Another View: Congress should insist on civilian control of the military
Recently retired Gen. Lloyd Austin is too closely tied to the military establishment to serve as Secretary of Defense.
Share
While Joe Biden has made many excellent choices for his Cabinet, one prospective appointment concerns me deeply: retired Gen. Lloyd Austin as Secretary of Defense.
To be confirmed, Gen. Austin will need a waiver from the requirement that the Secretary be a civilian, not an active or recently retired member of the armed forces.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Severin Beliveau is a resident of Portland.
The first such waiver was granted to George S. Marshall, who, as secretary of State under President Truman from 1947-49, designed and helped implement the Marshall Plan to aid war-devastated Western Europe, for which he later received the Nobel Peace Prize — the only military leader ever so honored.