TRUMP NAMES TRIO OF GENERALS TO TOP POSTS

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By Miriam Raftery

Photos:  Retired generals James Mattis, John Kelly and Michael Flynn

December 15, 2016 (Washington D.C.) – President-Elect Donald Trump has nominated three retired generals for top posts in his administration including Defense Secretary, National Security Advisor and Secretary of Homeland Security.

Trump’s appointment of retired Marine General James Mattis as Defense Secretary would require a waiver of the National Security Act of 1947 which bans military officers from serving in the post for seven years after their active duty service ends.  A waiver is not unprecedented; one was granted for General George Marshall in 1950, three years after his retirement.

Mattis has earned the nicknames “Mad Dog” and “Warrior Monk” for his combination of blunt statements and knowledge of military history dating back to ancient times.  He was appointed by President Obama to replace General Petraeus as Commander of U.S. Central Command overseeing military operations in the Middle East, Northeast Africa and Central Asia, but was later fired by Obama after criticizing the President’s nuclear treaty with Iran.

Mattis is a study in contrasts. He has supported Secretary of State John Kerry’s efforts to attain a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict. He views Iran as the central threat to stability of the Middle East.  He has spoken out against Russian expansionist policies in Syria, Ukraine and the Baltic states and has said he believes Trump’s conciliatory statements on Russia are ill informed.

He has emphasized building “affection” among troops he commanded and once cautioned Marines on the eve of the 2003 invasion, “You are part of the world’s most feared and trusted force. Engage your brain before you engage your weapon.”   Yet on another occasion, he warned Iraq troops to “be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everybody you meet.”  Speaking in San Diego, he once criticized Afghanistan men who beat their wives and flippantly stated, “It’s fun to shoot some people.”  He ordered a controversial bombing in Afghanistan of a suspected enemy safe house that turned out to be a wedding celebration, killing 42 civilians.   Yet he has toured battlefields, telling stories of Marines who showed discretion under pressure.

After retiring from the military, General Mattis has worked for FWA Consultants and on General Dynamics Board of Directors, as well as on the board of Theranos, a biotech company that was targeted for criminal investigation for actions that predated him joining the board.  He also serves as an Annenberg Distinguished Visiting Fellow at the Hoover Institute and on the advisory board of Spirit of America, a nonprofit that supports American service personnel.  In addition, he co-edited the book Warriors & Citizens: American Views of Our Military.

Retired Marine Corps General John Kelly is Trump’s choice to serve as Homeland Security Secretary.  He has voiced intent to “stop terrorism, take back sovereignty at our borders, and put a stop to political correctness that for too long has dictated our approach to national security.”  He is the highest ranking military officer to have lost a son in combat.

Kelly clashed with Obama on border security issues and opposed Obama’s intention to close the Guantanamo detention facility. When detainees staged a hunger strike and were subjected to forced feedings, Kelly ordered a media blackout on the news.   Laura Pitter with Human Rights Watch has stated that Kelly’s policies at Guantanamo “have made the U.S. less safe,” the Guardian newspaper reports.

He formerly commanded the U.S. Southern Command and the Unified Combatant Command, where he was responsible for U.S. military operations in Central America, South America and the Caribbean including the controversial Guantanamo detention facility. He previously served as commanding general of the Multi-National Force—West in Iraq from and as commander of Marine Forces Reserve and Marine Forces North.

Most controversial is his appointment of retired Army Lt. General Michael Flynn to serve as Trump’s National Security advisor, a position that does not require Senate confirmation.  Flynn was fired as head of the Defense Intelligence Agency by President Barack Obama in 2014.   He is known for his inflammatory anti-Muslim rhetoric, once comparing Islam to a cancer that has metastasized. 

The New York Times posted an editorial which notes Flynn’s reputation for “hotheadedness and poor judgment,” adding, “Americans of all political backgrounds should be alarmed” by the appointment.

Besides his anti-Muslim rhetoric, the Times voiced concern over consulting work Flynn has done since leaving the military, including speaking at a forum hosted by Russia Today, the Russian state propaganda network that is a mouthpiece for dictator Vladimir Putin.  Flynn also runs a consulting firm that has lobbied for a company connected to Turkey’s authoritarian president.

Some have criticized Trump for “militarization” of his cabinet.  “Civilian control of our military is a fundamental principal of American democracy,” said Senator Kristen Gillibrand (D-New York), who announced she will oppose a waiver to confirm Mattis. 

However other presidents have appointed military officers to key posts, including Obama, who has had retired generals in several key posts including Secretary of Veterans Affairs and National Security Advisor.

A Wall Street Journal editorial concludes that military generals bring needed management skills and may avoid conflicts of interest that business executives often bring to such posts.  “Modern Washington needs more than a few good men and women,” WSJ concludes. “Donald Trump should get them wherever he can find them.”


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