China Hawks Outraged About Biden's Defense Nominee
Will the president-elect Joe Biden increase the hostility with China or will he stick to the usual U.S. policy of messing up the Middle East?
His selection of the new Defense Secretary provides an answer.
It confirms the worst fears of the China hawks who have already worked behind the scene to sabotage Biden.
Michèle Flournoy was predicted to become Secretary of Defense in a Joe Biden administration. Flournoy is a China hawk:
In an article in the journal Foreign Affairs in June, Flournoy said that as Washington's ability and resolve to counter Beijing's military assertiveness in the region declined, the US needed a solid deterrence to reduce the risk of "miscalculation" by China's leadership."For example, if the US military had the capability to credibly threaten to sink all of China's military vessels, submarines, and merchant ships in the South China Sea within 72 hours, Chinese leaders might think twice before, say, launching a blockade or invasion of Taiwan; they would have to wonder whether it was worth putting their entire fleet at risk," Flournoy said.
Defence and diplomatic observers said that realising that idea would come at huge cost but appointing its advocate would signal that the US would keep piling military pressure on China.
Luckily Biden decided against Flournoy and nominated retired general Lloyd Austin for the job:
In picking Austin, Biden has chosen a barrier-breaking former four-star officer who was the first Black general to command an Army division in combat and the first to oversee an entire theater of operations. Austin’s announcement could come as soon as Tuesday morning, people familiar with the plans said Monday.Austin, who also ran U.S. Central Command before retiring in 2016, emerged as a top-tier candidate in recent days after initially being viewed as a longshot for the job. Michèle Flournoy, Obama’s former Pentagon policy chief, was initially viewed as the frontrunner, but her name was notably absent from Biden’s rollout of key members of his national security team two weeks ago.
As Secretary of Defense Flournoy would have been quite independent. She is known for countering White House policies she does not like:
When Biden pushed to draw down troops from Iraq while vice president, Flournoy, then Pentagon policy chief, and then-Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mike Mullen opposed the idea. Austin did not.
Austin is in contrast a team player:
[T]he Biden team saw Austin as the safe choice, said one former defense official close to the transition, adding that the retired general is believed to be a good soldier who would carry out the president-elect’s agenda."There would be less tension” with Austin as defense secretary instead of Johnson or Flournoy, the person said. “Maybe less disagreement … the relationship would be smoother.”
Flournoy's fans are angry:
The fact that Biden’s decision to nominate Austin is a snub to Flournoy just makes the decision worse, according to the [female] former defense official. “Qualified women are used to being passed over for jobs they’d excel at,” she said. “It’s tough to swallow that Michèle Flournoy was not only passed over but that the Biden team is willing to overlook a civil-military crisis and the intent of the Founders on civilian control in doing so.”
Biden's team expected opposition to the decision and preemptively defended it in an Atlantic op-ed.
China's Global Times is happy with the pick:
[P]rovoking China will only bring the US more troubles. Picking Austin as the new secretary of defense signals that the US will to some extent ease tensions with China. We might see the US adjust its entire overseas military strategy.It can be anticipated that Washington will attach more significance in the Middle East. It will not continue to withdraw its troops from the region. On the contrary, the US may send more soldiers there. That's why Biden is choosing Austin: Because he has deep experience in the Middle East.
Glenn Greenwald dislikes the Austin nomination as it erodes the norm of civil leadership over the military. As a former general who retired only four years ago Austin will need a waiver from Congress to be allowed into the position.
That creates a chance to sabotage the confirmation and to again push for Flournoy:
[E]ven before his nomination was announced Tuesday, it appeared to be in some jeopardy after the news was leaked Monday night. Lawmakers from both major parties, including several top Democrats on the House and Senate Armed Services Committees, voiced concern or outright opposition to putting a career officer in a job usually reserved for a civilian.
...
Biden did bypass other candidates who never served in the military and also would have been historic picks.They included Michele Flournoy, the third-ranking civilian Pentagon official during the Obama administration, who would have been the first female Defense secretary, and Jeh Johnson, the former Pentagon general counsel and President Obama’s secretary of Homeland Security, who is Black.
“There was a diverse group of other impressive men and women whose nomination would not require the second congressional waiver in four years,” said Rosa Brooks, a Georgetown University law professor and former Pentagon official who worked with Flournoy.
Op-ed writers in the New York Times and the neo-conservative editors of the Washington Post are voicing their opposition:
Like most other career officers, however, Mr. Austin lacks experience in managing some of the most important issues that face a defense secretary, including the development of weapons systems and long-range budgets, and the management of a sprawling civilian bureaucracy. He is deeply versed in the Middle East but not in Asia, where the rise of China is the most critical threat to U.S. national security. Moreover, his weaknesses as a senior officer — including a noted reluctance to communicate with the media and public, and sometimes bumpy relations with Congress — would be considerably more debilitating if carried over to the secretary’s post.
...
In choosing Mr. Austin, he passed over civilian candidates with considerable political and management expertise, including former defense undersecretary for policy Michèle Flournoy, who would have been the first female defense secretary.
Some Congress member have joined that chorus:
Rep. Anthony Brown of Maryland, the only CBC member on the Armed Services Committee, and Rep. Marc Veasey of Texas backed Flournoy in a letter to Biden last week.The pair praised her experience in the Clinton and Obama administrations, which they said is needed to retrain the military on matching gains by China and reorienting U.S. counterterrorism policies for a new era, and praised Flournoy as "a tireless advocate for diversity and inclusion in national security."
There will be more push back against Austin from the China hawks and Congress hearings during which Austin will have to fight for his new position.
He is well versed in doing that.
In a 2015 Congress hearing on Syria the ever hawkish Senator John McCain tried to get (vid) Austin's consent for a no-fly zone in Syria. Austin held steady and said he would neither recommend a no-fly zone nor the setting up a 'buffer zone' to protect refugees.
The man seems to know how to talk sense.
Posted by b on December 9, 2020 at 18:13 UTC | Permalink
... Austin held steady and said he would neither recommend a no-fly zone nor the setting up a 'buffer zone' to protect refugees.
Our AIPAC Congress is probably unhappy with Austin's declining McCain & Hillary's wish for a No-Fly Zone (NFZ)?
Even liberal democrats are balking at the prospect of the first black Defense Secretary.
Is Biden's pick just a PR stunt to curry favor with the black community?
!!
Posted by: Jackrabbit | Dec 9 2020 18:53 utc | 2
From Sarah Abdullah:
"Who is Lloyd Austin, Joe Biden’s Defense Secretary pick?
- Board member of Raytheon, which supplies bombs to Saudi Arabia for the genocide in Yemen;
- Key player in arming Al-Qaeda “rebels” in Syria to overthrow Assad;
- War criminal who helped spearhead the invasion of Iraq."
Among other career highlights.
Posted by: j. casey | Dec 9 2020 19:01 utc | 3
Not to toot my own horn, but I predicted this.
Biden means eliminatung all pro-America trade policies wrt the globalist economy which China is increasingly the mercantilist-hegemonic overlord.
It means a complete unraveling of the nationalist-gains of Trump and back into full-blown, America-last neoliberalism.
Not to mention the possibility of new hot conflicts and more poking the bear.
Gee, didn't see this coming!
Posted by: NemesisCalling | Dec 9 2020 19:11 utc | 4
Pressuring China (and Russia) through military means never make sense. US could sail 1000 times into South China Sea and China would NOT give up an inch of those islands. The reasons US keep using military in foreign policy are because of hubris, and lack of diplomatic skills and patience.
Posted by: d dan | Dec 9 2020 19:30 utc | 5
"As Secretary of Defense Flournoy would have been quite independent. She is known for countering White House policies she does not like"
I see the current media fight for her appointment as proof of her ability to attack Biden and force his hand, and proof that she is willing to do it without holding back.
This is proof why she should not be SecDef. We don't need someone as SecDef as out of control as was Hoover at the FBI in his day.
