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A28 u.s. news
Diabierna 11 December 2020

Biden hails historic Pentagon pick, but some Dems in a bind

a broader civilian perspective.
He resigned in December
2018 in protest of Trump’s
policies.
Connecticut Democratic
Sen. Richard Blumenthal
said despite the historic racial
angle of Austin’s nomination,
he would not vote for a waiv-
er because it “would contra-
vene the basic principle that
there should be civilian con-
trol over a nonpolitical mili-
tary.”
“That principle is essential to
our democracy. … I think (it)
has to be applied, unfortu-
nately, in this instance,” Blu-
menthal said Tuesday.
Sen. Tim Kaine, a Virginia
Democrat, was noncommit-
tal, saying in a statement he’d
“closely evaluate the implica-
tions for waiving the Nation-
al Security Act requirement
twice in just four years.” Ha-
waii Democratic Sen. Brian
Schatz, went further Tuesday,
saying, “This is becoming a
trend, and I don’t like it. It
is difficult to imagine voting
for a Mattis waiver and not an
Austin waiver.”
(AP) — President-elect rine Gen. Jim Mattis. resonance at a time of ex- tion. ... Therefore, I will not With the Senate almost even-
Joe Biden on Wednesday That came, however, over the traordinary racial tension support a waiver for future ly divided politically — with
introduced his choice objections of some Demo- in the country. Before an- nominees.” the outcome of two Geor-
for secretary of defense, crats, who may now have to nouncing that he’d settled Now Reed is suggesting he’d gia special elections pending
calling retired Army reverse themselves to back on Austin, Biden was facing be open to the possibility for next month — Biden can
Gen. Lloyd Austin the Austin, who served 41 years pressure from activists over Austin. “I feel, in all fairness, lose only a limited number of
right man for a potentially in the Army and retired in a lack of diversity in some of you have to give the oppor- Democrats, which is unusual
volatile moment in global 2016. Biden said his pick un- the key posts of the Cabinet tunity to the nominee to ex- for an incoming president
security while hailing the derstands the need to keep a he was building. plain himself or herself,” he from the same party.
prospect of the first Afri- clear distance between mili- Before Mattis, the last time said Tuesday. That means he’ll need some
can American to lead the tary and civilian rule, but he Congress approved a waiv- Republican support to get
Pentagon. added, “Just as they did for er was in 1950, for retired Similarly, Illinois Sen Dick Austin confirmed, though,
Jim Mattis, I am asking Con- Gen. George Marshall. The Durbin opposed the waiver that will be forthcoming, at
But the nomination is put- gress to grant a waiver.” waiver would have to be ap- for Mattis but now says of least in some quarters. Sen.
ting some congressional “There’s a good reason for proved by both congressional Biden’s nominee, “I was so James Inhofe, R-Okla., the
Democrats in a political bind. this law that I fully under- chambers, giving the House impressed with his perfor- current chairman of the
In the past, they’ve opposed stand and respect,” said the a rare say over a nomination mance that I would consider Armed Services Committee,
naming recently retired mili- president-elect, whose son that otherwise would require a waiver for Austin, once I get said, “I always support waiv-
tary officers to a post typically Beau, the former Delaware only Senate confirmation. to know him.” ers.”
occupied by civilians, yet attorney general who died of House Speaker Nancy Pe- Civilian control of the mili-
they don’t want to defy their brain cancer in 2015, served losi, D-Calif., has followed tary has long been rooted Austin is widely admired for
party’s incoming president as an attorney on Austin’s Biden’s lead, announcing her in Americans’ wariness of his military service, which
nor be seen as blocking his- military staff in Iraq. “I would support and calling Austin large standing armies with includes leading troops in
tory. not be asking for this excep- “particularly well-positioned the power to overthrow the combat in Iraq and Afghani-
“He is the right person for tion if I did not believe this to lead during this precarious government they are intend- stan and overseeing U.S.
this job at the right moment,” moment doesn’t call for it.” moment.” ed to serve. That is why the military operations through-
Biden said at a Delaware Austin said he comes to “this The Senate could prove more president is the civilian com- out the greater Middle East as
event with Austin, adding, new role as a civilian leader, precarious, though. Demo- mander in chief, and it is the head of Central Command.
“He’s loved by the men and with military experience to cratic Leader Chuck Schum- rationale behind the prohibi- Still, opposition to another
women of the armed forces, be sure, but also with a deep er of New York struck a cau- tion against a recently retired waiver has also come from
feared by our adversaries, appreciation and reverence tious tone Wednesday when military officer serving as de- outside Congress. Kori
known and respected by our for the prevailing wisdom of asked about a wavier for Aus- fense secretary. Schake, director of foreign
allies.” civilian control of our mili- tin, saying, “I’m gonna have Some Democrats who agreed and defense policy studies
The choice has both won ap- tary.” to study that.” to the 2017 waiver saw Mat- at the American Enterprise
plause and provoked conster- “I recognize that being a “Bottom line is that Austin’s tis as tempering Trump’s im- Institute think tank, tweeted
nation on Capitol Hill. member of the president’s a very good nominee and pulsive nature and offsetting that she had reluctantly sup-
Three years ago, Congress Cabinet requires a different we’ll figure out where to go his lack of national security ported a waiver for Mat-
waived a law prohibiting perspective and unique re- from there,” Schumer said. experience. Now the Mat- tis because she believed
the appointment as defense sponsibility from a career in Rhode Island Sen. Jack Reed, tis period at the Pentagon is Trump posed “a threat to
secretary of military officers uniform,” Austin said. “And the ranking Democrat on the viewed by some as an argu- Constitutional governance
who have been retired fewer I intend to keep this at the Senate Armed Services Com- ment against waiving the rule domestically and the liberal
than seven years. That al- forefront of my mind.” mittee, said at the time of the again. order internationally. Thank-
lowed confirmation of Presi- Austin’s nomination as the Mattis confirmation, “Waiv- Mattis’ critics say he sur- fully, Biden is neither, so the
dent Donald Trump’s choice first Black leader of the Pen- ing the law should happen no rounded himself with mili- circumstances don’t support
for the post, retired U.S. Ma- tagon could have even more more than once in a genera- tary officers at the expense of a waiver.”