A broken chain
The president’s authority is ebbing, but he still controls the nuclear codes
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IN THE NORMAL course of things, army chiefs in democracies are supposed to keep a low profile. General Mark Milley, chairman of America’s joint chiefs of staff the country’s top military officer and adviser to the president has had no such luck. On January 6th, as America’s Capitol was ransacked by supporters of President Donald Trump, General Milley received frantic text messages from at least one besieged lawmaker, pleading for help. On January 8th, with order restored in the Capitol, he received another unwelcome phone call, this time from Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic leader of the House of Representatives.
Pelosi says she spoke to top general about ensuring Trump doesn’t launch nuclear attack Dan Lamothe, John Wagner, Paul Sonne Speaker Nancy Pelosi told her House colleagues Friday that she had spoken to the Pentagon’s top general about keeping an “unstable president” from accessing the nuclear codes, as Democrats openly considered impeaching the commander in chief for the second time in just over a year. The discussion with Army Gen. Mark A. Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs, came after President Trump directed thousands of angry supporters to the Capitol on Wednesday as he refused to concede his election defeat. The crowds broke into the building in an insurrection now linked to the deaths of five people, including a Capitol police officer.
Congress: Don’t Grant Austin a Waiver, but If You Do, Reform the Process
Gen. Lloyd Austin III speaks at an event at West Point (U.S. Army photo, John Pellino).
Four years after four-star general Lloyd J. Austin III retired from the U.S. Army, President-elect Joe Biden has tapped Austin to serve as his secretary of defense. Austin’s military career is accomplished, and his nomination, historic. But another roadblock stands in Austin’s way even before Congress can assess his merits for the cabinet position: Congress would first have to grant Austin an exemption from the statutory requirement that retired service members be out of uniform for at least seven years before running the Defense Department.
Civilian control of the military is a bedrock of American democracy, writes Marine veteran Peter Lucier. Because now is a time to build back norms and restore American democracy, I oppose the nomination of General Austin.
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Harry Truman with Gen. George Marshall, center, in 1949. General Marshall headed the Defense Department in 1950 and 1951.Credit.Associated Press
To the Editor:
Mr. Golbyâs Op-Ed is especially important as a defense of the supremacy of the United Statesâ civilian leadership in matters relating to the military.
As he correctly states, George Marshall and James Mattis were not particularly effective in their performance as defense secretary, at least in part because of the short time since their uniformed service. Further, generals are not necessarily the best big picture strategic minds (e.g., George McClellan, George Patton and Curtis LeMay). There is no guarantee that former officers are especially wise or effective or honest, nor can â or should â democracy depend on them to be the âadults in the room.â