Posted by: Mark Thomason | Dec 9 2020 19:42 utc | 6
re: an essential ingredient of any long-term solution to human irrationality, this from The Saker should help:
"Chinese scholars are fond of quoting a 13th century imperial handbook, according to which policy changes should be “beneficial for the people”. If they only benefit corrupt officials, the result is luan (“chaos”). Thus the 21st century Chinese emphasis on pragmatic policy instead of ideology."
...which I know as: Unfairness begets chaos.
Posted by: chu teh | Dec 9 2020 20:00 utc | 7
...and 'unfairness" is a synonym for "injustice...as in Department Of Fairness, aka Department of Justice.
Posted by: chu teh | Dec 9 2020 20:05 utc | 8
"...the Biden team is willing to overlook a civil-military crisis and the intent of the Founders on civilian control in doing so.”
I don't know from Gen. Austin, but the above meme should be wiped from our lexicon in this age when the "civilians" are up to their eyebrows in the arms industry and militaristic/strategic think tanks. It is an anachronistic sensibility made so by the decrepitude of US morals and ethics. If Gen. Austin has been even somewhat counseled by the horrors and failures of war then he is far preferable to the other fanatics that Biden is stuffing into his cold warrior clown car. Flournoy may be shoved down his throat. That's where we're at. Personally, I'd pick Dennis Kucinich. (yes I know I've not only dated but profiled myself.)
Have you heard about Jake Sullivan? A slithering sycophant par excellence as Biden's national security advisor. A re-posting of an article by Danny Sjursen now up at Consortium News is damning.
Mark Thomason | Dec 9 2020 19:42 utc | 6
Is it kabuki? The nattering nabobs of nihilism are noticeably ruffled. (ha! date that.)
Posted by: vinnieoh | Dec 9 2020 20:06 utc | 9
""For example, if the US military had the capability to credibly threaten to sink all of China's military vessels, submarines, and merchant ships in the South China Sea within 72 hours, Chinese leaders might think twice before, say, launching a blockade or invasion of Taiwan; they would have to wonder whether it was worth putting their entire fleet at risk," Flournoy said."
How does this unbelievably warmongering statement not disqualify someone from ANY kind of govt role, especially any affiliation with the Pentagon? This is a deranged call for thermonuclear war we have here, and a cry for help.
Posted by: Caliman | Dec 9 2020 20:14 utc | 10
chu teh | Dec 9 2020 20:00 utc | 7
Are you familiar with Carlos Castaneda? A very strange fellow whose works may or may not be fictional. His main character, supposedly a bruxho named Don Juan, he wrote as saying "A path without heart will close in on you and destroy you."
Posted by: vinnieoh | Dec 9 2020 20:17 utc | 11
blah it's another episode of Raytheon vs Lockheed vs Boeing, which continue to be the three rotating sponsors for the SecDef position.
Some are upset that Raytheon would basically get two in a row (Esper was Raytheon too, and not counting the interim replacement for the lame-duck period)
Posted by: ptb | Dec 9 2020 20:19 utc | 12
So Austin understands, as a military man, that attacking Syria won't go well. Sounds like someone of good sense.
Posted by: Laguerre | Dec 9 2020 21:07 utc | 13
It appears Biden prefers a SecDef who is actually here on Planet Earth with something like a grip on reality and consequence, rather than living in crazy-town where sinking all Chinese ships (including merchant ships!) in 72 hours is a viable motivating concept. The absolute divorce from reality expressed in the support for Fluornoy from the think-tank crowd is pronounced.
That said, what would be the motivating factor in the Middle East? Using US power to prevent Syria from rebuilding? To sideline Hezbollah and install new government in Lebanon? What will be administration's position towards Israel in the aftermath of the unilateral undertakings of the Trump admin? Bhadrakumar describes China's multilateral approach to Mid-East - maybe the Biden admin's idea is Chinese influence there needs to be blunted first.
https://indianpunchline.com/indias-gulf-strategy-is-chasing-chinese-phantoms/
The U.S. will be given the opportunity to climb down from its hegemonic posture and lessen the impact of all its cascading domestic problems, but the coalition of realistic politicians and planners necessary for this have not yet identified themselves. Maybe the Biden admin can at least start this process.
Posted by: jayc | Dec 9 2020 21:10 utc | 14
I concur. I don't know Austin from Adam, and any General is a General, but he looks like he has some actual real-world experience and that lowers my anxiety level a good bit, if he gets the job.
Flournoy, the more I learn about her, reminds of MS AKK of Germany, another clueless naif who will get us all killed.
It is actually quite possible to destroy all those ships in 72 hours right now, for one thing.
Posted by: Bemildred | Dec 9 2020 21:49 utc | 15
Thanks b for that link to the deceased Senator John McCain. Lloyd Austin handled that idiots propaganda barrage well.
Time will tell whether Austin exercises similar caution and respect for international law in the next months and years. Clearly the white privilege, China haters will be out gunning for him for the duration of his tenure.
Posted by: uncle tungsten | Dec 9 2020 22:25 utc | 16
Caliman @10
"How does this unbelievably warmongering statement not disqualify someone from ANY kind of govt role, especially any affiliation with the Pentagon?"
How? Simple. It's precisely the kind of statement that qualifies the utterer as a star of the main administrative organ of US imperialism, aka the Demolican "Party".
Posted by: Piero Colombo | Dec 9 2020 22:32 utc | 17
It's hard to say on this imbroglio. On one side, this Austen guys seems to be consultant in the private sector (as is customary for retired American generals). On the other side, this Flournoy seems to be another one of those crazy bloodthirsty civilians in the Pentagon.
I have a rule of thumb for this present historical epoch: nation-states with serious armed forces (i.e. armed forces that have a realistic chance of waging a war with peers or near-peers) don't nominate women to their equivalent of the Defense Ministry. Nominating a woman in a country in which women don't serve and don't have access to military careers is a clear sign to the rest of the world you are essentially giving up on defense. This is because modern warfare is so complex and so specialized that even in an office reserved for a civilian, it is not feasible not to have a veteran high officer (ideally, a general) in the post or at least in the de facto post. Since all the generals are men, that means you'll invariably have to nominate a man.
Truth be told, the USA is kind of an exception to the rule, because the private sector of the MIC is so fused with the armed forces that you can nominate CEOs of those companies to the Defense. In this sense, it may be the case Flournoy can be nominated - but she's clearly not ideal, as Biden himself has signaled for all of us. Ideally, the occupant of the office would be from both worlds - private sector of the MIC and armed forces: Austen satisfies that (on top of that, he's a four-star general, which means he's basically a god to the American people).
I think the message Biden wants to send to all of us from the rest of the world is this: we're serious now; prepare to suffer for the ten years of humiliation you imposed on us.
It will be up to us - the peoples of the Rest of the World - to make Biden swallow his words. The American people will just watch, powerless, the whole showdown.
vk@18- "Nominating a woman in a country in which women don't serve and don't have access to military careers is a clear sign to the rest of the world you are essentially giving up on defense."
You might have a point if women didnt actually serve in the us military.
Classic vk, make up facts whenever you feel like it. I dont expect you will own up to it this time either.
Posted by: visak | Dec 9 2020 23:23 utc | 19
@ Posted by: visak | Dec 9 2020 23:23 utc | 19
They do exist, but it is not customary. Therefore, from the point of view of sociometabolic reproduction, they can be abstracted out.
#18: I don't actually really disagree with the gist of your comment much; but re this:
"Since all the generals are men, that means you'll invariably have to nominate a man."
There really are quite a few US woman generals nowadays IF a president wanted to select one for the chief position:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_female_United_States_military_generals_and_flag_officers
But as you put it, the best of all worlds from the deep state perspective is a person who represents the full organization: the active military and the private mil/ind complex. The current selection appears to meet that need.
Posted by: Caliman | Dec 10 2020 0:01 utc | 21
Austin, who also ran U.S. Central Command before retiring in 2016
Hmmm...this got my attention. Biden did say nothing will change under his regime. War against Lebanon soon?
