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| Home Front: Politix |
| Gen. Cartwright Craps Out at JCS |
| 2011-05-29 |
| President Obama summoned one of his favorite and most trusted military advisers, Marine Gen. James E. Cartwright, to the White House on May 21 for a one-on-one meeting. But this time, the president had bad news. Over the previous year, Obama had asked Cartwright on three occasions if he'd be willing to serve as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The general demurred the first two times, saying he was looking forward to retirement after a 40-year military career. Your first instinct is always your best. Cartwright, however, did not end up as Obama's guy. In recent weeks, the cerebral but introverted general, who goes by the nickname "Hoss," became the casualty of a concerted lobbying campaign by critics inside the Pentagon who persuaded the president to bypass him. Mullen and Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates -- both of whom had long mistrusted Cartwright because of his independent relationship with the president and for opposing their plan to expand the war in Afghanistan -- had recommended that he not get the job, said [the usual un-named sources]. Obama has since settled on Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey. |
| Posted by:Bobby |
| #2 1. Marines usually don't make Chairman of the JCOS. Primarily because they "don't play well with others". Putting in an insular Marine with no combat experience and a Beltway insider... 2. The Joint Chiefs of Staff is ultimately a political appointment. But putting Cartwright as Chairman would have IMNSHO would have politicized the JCOS and damaged whatever effectiveness it has. Then again, that might have been the objective. |
| Posted by: Pappy 2011-05-29 12:59 |
| #1 Let's see if I have this straight: Cartwright turns down the job twice, but the theme of the story is him getting passed over due to political skulduggery inside the Pentagon? Mama, don't let your babies grow up to be journalists! |
| Posted by: SteveS 2011-05-29 08:59 |