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A4 U.S. NEWS
Wednesday 27 February 2019

The precarious perch of a potential Pentagon chief

By ROBERT BURNS publican and a member of came mired in controversy
AP National Security Writer the Armed Services Com- and ultimately failed to be
WASHINGTON (AP) — Pat- mittee, has publicly argued confirmed by the Senate.
rick Shanahan, the former for Air Force Secretary Dick Cheney, the future
Boeing executive, was in Heather Wilson, a former vice president under Presi-
a familiar place — aboard congresswoman from New dent George W. Bush, then
an airplane — when he got Mexico, to be defense sec- was nominated and con-
word of a bolt-from-the- retary. Ernst told the AP that firmed.
blue political shot across his if Shanahan gets the nomi- Presidents typically take
bow, an apparent blow to nation she would revisit his pains to ensure the Penta-
his chances of being nomi- background "just to make gon is being run by a Sen-
nated as the next secretary sure there's no conflict of ate-confirmed official, giv-
of defense. interest," calling herself un- en the grave responsibilities
Sen. James Inhofe, the decided. that include sending young
White House-friendly Re- Sen. Deb Fischer, a Ne- Americans into battle, en-
publican chairman of the braska Republican, called suring the military is ready
committee that would pass Shanahan "very forthright" for extreme emergencies
judgment on the nomina- In this Feb. 11, 2019, photo, acting Defense Secretary Patrick but would not say direct- like nuclear war and man-
tion, was being quoted Shanahan, left, arrives in Kabul, Afghanistan to consult with ly whether she thinks he aging overseas alliances
Army Gen. Scott Miller, right, commander of U.S. and coalition
in news reports as saying forces, and senior Afghan government leaders. should get the job. that are central to U.S. se-
he didn't think Shanahan Associated Press Shanahan was the deputy curity.
would get the nod, and secretary of defense during Trump seemed attracted
that Shanahan lacked hu- led the Pentagon, Shanah- that experience in defense Mattis' two-year tenure. No to Shanahan partially for
mility. an has avoided public mis- industry issues could work one thought of him then as his work on one of the presi-
Within hours, however, steps while handling such to Shanahan's benefit. a potential No. 1; he had dent's pet projects -- cre-
the crisis passed as Inhofe politically sensitive issues as "We need a strong defense never previously served in ating a Space Force. He
backtracked, insisting he sending military reinforce- industrial base, and so government and carried also has publicly lauded
had not meant to say he ments to the U.S.-Mexico anybody who is reflexively little political sway in Wash- Shanahan's former em-
had a problem with Shana- border. Shanahan has a against his association with ington or in foreign capitals. ployer, Boeing, builder of
han. "I like the guy. I would less defined track record industry needs to rethink Aides say that during his 17 many of the military's most
support him" if nominated, on policy issues than Mat- how you build a strong months as deputy, Shana- prominent aircraft, includ-
Inhofe told The Associated tis, perhaps giving him a military in a modern society han was deeply engaged ing the Apache and Chi-
Press. more friction-free start with like ours," O'Hanlon said in in the full range of policy nook helicopters, the C-17
The episode, which played Trump. an interview. issues and briefed on mili- cargo plane and the B-52
out while Shanahan was fly- Shanahan, 56, grew up in "In the end, I don't expect tary operations. He shares bomber, as well as the
ing from Baghdad to Brus- Seattle. He earned a Bach- that to be a huge sticking Mattis's conviction that the iconic presidential aircraft,
sels on his first trip abroad elor of Science degree in point" to Senate confirma- Pentagon needs to shift its Air Force One.
as the acting secretary of mechanical engineering tion, should Shanahan get focus from fighting insur- Trump seemed to tire of
defense, highlights the pre- from the University of Wash- the nomination, O'Hanlon gent wars to preparing for Mattis' reputation as the
carious position he occu- ington and two advanced added. and deterring armed con- administration's moderat-
pies while waiting for Presi- degrees from the Massa- Although a few members flict with big powers like ing influence on national
dent Donald Trump to de- chusetts Institute of Tech- of the Senate have rhetori- China. security issues. But when he
cide who he will nominate nology. He joined Boeing in cally roughed up Shana- "China, China, China," was quit, there was no sudden
as successor to Jim Mattis, 1986, rose through its ranks han, he has not generated his message to senior de- rush of candidates to fill his
the retired Marine general and is credited with rescu- broad opposition during partment officials the day shoes.
who quit in December after ing a troubled Dreamliner two months of auditioning he took over for Mattis, Shanahan "may be not so
nearly two years of leading 787 program. He also led for the nomination. Sen. aides said. bad an option," O'Hanlon
the Pentagon. the company's missile de- Lindsey Graham, the South Trump installed Shanahan said.
With no other candidate fense and military helicop- Carolina Republican, has as the acting secretary on "You get a person who's got
emerging as the clear ter programs. butted heads with Shana- Jan. 1 and has since spo- some of the Mattis world
front-runner, expectations Some have questioned han over the administra- ken admiringly of him. This view now inculcated inside
inside the Pentagon are whether Shanahan's back- tion's Syria policy, but that is only the third time in his- of him but without that kind
that Shanahan will soon ground amounts to an in- confrontation quickly fad- tory that the Pentagon of star power," he added.
be nominated and that herent conflict of interest ed after the White House has been led by an acting "That may actually be what
he likely would win Senate for a defense secretary partially reversed course chief. The last was William Trump wants.
confirmation. He would be presiding over a multi- by agreeing to keep a few H. Taft, who served for two So, whether it's my own rec-
the first career defense in- billion-dollar procure- hundred troops in Syria months in 1989 after Presi- ommendation or my own
dustry executive to serve as ment budget. But Michael rather than withdrawing all dent George H.W. Bush's prediction, I see no reason
defense secretary. O'Hanlon, an analyst at the 2,000. first choice to be defense not to lean in Shanahan's
In the two months he has Brookings Institution, argues Sen. Joni Ernst, an Iowa Re- secretary, John Tower, be- favor."q