Secretary of Defense Flournoy would have been quite independent. She is known for countering White House policies she does not like
Yeah...not a good idea to have someone that does not follow the Chain of Command.
Posted by: Ian2 | Dec 10 2020 0:09 utc | 22
Not sure of best place to post this on the blog (didn't think it appropriate to do on B's donation post...):
Censorship of speech on the internet:
On the US election:
*Google, YouTube, Announce They Will Block Content That Challenges 2020 Election Result*
https://blog.youtube/news-and-events/supporting-the-2020-us-election/
On Covid WHO/NIH orthodoxy-heresy speech:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kE2EcKm5Uj4
Posted by: gm | Dec 10 2020 0:19 utc | 23
I don't think it has anything to do with gender or race. As we have already seen enough times, you can have highly motivated warmongers and nationalists from all backgrounds.
I also wouldn't hold out much hope for the "military person of integrity" as a counterweight to neocons etc. That was the Colin Powell myth. It went down pretty hard if you ask me.
We are looking at competing cliques in the foreign policy world, some of which is commercial, some of which has to do with which social group in the think tank universe one of these people belongs to, some of which might be a variation on philosophy or diplomatic style as we have seen, since of which has to do with party politics or personal politics (e.g. proor dealings with Biden, as we are finding out).
But at the end of the day they are all committed to extending US "sole superpower" status as long as possible, and by any means possible, including military action. That much is evidenced from the long history.
Posted by: ptb | Dec 10 2020 0:20 utc | 24
Whoever becomes SecDef will find the tools lacking to perform the job demanded, a fact that's existed for the last 6 years at minimum. Readiness sucks. Key systems are aging rapidly with nothing in the pipeline to replace them. The Economic Draft continues to bring in recruits, but older NCOs and younger officers aren't re-upping--Privates and Generals make for a very poor military. Piloting drones no longer leads to multiengine pilot certification which combined with the burnout means turnover is too fast. And the list goes on. One very important indicator was the morale of the soldiers subjected to Iran's retaliatory missile strikes--they were genuinely scared, and scared troops break and run. There's now another enemy, unseen and ever advancing forward--Time, which happens to be an ally of those thought of as enemies.
@ Posted by: Caliman | Dec 10 2020 0:01 utc | 21
Like I said, there must be a much bigger list of male generals. Either way, there wasn't a female general on Biden's list, so the point here is Austen vs. Flournoy.
But yeah, I agree that what broke for Flournoy wasn't her gender, but the fact that she isn't even from the private sector of the MIC. Was she, let's say, a Boeing's ex-CEO, you bet Biden would be very enthusiastic about nominating the first woman for the Defense.
vk is exasperating. I dont think he is capable of admitting he is wrong. Point out he is wrong and he will just come back with something else, point out that that is wrong, and he will come back with a third thing. Rinse and repeat.
Posted by: visak | Dec 10 2020 1:06 utc | 27
@ Posted by: visak | Dec 10 2020 1:06 utc | 27
I've always knew women served in the US military. Indeed, I always see your annual obligatory article in the NYT about endemic rape of female soldiers within the US armed forces.
Just because I forgot to put one adjective in my first comment doesn't mean my argument is invalid.
Ian2@22- "Yeah...not a good idea to have someone that does not follow the Chain of Command."
Well, if you are trying to run a government, a corporation, or even a two man business, then unequivocally it is not a good idea to hire people who dont follow the chain of command.
What kind of idiot would hire someone who is just going to disrupt the organization.
Posted by: visak | Dec 10 2020 1:22 utc | 29
Does this Austen/Flourney choice signal a subtle shift in perspective within the Biden presidency managers. The 'hate China' brigade my be passe in light of the failed idiocy of the Trump/Kushner 'peace deal'.
China has expressed solidarity with the Palestinian people and its firm support for the two state solution and the restoration of the borders of Palestine consistent with the many UN resolutions of the past many decades. Consider these words by the Chinese ambassador to the UN:-
The international community should adhere to the right direction of the two-state solution. The two-state solution is a bottom line of international justice, there's no going against the tide of history. The relevant UN resolutions, the land for peace principle, and the two-state solution, have galvanized wisdom and painstaking efforts of generations of people, and are important parameters in the Middle East peace process. Moreover, they are the basis for solving the Palestinian question, and should be duly observed and implemented. Both the Palestinian and Israeli sides should remain committed to the strategic choice of peace talks, seek an early solution to the issue of the occupied Palestinian territory pursuant to the relevant UN resolutions, delineate the final Palestine-Israel border through peace talks, and refrain from any action that might fuel the tensions.The international community should achieve greater synergy to promote peace talks. The Palestinian question should not be marginalized, instead it should remain front and center of the international agenda. The international community, countries with influence over Palestine and Israel in particular, should uphold the position of objectivity and fairness and promote Middle East peace process in sincerity and good faith. Any initiative on the Palestinian issue must take into account the voices of regional countries, especially Palestine, and heed the concerns of all parties, and there should be no imposed solutions. China welcomes the proposal of President Abbas to convene an international peace conference early next year, and hopes that the international community will join hands in creating favorable conditions for the settlement of the Palestinian question.
Given the tendency of sane states to balance risk and trade/treaty agreements, there is every likelihood that the Arab states will opt for non-military solutions to the existing cranked up tensions in their region. Clearly siding with the illegal occupiers of Palestine and the USA will result in the Arab states having piles of rubble to rebuild whereas avoiding that might just ensure their privileged longevity and some cultural continuity. Take one look at Iraq and Syria and you can see just how caring the west and its lap dogs are for people and the welfare of nations.
Posted by: uncle tungsten | Dec 10 2020 1:23 utc | 30
@25 karlof1 - "morale of the soldiers...they were genuinely scared"
Yes, this is what we seem to be getting glimpses of in recent years - the fact that the actual fighting solders of the US military don't have what we've always been told the soldiers of any force have. And I suppose that missing ingredient would be something like the ability to rise above fear.
If true, then this speaks to me of a systemic failure to instill the right culture in these soldiers - after all one is told that they go through boot camp precisely to break them down from being ordinary and to build them back up again into the desired kind of person.
I don't know much about any of this, and I hesitate to tar people with a broad brush. Maybe the special forces and the mercenaries have tougher characters? And yet what we see with them is a viciousness and cruelty - most recently revealed in the Australian forces in Afghanistan - that is nothing other than the obverse of cowardice. We see this with the US in Iraq (Collateral Damage), and with the IDF in Israel also.
So maybe corruption has done what it always does, which is to weaken every type of strength in the human being, from basic competence in performing tasks to ethical habits, to moral compass.
We seem to be seeing this throughout the government layer, it would make sense that it would trickle down, but it would be appalling to find that it's saturated all the way to the grunt layer. Not surprising, simply appalling.
~~
Why does this matter? Well, I assume the soldiers of the world see all this quite clearly, especially in the theaters in which the US is most active. One wonders how much the planners of countries hesitate to show this up in actual combat scenarios, from perhaps a lingering reluctance to humiliate the people of the US? One wonders how great a factor this element of moral courage is in the planning of countries.
It all plays into that thing I often muse over, namely giving the slap to the US, and now - since Iran already did this - the actual defeat in battle that I suspect must come next.
Posted by: Grieved | Dec 10 2020 1:34 utc | 31
@ Posted by: uncle tungsten | Dec 10 2020 1:23 utc | 30
I think Flournoy-as-Chinahawk logic only makes sense to the Republican senators and congressmen. To them, yes, Flournoy is the absolute best choice for the explicit fact she's a rabid Chinahawk.
But the Democrats are operating with another logic. Elizabeth Warren et al are criticizing Austin's selection (in detriment to Flournoy's) because they want to keep the sanctity of of office of Defense, i.e. to keep it to a civil and not a military person. Others are low key supporting Flournoy because it would be the first woman ever in the Defense.
In my opinion, Biden doesn't have a plan. All he knows is that he wants to transmit an image of a serious, sane government in opposition to Trump's mad party government. He just wants a serious, technocrat, with-all-credentials, guy; I don't think he has any specific war in mind. In fact, he said right after he won that his first step would be to reassemble the Empire's provinces (allies) before doing anything else new militarily.
