says in part, the secretary of defense may assign to the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff responsibility for overseeing the activities of the combat commands, such assignment by the secretary to the chairman does not confer any command authority on the chairman and does not alter the responsibility of the commanders of the combat commands. in other words, he has no role in any combat command, none. he's a coordinator. he's a facilitator. he's an advisor. he's a communicator. and his people have been spinning. they have been leaking to their favorite journalists out there that he does this all the time. in other words, he violates federal law and the constitution all the time? the president of the united states, the buck stops with him. it doesn't even stop with the secretary of state -- of defense. the secretary of defense said maybe he said something in passing or so forth but before that he said no he didn't tell