that 17 per cent is a gross underestimate.
It is often said that the Pentagon is effectively the largest corporation in the United States. It is also one of America’s biggest employers, of both uniformed and civilian personnel. In such circumstances, one of the key tasks of any defence secretary is to preside over some pretty ruthless downsizing.
The pain is even greater because in this case the expenditures are public rather than private. Jobs are lost every time a base closes, a contract cancelled, or a deployment scrapped. Mr Hagel was initially brought in partly to oversee another phase in this politically damaging process.
His successor will be the fourth defence secretary to preside over the giant rollback.
As the process moves on, it becomes more difficult, and the cuts more controversial. Indeed, Mr Hagel was reportedly upset that Mr Obama did not fight harder in Congress to secure the Pentagon’s budget.
https://ibishblog.com/2014/11/29/is-it-any-wonder-no-one-wants-chuck-hagels-job/
Obama removing Hagel as Pentagon chief
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel resigned Monday, becoming the first casualty of the Obama administration since Democrats suffered significant losses in this month’s midterm elections.
Hagel, the only Republican in Obama’s cabinet, was brought to the Pentagon to reduce budgets and wind down the war in Afghanistan.
His departure comes as the White House faces criticism over its handling of a new terrorist threat — the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), and questions had been raised about whether Hagel was the right man for that job.
Obama announced Hagel’s departure in a White House ceremony were he was flanked by Hagel and Vice President Biden. He hailed Hagel as an “exemplary defense secretary” who had put the military “on a firmer footing.”
“I’ve known him admired him and trusted him for nearly a decade,” said Obama, who then added that Hagel had decided “it was an appropriate time for him to conclude his service.”
A senior administration official said the two had been discussing the possible transition since October. The president plans to nominate a successor shortly, but Hagel said he would remain in the post until that person is confirmed by the Senate.
Hagel, clearly emotional, said the “greatest privilege” of his career was leading the men and women of the Pentagon.
https://thehill.com/policy/defense/225162-obama-removing-hagel-from-pentagon