I predict the diplomats (specially the ones in Western Europe) will move first. It is only when Biden is secure "trust in America" is restored that he will adventure the Empire in a new or revamped foreign incursion - which will be in China, Venezuela and/or Middle East. He saw, with his own eyes, Obama's absolute defeat and humiliation in Syria in 2016 - he'll certainly think twice before invading a new nation.
vk- "your annual obligatory", "your beloved benjamin franklin".
Why do you feel the need to attribute these things to me? Its not my report, it is a report, or the report.
I have never in my life expressed any love or admiration of benjamin franklin. You could have just said benjamin franklin.
I guess if one was of the opinion that all americans are disgusting pieces of shit, they probably wouldnt have too much of a problem making up stuff about them, or of attributing the actions of some americans to all americans.
Posted by: visak | Dec 10 2020 1:42 utc | 33
This Al Quds Post article, cited at Info Clearing House today underlines uncle tungsten's point.
"The Foreign Ministry reprimanded Russian Ambassador Anatoly Viktorov on Wednesday over remarks he made in an interview with The Jerusalem Post this week.
“The problem in the region is not Iranian activities,” Viktorov said in the interview published on Wednesday. “It’s a lack of understanding between countries and noncompliance with UN resolutions in the Israel-Arab and Israel-Palestinian conflict.”
"Viktorov also took issue with talk of Iran threatening Israel via Hezbollah, saying: “Israel is attacking Hezbollah; Hezbollah is not attacking Israel.”
"In addition, the ambassador expressed doubt that Hezbollah built the attack tunnels from Lebanon into Israel, saying there is no proof.
"Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi spoke out against the remarks when asked about them in a press conference on Wednesday...."
Israel's days of impunity are coming to an end-not because the "west' is changing its attitudes (it isn't) but because nobody takes western propaganda seriously any more. That is discredited the wannabe hegemon has become.
Posted by: bevin | Dec 10 2020 1:43 utc | 34
visak #29
What kind of idiot would hire someone who is just going to disrupt the organization.
Tahnk you for that perfect invitation:
Trump
hired Bannon
hired Bolton
hired Pompeo
hired Andrew McCabe as FBI Director after James Comey left in disgrace. Then sacked him
hired Gina Haspel - mere existence is disruptive
etc...
Obummer
hired James Comey
Posted by: uncle tungsten | Dec 10 2020 1:46 utc | 35
uncle t@35- That is very funny, you're a clever guy. I like that. Keep em coming, please. ;-)
Posted by: visak | Dec 10 2020 1:49 utc | 36
vk #32
I predict the diplomats (specially the ones in Western Europe) will move first. It is only when Biden is secure "trust in America" is restored that he will adventure the Empire in a new or revamped foreign incursion - which will be in China, Venezuela and/or Middle East. He saw, with his own eyes, Obama's absolute defeat and humiliation in Syria in 2016 - he'll certainly think twice before invading a new nation.
Perhaps but there is a deep tendency in the democrat machine for the previous democrat president to 'control' the machine for a few years following. Certainly Obummer was very present in the campaign and likely will be giving top level advice and strategy for the transition team.
It may be that Biden appreciates the opportunities that abound by doing colour revolutions rather than invasions. Certainly he made a pile in Ukraine through his self-exposed backroom dealing. Then repeated that in China. If he was a major shareholder in Haliburton or on the promise for a senior corporate position as Cheney(?) was, then he might go for war. But he has a more 'refined taste' for quiet $$ negotiations from what I can see.
I have no illusions about this grub so we will have to wait and see.
But then there is Biden's White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain to contend with. That is troubling.
Posted by: uncle tungsten | Dec 10 2020 2:11 utc | 37
According to the latest news, a radical threat re-assessment is urgently needed. Is Austin up to that task?
----
Former Israeli Space Security Chief Says Aliens Exist, Humanity Not Ready
This ‘Galactic Federation’ has supposedly been in contact with Israel and the U.S. for years, but are keeping themselves a secret to prevent hysteria until humanity is ready.
—Headline from the Jerusalem Post, Dec. 8
------
The bearer of the news has impressive credentials:
Dr. Chaim Eshed
Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
Veteran Pilot and Flight Instructor
Member of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
Cofounder of the Israel Space Agency and Space Research Institute in the TECHNION-Israel Institute of Technology.
-------
Does it mean that Earth nations should strive to create a united front to positively impress the Galactics?
Posted by: Piotr Berman | Dec 10 2020 2:14 utc | 38
The real question then is: where does Austin stand on relations with Russia. Deescalating with China might just be so the liberal interventionist dems can focus on screwing Russia and to a lesser extent Iran.
Posted by: Alaric | Dec 10 2020 2:21 utc | 39
Piotr Berman | Dec 10 2020 2:14 utc | 38:
You've forgot to include that Eshed is trying to sell his book, The Universe Beyond the Horizon – conversations with Professor Haim Eshed.
Posted by: Ian2 | Dec 10 2020 2:44 utc | 40
Glenn Greenwald dislikes the Austin nomination as it erodes the norm of civil leadership over the military. As a former general who retired only four years ago Austin will need a waiver from Congress to be allowed into the position.
Oops! How come Glen 'forgot' Chuck Hagel & Jim Mattis?
I had high hopes for Hagel, but it turns out that he was way too sane to be trusted and was quickly dumped.
Posted by: Hoarsewhisperer | Dec 10 2020 2:56 utc | 41
The first Secretary of War under President Washington was Henry Knox, who had been a general in the Continental Army. He was succeeded by Timothy Pickering, who had also been a general. Pickering was succeded by James McHenry, who had been a medical staff officer. McHenry was followed briefly by Samuel Dexter, who was a lawyer who had only been a civilian. But he was succeeded by Henry Dearborn, the first Secretary of War appointed by Jefferson and who had a long military career, both before and after his years as Secretary of War, and who played a key role in setting up West Point.
Posted by: lysias | Dec 10 2020 3:02 utc | 42
Piotr Berman #38
Former Israeli Space Security Chief Says Aliens Exist, Humanity Not Ready
Dr. Chaim Eshed
Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
Veteran Pilot and Flight Instructor
Member of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
Cofounder of the Israel Space Agency and Space Research Institute in the TECHNION-Israel Institute of Technology.
"Humanity not ready"? - typical zionist attitude. He means Zionists not ready.
As the Dogong people have known for some thousands of years, Sumerians own the land Israel is parked on and that is a no no for humanity to know of.
Take a look at all the ancient stonemasonry and carvings of fish people throughout Iraq, Syria, Lebanon etc etc and weep all ye that have seen. This is good news for Arabs and Iranians but a serious blow to the Abrahamic myths and justifications for the wandering tribe colonising others lands. Would such behaviour even be tolerated by the Sirius team?
The Nommo might return (assuming the Dogong history is accurate) but would they bother? Life in Sirius sector might be fun for all we know ;) There certainly is a big difference in that system compared with our solar system according to Dogong AND modern astronomical knowledge.
Not holding my breath but having a good chuckle.
Posted by: uncle tungsten | Dec 10 2020 3:18 utc | 43
If Biden backs down on to the pressure and chooses Fournoy it will make the argument that he is a puppet even stronger.
Posted by: Quiet Rebel | Dec 10 2020 3:39 utc | 44
Jackrabbit Dec9 18:53 #2
Is Biden's pick just a PR stunt ...
This is especially true if Trump wins a second term via the Supreme Court's allowing Republican State legislatures to pick electors.
My prediction of Deep State's wanting Trump to have a second term is close to coming true. Sidney Powell has repeatedly said that Trump won a landslide and many Trump supporters believe it, citing: Trump's increase in votes (11 million more than 2016); his big increase in minority votes; and election anomalies.
!!
Posted by: Jackrabbit | Dec 10 2020 3:51 utc | 45
Haim Eshed - who was head of Israel's space security programme for nearly 30 years and is a retired general - described a so-called 'Galactic Federation' which supposedly runs an underground Mars base in a secret pact with Washington.But the aliens had to intervene to stop Donald Trump when he appeared 'on the verge' of blurting out their secrets, he told Israeli paper Yediot Aharonot.
The only aliens that I can think of who might have intervened is 1/ Jeffrey Epstein and he was beamed up and 2/ Hillary Clinton and she sold the beam device to Russia to raise funds for Haiti relief as we all know. But seriously, if they have Mars and Palestine, isn't that enough already?
Posted by: uncle tungsten | Dec 10 2020 4:05 utc | 46
Posted by: uncle tungsten | Dec 10 2020 4:05 utc | 47
Well at least that explains where Elon Musk came from.
Posted by: Bemildred | Dec 10 2020 4:16 utc | 47
Glen Greenwald intimates that all is good with China and no war on the horizon.
The China chickenhawks will be frenziedly stabbing chopsticks in their palm or maybe their knees. So that leaves Russia and Venezuela and Lebanon and Syia and Uzbekistan?
For a small consideration Hunter Biden could fashion a joint venture railroad across Afghanistan linking Iran and China via Pakistan? (Funded by the IMF to Afghanistan of course and a cut for the 'big man').
Iran provocations might ease as China has an extremely good relationship there.
Of course there is ALWAYS North Korea but then BOTH China and Russia are on that border.
We may yet be thankful for China and its diplomacy. I do think that Rachel the Madcow will go puce with rage (daily) (again).
Posted by: uncle tungsten | Dec 10 2020 4:33 utc | 48
Bemildred #48
Well at least that explains where Elon Musk came from.
Well said. But I wonder what those China gang are really up to on the far side of the moon. Moon rocks my rs, I think they are trading with the Mars Nommo base to bring the fish people home. When is that return craft due again? If its a splash down in a Chinese lake we will all be rooned.
Posted by: uncle tungsten | Dec 10 2020 4:42 utc | 49
Posted by: uncle tungsten | Dec 10 2020 4:42 utc | 50
I'm not ready to believe in the fish people yet.
Musk's rocket explosion today was interesting, he appears to be using a spike engine, for efficiency no doubt, and he wasn't exactly flying it, but it was obviously under control. Odd to watch.
I think China is looking for resources on the moon, there ought to lots of good metal there, and power, they are working on orbital power stations. All those engineers have to be kept busy. The ride down is much less expensive than the ride up.
It's a moot question whether it will be feasible for humans to travel out there much, but it looks like the Chinese are going to find out.
Posted by: Bemildred | Dec 10 2020 4:49 utc | 50
Bemildred # 51
The relative stability of moon surface could yield some fascinating exotic minerals that are remnants of asteroid impacts. So I do watch that research carefully. I see Israel just launched another try at moon landing today too. Their last one did a kamikaze landing.
Thanks for the reference to the Musk prang. That was a mighty good attempt to control the descent. Maybe better next time. I am not motivated to buy his car though.
Posted by: uncle tungsten | Dec 10 2020 4:59 utc | 51
Posted by: uncle tungsten | Dec 10 2020 4:59 utc | 52
Yeah, I always try to be a late adopter, like just before they bring in a new model, that's the time to buy, all the bugs worked out, or as close as they ever get to it.
I think he's using genetic algorithms to control it, I don't know of any other way to do that. What Musk said was the blah blah pressure was too low and so it hit the groung too fast. Despite the big boom I was very impressed. Spike engines have some thorny technical issues too, I expect the Russians could handle it, so it's nice to see we are trying to keep up.
Posted by: Bemildred | Dec 10 2020 5:06 utc | 52
VK @ 18:
"... I have a rule of thumb for this present historical epoch: nation-states with serious armed forces (i.e. armed forces that have a realistic chance of waging a war with peers or near-peers) don't nominate women to their equivalent of the Defense Ministry. Nominating a woman in a country in which women don't serve and don't have access to military careers is a clear sign to the rest of the world you are essentially giving up on defense. This is because modern warfare is so complex and so specialized that even in an office reserved for a civilian, it is not feasible not to have a veteran high officer (ideally, a general) in the post or at least in the de facto post. Since all the generals are men, that means you'll invariably have to nominate a man ..."
I should think that nation states with serious armed forces are themselves serious enough (that is, they have governments with sensible politicians) to realise that their armed forces are for the purposes of defence only, and do not use their armed forces as disposable cannon fodder by barbarous Middle Eastern regimes or use their armed forces to bait other nations into spending more money on arming themselves and less on the things that benefit civilians.
Most nations now allow women to serve in their armed forces and women are able to carve out long-term military careers. Modern warfare involves pushing pens, tapping keyboards and pumping joysticks as much as, if not more than, sending people out in tanks, ships or planes. Only a few nations (Cyprus, Paraguay, Djibouti, Mauritania, Central African Republic, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea-Conakry) do not allow women to serve in the military.
Your argument is very much out of touch with what is current reality around the world and with the nature of the job of a Defence Minister or Defence Secretary in most First World countries. Politicians holding these positions are not involved in formulating actual military strategies or conducting war: those tasks are the responsibilities of the heads of the armed forces and the people within the armed forces to whom the military heads delegate these tasks as a group or separately. The Defence Minister / Secretary's job is to convey to the armed forces those government policies that affect the armed forces' structures, personnel, funding, resources and their role as defenders of the nation state. Having a past military background may help the politician in such a role but it is not necessary. Some people may even view having a past military background as posing potential conflicts of interest for whoever might hold the job.
Posted by: Jen | Dec 10 2020 5:13 utc | 53
Posted by: uncle tungsten | Dec 10 2020 4:59 utc | 52
Re Gen Austin, I have considerable acquaintance with US officers, and he looks like the sort I would prefer, in the avoiding nuclear war sense. Not a belligerent loon. Some actual experience. He ticks the diversity box too, so he may get past Flournoy, who does look like a belligerent loon.
I agree Biden is going to try to restore some semblance of reason to our relations with China, Russia, Iran, but no telling how far he will get with it, and nothing in Biden's past to indicate much of a spine. We'll have to wait until he gets into office to see, I think they will be spewing bullshit in all directions until then.
Posted by: Bemildred | Dec 10 2020 5:18 utc | 54
Hunter Biden uses the Al Capone tax defense after he is advised that his tax affairs are being investigated IN DELAWARE. Jimmy Dore and Lee Camp examine the entrails of the story.
From what I know of Delaware, you have to be on the nose in extremis for any state body there to investigate you.
Posted by: uncle tungsten | Dec 10 2020 5:22 utc | 55
Sorry I forgot to format my previous comment properly, it should have read like this:
VK @ 18:
"... I have a rule of thumb for this present historical epoch: nation-states with serious armed forces (i.e. armed forces that have a realistic chance of waging a war with peers or near-peers) don't nominate women to their equivalent of the Defense Ministry. Nominating a woman in a country in which women don't serve and don't have access to military careers is a clear sign to the rest of the world you are essentially giving up on defense. This is because modern warfare is so complex and so specialized that even in an office reserved for a civilian, it is not feasible not to have a veteran high officer (ideally, a general) in the post or at least in the de facto post. Since all the generals are men, that means you'll invariably have to nominate a man ..."
I should think that nation states with serious armed forces are themselves serious enough (that is, they have governments with sensible politicians) to realise that their armed forces are for the purposes of defence only, and do not use their armed forces as disposable cannon fodder by barbarous Middle Eastern regimes or use their armed forces to bait other nations into spending more money on arming themselves and less on the things that benefit civilians.
Most nations now allow women to serve in their armed forces and women are able to carve out long-term military careers. Modern warfare involves pushing pens, tapping keyboards and pumping joysticks as much as, if not more than, sending people out in tanks, ships or planes. Only a few nations (Cyprus, Paraguay, Djibouti, Mauritania, Central African Republic, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea-Conakry) do not allow women to serve in the military.
Your argument is very much out of touch with what is current reality around the world and with the nature of the job of a Defence Minister or Defence Secretary in most First World countries. Politicians holding these positions are not involved in formulating actual military strategies or conducting war: those tasks are the responsibilities of the heads of the armed forces and the people within the armed forces to whom the military heads delegate these tasks as a group or separately. The Defence Minister / Secretary's job is to convey to the armed forces those government policies that affect the armed forces' structures, personnel, funding, resources and their role as defenders of the nation state. Having a past military background may help the politician in such a role but it is not necessary. Some people may even view having a past military background as posing potential conflicts of interest for whoever might hold the job.
Incidentally the Ministry of National Defense in China doesn't even have command authority over the People's Liberation Army though the Minister of National Defense is usually a general.
Posted by: Jen | Dec 10 2020 5:24 utc | 56
Bemildred # 55
I think they will be spewing bullshit in all directions until then.
Yep, thanks Bemildred. That is exactly what his opponents and enemies and wannabe's will do. The more the warmongers get a whiff of any deviance the more vitriolic will be the screeching. The next few weeks will be an exhausting time for the masters of war as they throw everything at getting the Biden presidency in their pocket.
These are the days of false flags, various warmongering accidents, loony captains and commanders going off the rails etc. I wonder how much Trump's recent appointments at the Pentagon etc are a help or a hindrance to rogue actors. Has Trump neutered the testosterone General's?
Jake Sullivan is a problem to be considered
and
Avril Haines has trouble keeping her Palantir association public it seems.
Strange days ahead.
Posted by: uncle tungsten | Dec 10 2020 6:24 utc | 57
Once Flournoy's name surfaced as Biden's choice of SOD there was considerable opposition. I think that by naming Austin, who the neocons and their allies in the Senate will work hard in defeating, might be a feint. Should the neocons succeed that will smooth the path for a Flournoy confirmation. I hope I am wrong about this but, if not, then right now it is imperative for any sensible person who thinks war with Russia or China is a bad idea, should be rooting for Austin as SOD.
Posted by: ToivoS | Dec 10 2020 7:28 utc | 58
GEN Austin is a Schill for Raytheon.
Colored/Football Token. Didn't go to a Combat Environment for the FIRST 28 YEARS OF HIS CAREER; and then in 3rd World AFG nearly 2 YEARS AFTER TEAM_MURICA were Bombing them to Smithereens.
I was sent to a Combat Zone in the Gulf (IRQ-IRN War Naval Convoys) on the Guided Missile Cruiser I reported to after my ENSIGN Schooling Cycle after Graduating from Annapolis - roughly 14 Months Post Graduation. My Airdale and Nuke Classmates were still in their Schools.
Did a Second Deployment to the Convoys the Following Summer-Autumn after making the KOR_TEAM_SPIRIT Drills in Early Spring.
How does an ARMY Mule Miss Out on DESERT_SHIELD+STORM and make Flag Rank? He was probably an O-5/LCOL then. That should have Separated those who made O-6/COL and those who didn't - Uncle Sam was ReCalling Retirees to In Theater.
I rotated out of Sea Duty then; and was Managing Engineers at a Defense Plant while Recruiting+Pushing Wartime Production and Logistics for NBC Gear and Priority Gear in Area Plants since I was the Only One of Few Officers Assigned to Area Plants/Contracts with Actual Logistics/Industrial/MRO Experience from an Engineering School. I pushed for FLT_Staff or a Navy Combat Unit; but none were available. They had some OffSite Contracting Mgmt nearby in UAE; but what I was doing was closer to Front Line Support - Managing Direct On Demand Mfg to Front Line Units.
I'm also Half Black and even more of a Minority than Blacks.
My Late Father Fought in WWII - A year and a half on the Star Submarine Tautog. CHN Civil War Strait Interdiction, KOR War, then did 20 Years in Civil FLT on Tankers Deployed At Sea. He made Mid Enlisted Ranks some Retired In - within 23 Months of Enlisting. And he made Chief Petty Officer as a Black Man.
My Late Uncle did his Army Tours in KOR + VNM. Purple Heart. One of the First 1st Sergeants of the Racial Integrated Army Units. Made E-9 Command Sergeant Major.
THEY were Ground-Breaking Black Servicemen - they Proved themselves in the Front Lines of COMBAT.
GEN Austin isn't a Ground Breaking Black Officer - just a Token and a Schill for Raytheon.
Hope you learned something, B.
Don't take every PR "Advert" Superlatives to Heart.
P.S. I served under Secretary Mattis when he was a Major and CAPT Stratton - a Hanoi Hilton POW - was CO.
I can vouch for Secretary Mattis' Integrity. I don't agree with some of his Policies; but I can vouch for his Character.
Posted by: IronForge | Dec 10 2020 8:00 utc | 59
IronForge #60
Thank you for that mighty explicit backgrounder. So he's a placekeeper and a trusty and no track record to hamper him? That might calm the anxious and stress the chickenhawks.
Posted by: uncle tungsten | Dec 10 2020 8:55 utc | 60
Re these US/Israeli owned aliens - are they the far-famed lizard 'men', or are they another bunch? If another, are they aware of each other? Do they co-operate or compete? Are we food, or just a nuisance?
Posted by: Jams O'Donnell | Dec 10 2020 11:17 utc | 61
@ Posted by: IronForge | Dec 10 2020 8:00 utc | 60
If that's true, then I review my analysis: the armed forces of the USA continues to deteriorate, Austin's choice being solely determined by being the first black with the due credentials (man, four-star general).
Biden will then just continue to spike up defense spending while maintaining the series of conflicts the USA already has. Maybe, after he's reelected, he'll venture in a weak country - probably Venezuela - but it's too early to tell (specially because there's another big financial crisis coming to the USA in the next 2-3 years).
--//--
@ Posted by: Jen | Dec 10 2020 5:24 utc | 57
Being allowed to serve is different from effectively serving. From a sociological and historical point of view, this makes all the difference.
What I've heard is that, albeit women in the US armed forces are allowed to serve and have the full career, they're in practice (by many societal and institutional forces) discouraged to do so in relation to men and their careers are also discouraged. They may well be token forces (I think only a handful of the three thousand dead during the Iraq invasion were women, which indicates tokenism).
In order to fully integrate women to the armed forces in the modern times, a long process of cultural and structural changes are required. It is not just a case of a stroke of a pen in the Congress/Senate or affirmative propaganda. I don't see this process in any capitalist country even in modern times.
China is a different story. It is not a liberal (capitalist) country, therefore not a patriarchal country. Communists have a long tradition of fully employing women in active service. They are not comparable to the highly sexually divided societies of the capitalists.
IronForge @ 60
Thank you for your assessment of Austin. Something tells me that he'll end up backing action against Syria and company despite his earlier resistance to it.
Posted by: Timothy Hagios | Dec 10 2020 11:50 utc | 64
karlof1 @ 25
There's now another enemy, unseen and ever advancing forward--Time, which happens to be an ally of those thought of as enemies.
Well said karlof1. May I offer an afghan saying: They got the watches, we got the time.
Posted by: Sakineh Bagoom | Dec 10 2020 14:21 utc | 65
Interesting discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of the preferred moves of pro wrestlers to be entering the ring in "The Democracy© Show". For sure it will make a difference in imperial policy. I mean, now the empire is no longer threatened with being economically crushed by China so of course the empire will make nice with the ChiComs.
Though I must admit I don't understand how the farce election changed the positions of any of the pieces on the grand geopolitical chess board (or are we ready to recognize that it is a Go board now?). Is Creepy Joe's Scranton heritage going to lure industrial activity back to the imperial homelands despite the US$'s global reserve currency status making that a bad move for capitalist investors' profits? Are the Chinese going to graciously reverse their economic development out of their gratitude for the removal of the Great Orange Ogre? Will they freeze all technological development in China, consigning millions of STEM grads they are producing each year to lives of mixing lattes, in order to let America lounge languidly in the lead?
How exactly does replacing Donnie Tiny Hands with Gropey Joe break the US and China out of the Thucydides trap? That's the little detail I am having a hard time with here.
As Sakineh Bagoom @66 noted, karlof1 @25 said it nicely:
There's now another enemy, unseen and ever advancing forward--Time, which happens to be an ally of those thought of as enemies.
Perhaps this culturewide dopamine high in the West will buy China time to pull even further ahead. Hopefully by the time the West realizes that nothing has changed the window of opportunity for possibly winning a war will have closed for the empire, and closed so firmly that even the "Sink China's entire navy in 72 hours!" lunatics have to acknowledge it.
Maybe. I doubt it, though.
Posted by: William Gruff | Dec 10 2020 16:19 utc | 66
@ Posted by: William Gruff | Dec 10 2020 16:19 utc | 67
Evidently, Flournoy's "72 hours" was just a figure of speech: if the USN really had the capacity to sink the entire PLAN in 72 hours, it would've already done that. It's just a call for even more military spending.
Flournoy's logic is obviously absurd: Trump wasn't anti-China enough? Since day 1 Trump has sold himself as nothing more nothing less than the anti-China POTUS par excellence.
one easy tactics: since the (rich, white) flournoy and her (rich, white) backers want to play the "diversity" card against a black guy...let 'em try. we all saw how well that went for hillary in 2008. i have to say - even as someone who finds them both repugnant - the condescending "he can't run anything" line isn't one that plays well for people looking for racist "dog whistles". the main objection to the guy is that he had a successful military career and then went on to work with giant "defense" contractors worth billions. he's as deep state as it gets so these idiots doth protest too much.
so yeah, a (probably racist given her cavalier attitude toward killing chinese military personnel and civilians alike) yuppie twat whose only combat experience is fighting over a kate spade bag in georgetown versus a guy who - for better or worse - has actually been in charge of ordinance. the fact that it's even up for discussion tells you how deranged the Neocon York Times and the Washington PoST (Piece of Shit Tabloid) are. also how sadly narrow the overton window is and how it allows no one with a conscience to enter.
Posted by: the pair | Dec 10 2020 16:40 utc | 68
A general officer, especially one with Austin's non-achievement career, is not intellectually equipped to manage an operation of DOD's size and complexity.
As Paul McLeary at Breaking Defense said:
"Today’s speeches by Biden and Austin, while long on promises of regular order and civilian-led decision making process, did nothing to preview what a Biden foreign policy might look like. They also didn’t address concerns that Austin, who spent years in the Middle East fighting insurgencies, is ill-prepared to manage US military relations with China or modernize the armed forces as part of the emerging race to develop technologies like hypersonic weapons, satellites, lasers, and a rapid buildup of the Navy."
Regarding, Flournoy, the SecDef should not be making policy even in this non-democratic US government. The US military chain of command goes from the president to SecDef to the combatant commands which cover the world.
Posted by: Don Bacon | Dec 10 2020 16:45 utc | 69
Feminist activist Medea Benjamin on Austin's nomination:
--//--
If this Austin really is that useless yes-man people here are saying he is, there's a more macabre hypothesis on the table: Biden wants to command the Defense in person, only him and his amici.
General Lloyd Austin is best remembered for his terrific lack of success training al-Qaeda to fight ISIS:
. . .from the Guardian, Sep 16, 2015:
US has trained only 'four or five' Syrian fighters against Isis, top general testifies
Senators appear incredulous and call for a new plan after hearing news that US military’s $500m effort has resulted in training of only a handful of fighters
A $500m effort to train Syrian forces against the Islamic State has resulted in only a handful of fighters actively battling the jihadi army, the top military commander overseeing the war has testified.
“We’re talking four or five,” General Lloyd Austin, commander of US Central Command, told a dissatisfied Senate armed services committee on Wednesday.
The training initiative is Barack Obama’s linchpin for retaking Syrian territory from Isis. The Pentagon anticipated in late 2014 that it would have trained 5,000 anti-Isis Syrian rebels by now.. .here
Posted by: Don Bacon | Dec 10 2020 17:04 utc | 71
Good morning Bill @67--
The Time aspect became aware to me with Putin's Munich speech in 2007 and was confirmed by Russia's unveiling its hypersonic weapons; while on the educational/geoeconomic side of the equation, that arose as a product of my research essay into China's economy I wrote in 1999/2000. When China announced its Development Goals, BRI and related 5-year plan developed while Hu Jintao was top leader, the profound extent of China's Long Game became very visible whereas the Outlaw US Empire did essentially the opposite as it allowed the Neoliberal Parasites to continue to hollow-out industry, allow infrastructure to rot, and further debase the nation's human capital as signified by Obama tossing millions out of their homes while rewarding instead of jailing the Banksters. Essentially, 3 decades were wasted as the Empire rested on what it thought were its Laurels that when combined with all the negative actions probably amount to 50 years of neglect that must be recouped if the turnaround began today. So, the Time gap widens everyday the Outlaw US Empire continues its Neoliberal policies, which the pandemic has accelerated.
Yesterday, China announced its series of retaliatory sanctions on Outlaw US Empire officials who are linked to the attempt to destabilize Hong Kong:
"Such a high level of condemnation against US provocations reminded many of the then Chinese vice president's strong condemnation of the US for the 1999 NATO bombing of the Chinese Embassy in Belgrade.
"Imposing illegal and extreme sanctions on China's deputy state-level leaders is severe provocations against China's dignity, sovereignty and internal affairs. This is also 'the garbage diplomacy' during the garbage period of the Trump administration, severely damaging the fundamental interests of China-US relations and the interests of Biden's foreign policy, Tian Feilong, an associate professor at Beihang University in Beijing and a member of the Beijing-based Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies, told the Global Times on Thursday.
"'In line with our legitimate rights, we have to make sure those anti-China forces continue to pay the price for encroaching on China's national interests… namely Pompeo, who has been one of the principal American officials in pushing Hong Kong-related bills,' Tian said, adding that the targeted punishment should also be permanent.
"As US Secretary of State, Pompeo has been relentlessly attacking CPC for 'eroding the autonomy and freedom' of Hong Kong. Deemed as the worst secretary of state in history, he not only issued sanctions on Chinese senior officials but also warned the business community potential risks of investing in the city controlled by the CPC, which he referred to as 'tyranny.'
"Such anti-China madness displayed by American hawks like Pompeo was widely seen by Chinese experts as the final hysteria, and China's countermeasures are unlikely to be limited to the US State Department; they could also include the Department of Justice, Treasury, Immigration and Commerce, analysts said." [My Emphasis]
So, banning Pompeo, Mnuchin, Trump, Pence, and others from entering China for life is a signal that such measures could easily be extended to include members of Biden's administration if the policy of provocations continues. Until Neoliberal idiots wake up to the realization that it's their policies that promoted China's rise and the USA's fall, the Time window will continue to widen, and we'll witness the emergence of the USA as a Developing Nation versus China as a Developed Nation perhaps as early as 2049.
Don Bacon @72--
Hi Don! Do you really believe actual training was being done to combat Daesh as opposed to how they would join in combat together? What resulted? The two became allies. It might be said that Austin oversaw the demise of the Moderate Rebel BigLie. I'd bet he could tell us a lot about how Daesh was brought into being by the Outlaw US Empire.
@56 Uncle Tungsten
Biden is being investigated by the United States Attorney's office, which is a federal not state agency, for violation of federal tax crimes.
Aside from the fact that the particular federal office is located in the state of Delaware which is Biden's residence--every state has at least one US attorney's office--there is zero connection with state law or state jurisdiction. Any state crime would be prosecuted by the state attorney general's office.
Posted by: sleepy | Dec 10 2020 17:15 utc | 75
what about food and water, will a nuke fix that? Unless China has technology to remove co2 from atmosphere, methane too, nuke war is the answer to human nature.
Posted by: cadaver | Dec 10 2020 17:26 utc | 76
Hiding behind the good black man
‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾
Are people missing the point?
Want me to believe? No effing way.
1. Been fooled by "good man black" before (Powell), others have been by Obama and some maybe both.
Sure it looks good compared to "let's blow up the world!" but that's all stagecraft. Biden picking anybody? Don't even try to pretend Biden has a say or will ever have a say; he's a walking mushroom.
Hollywood is "left"-leaning, it shows when they polish the narratives.
2. Opposing war is now racist as well as "communist".
2.a. If you're Untermensch/gentile aka "white" (including rednecks, asians, mediteraneans, "coconuts"/uncle Toms, and non-native amerian Indian) you're now twice racist. At least twice.
2.b. If you're non-white antiwar you're now twice "communist". At least twice.
This all spells out more war, violence. or whatever one wants to call the organized murdering.
If Biden wins…
Posted by: Sunny Runny Burger | Dec 10 2020 17:27 utc | 77
Vk--
As others have pointed out, there are numerous females in the US military. The highest ranking officer in the US Air Force, who is also Secretary of the AF, is a woman.
Posted by: sleepy | Dec 10 2020 17:30 utc | 78
Flournoy was shortlisted to replace Hagel as SecDef in 2014, but reportedly declined as she didn't wish to be a "doormat" or "deferential" - she saw her role as "aggressive" and "independent" (Peter Lee China threat Report) She was considered shoo-in for the Hilary Clinton administration which didn't happen. It is the China Hawk faction pushing back against Austin - a faction which demands a Great Power confrontation (not just competition) and plans a large rapid increase in naval power focussed on South China Sea. The Hawks are waiting for Duterte to time out in Philippines, be replaced by pro-US china hawk, and then the games begin. The division of US foreign policy into separate fiefdoms with differing interests and activity, as seen in Syria during Obama 2nd term, appears as new normal. The China Hawks want their person in at SecDef to pursue their policy regardless of what Biden thinks. China Hawk policy supported by powerful faction in Pentagon and Congressional figures.
Posted by: jayc | Dec 10 2020 17:34 utc | 79
The nazis also did the whole "say hello to our interstellar friends" thing, but at least they didn't push it onto the public.
Israel has scraped through the bottom of the barrel (passing straight through the "Ancient Aliens" crowd), any would-be aliens are unlikely to be amused at being used for political propaganda.
Zionism must be in a crisis when god isn't good enough any more.
Posted by: Sunny Runny Burger | Dec 10 2020 18:28 utc | 80
Here's how I see it and I know I'm right on this.
Biden has a strategy he's not voicing, because if he did he would be cut down at the knees from the get go.
When you look at his 2 choices for the most important foreign policy positions: SoS and DoD what you have on the surface is a dichotomy. But really it's not and here's why.
Biden wants to cool down the temperature on foreign policy. America is like Trump. It can't let go of power. What I perceive is Biden wanting to work with other countries and even countries such as Iran to promote stability and discourage hostility.
Biden chose Blinken only to appease Zionists, but he knows Blinken will conform to Biden's middle ground, common sense strategy cause he's worked with him before and he knows the kind of results he can deliver, and that he can get loyalty from him, otherwise he wouldn't have chosen him.
General Lloyd Austin is Biden's kind of guy. He's loyal, common sense, no drama and less hawkish than other DoDs to date, and for Uncle T's information, Chuck Hagel left Defense because he disagreed with drawdown in Iraq. So even though Hagel was less hawkish than most he was still an interventionist in the sense of maintaining a high number of occupation forces.
The left need to get over the civilian/military thing, because Austin is the least hawkish candidate who stands a chance of getting Congressional approval and that takes precedence over sitting on the board of a weapons maker (with a caveat below). Zionists and Neolibs are also using the military waiver as an excuse to diss Austin. Austin is definitely in Biden's comfort zone; that's why he went out of his way to defend him in the Atlantic OP-ed piece. Biden also intends to reduce the Defense budget, to get other domestic stuff and environmental policy done, and Austin is on board with reducing Defense budget.
Here's another indication that Biden is doing a 180 on foreign policy: he just appointed Susan Rice to head the Domestic Policy Council. So she will not be involved in international affairs.
The hawks will try to use the waiver issue to push Austin out, but they'll have a hard time fighting his exemplary military record. So he might make it.
HOWEVER, let me be perfectly honest his seat on Raytheon's board is a glaring conflict with Biden's policy on Yemen. Here's an excerpt on that from MotherJones:
If Austin’s gets a seat in Biden’s Cabinet, it raises questions of how sincerely he believes in Raytheon’s activities and whether he would advocate for a continued transfer of weapons. Last year, Biden called for the United States to stop providing financial and military support for the Saudi war in Yemen, reversing a policy that originated under the Obama administration. He also said he would make Saudi Arabia, which has come up for increasing criticism in Congress since its state-sanctioned murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi, into “a pariah.”
My caveat: Given Biden's Yemen policy, Austin should resign from that seat the moment he's confirmed. That being said; he's a much better pick than the other two.
And just so you know, Trump vetoed every piece of legislation that tried to end weapons sales to Saudi Arabia and financial and other support for its war on Yemen.
So you Trump bootlickers and recovering cult and kool-aid addicts have NO MORAL HIGH GROUND to debate this choice. Anti-war Trump, my ass! 🙄
Posted by: Circe | Dec 10 2020 18:51 utc | 81
VK @ 64:
Your argument @ 18 is based on a flawed assumption about the nature of defence ministries and the role of the Defence Minister / Secretary in most First World nations and probably most other nations around the world.
In many countries the ministry and the position of Defence Minister / Secretary act as a restriction on the armed forces, to keep them within the role of national self-defence and allow civilian overview, so that the heads of the armed forces do not pursue wars of conquest or wars of vengeance against other nations that would sap their own resources including the civilian population who would have to supply draftees in the event of a compulsory military draft.
The functions and roles of Defence Ministries and the Defence Minister / Secretary are to spell out their governments' policies to the armed forces that would affect their recruitment policies and programs, their organisational structures, their budgets, how they find the resources and materiel to equip their soldiers, sailors and pilots, and even how many people they employ. Such functions and roles do not require having a military background though it might be of some benefit in understanding the military point of view when it comes to arguing over national spending priorities and how much defence or "defence" a country needs. Conducting military strategy and war is not part of the remit of Defence Ministries and the Defence Minister / Secretary, though in some countries the Defence Minister (especially if that person is also juggling several other ministries including head of government, as was the case in Israel last year, or is a closet psychopath in the mould of Michelle Flournoy) may overstep his/her designated role and interfere in military decisions that should be the remit of the heads of the armed forces.
This explains why in many countries the position of Defence Minister / Secretary can be filled by a civilian - thus allowing for a woman to serve in the position - or a retired military officer who may also be subject to restrictions on his/her military connections to minimise potential conflicts of interest.
Posted by: Jen | Dec 10 2020 23:30 utc | 82
My theory is the nomination of Austin is a trick to get Flournoy as Secretary of Defense. Why else would he appointment someone who both needs a waiver to become Secretary of Defense and has such obvious ties to the defense industry? Austin is a "good soldier" so when he is ask to withdraw he will do so quietly.
Posted by: Quiet Rebel | Dec 11 2020 3:27 utc | 83
Posted by: Circe | Dec 10 2020 18:51 utc | 81
Biden has a strategy he's not voicing, because if he did he would be cut down at the knees from the get go.
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.
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I was wondering where I'd heard this before when it struck me that your entire rationalization is simply the "10D Chess" theory Trumptards loved so much, now updated for Biden, the new Zionist sock puppet.
What can I say: "There's a sucker born every minute"
Posted by: Arch Bungle | Dec 13 2020 16:32 utc | 84
The comments to this entry are closed.
The choice of Lloyd Austin might suggest that policy continuity and consistency across US Federal departments are of some concern to the incoming Biden govt. This could imply that Biden himself is not confident that he can complete a full four-year term as President and will need support from all his Cabinet picks. Having someone like Michelle Flournoy as Defense Secretary, apt to pursue her own rogue agenda, must be the last thing the White House needs and wants.
Posted by: Jen | Dec 9 2020 18:46 utc | 1