NBC: Defense Secretary Gates to replace Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Pace

[sabra]

Source: MSNBC

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Friday he has decided to replace the chairman and vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff rather than see contentious renomination hearings before Congress.

Speaking to reporters, and referring to the debate over the war in Iraq, Gates said he had wanted to renominate Marine Gen. Peter Pace as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff but then concluded doing so would create "a confirmation process that would not be in the best interest of the country."

"I concluded that because Gen. Pace has served as chairman and vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff for the last six years, the focus of his confirmation process would have been on the past rather than the future," Gates said.

"There was the very real prospect the process would be quite contentious," he said. "A divisive ordeal at this point is not in the interest of the country."

Read more: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19112660

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more:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070608/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/joint_chiefs_mullen_1

Mullen tabbed to head Chiefs of Staff

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert Gates announced Friday he has recommended Adm. Mike Mullen, currently chief of naval operations, to become the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Gates said that Mullen has the "vision strategic insight and integrity to lead America's armed forces."

If formally appointed by
President Bush and confirmed by the Senate, Mullen would replace Marine Gen. Peter Pace as the nation's top military officer.

[MNDemNY]

1. To be replaced by a Navy Admiral

Watch out IRAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Captain Hilts]

7. A good chunk of the task force is heading home. ps. Most admirals are navy. nt

[MNDemNY]

8. 'cept for Coast Guard.

[Captain Hilts]

12. Coast Guard would never be JCS Chair and their highest rank isn't high enough.

I think they only go to three stars.

[stratnav71]

38. Actually we do go to 4 stars

ADM Thad Allen, the Commandant of the Coast Guard is a 4 star Admiral. He wouldn't be eligible for Charmian of the Joint Chiefs because even though he is equal in rank to them, he is not a member of the Joint Chiefs. The main reason being that the Coast Guard's military missions are not on the same scale as our fellow services over in the Department of Defense. That is also part of the reason we are over in Homeland Security and not DoD. A Coast Guard Commandant simply wouldn't have the tactical knowledge and experience to effectively manage and advise and effectively lead that organization. Our missions are better suited for Department of Homeland Security, and legally, due to our law enforcement missions, we can't be in the DoD anyway. Nevertheless, we do work very closely with the other branches of the military and do have a good number of Coasties over in the Persian Gulf assisting with the war effort because of our experience in port security and vessel inspections.

[Bandit]

24. Coast Guard falls under Navy during war

Why do you think there are Coast Guard personel in Arab countries?

[stratnav71]

39. Not always

The Coast Guard only moves under the control of the Department of the Navy when Congress or the President orders the move. This hasn't happened since World War II. Even when that move isn't made, The Coast Guard has been active in every war the U.S. has been involved in going back to the 1798 Quasi-War with France. We were very active in Korea, Vietnam, The Gulf War and continue to do so in the current war in Iraq while remaining under our own organizational control.

[LEW]

29. I think Pace decided he wouldn't lie for t hem anymore

I hope Pace's conscience and "integrity" have finally won out - of course much easier to blame on the congress so shrub doesn't have to take the blame for anything.

[tabasco]

35. Highly unlikely!

Pace is an ass-kisser extraordinaire and is anxious to make some real money as a civilian. He will get a fat paycheck for the same war profiteers he has been working for in uniform. Pace served the neocon cabal, not the American people and that will be his legacy.

[FarCenter]

45. The Army is ineffective

Iraq has demonstrated again that the US Army is unable to take and hold territory inhabited by a hostile population, particularly on the Eurasian continent. At least not with levels of US military and foreign civilian casualties that will be tolerated by the US electorate.

So the US will revert to gunboat diplomacy, in which the Navy is the major player, both by attacks from offshore using weapons like cruise missiles, as well as limited onshore attacks using the Marines and special forces. It will also project soft power through port calls, naval bases, and cooperation with other naval and maritime organizations.

Note especially that the Islamic world, from Morrocco to Indonesia lives close to the sea, and is therefore vulnerable to naval power which can be projected a few hundred miles inland.

Admiral Mullen's keynote and Q&A session at the Brookings Institution on April 3, 2007 is worth a read. See http://www.brookings.edu/comm/events/20070403.htm

[Captain Hilts]

2. Gates has made some very good personnel decisions. nt

[maddezmom]

3. wow...wonder if it was for the Libby letter?

[Captain Hilts]

5. Gens. Marshall, Eisenhower, Bradley, Eichelberger never voted, let alone write a letter like that...

for a political appointee.

George C. Marshall cast his first vote in 1952.

Kokesh violated the rules of political participation and so did Pace.

[Solly Mack]

4. my my my

[BikeWriter]

6. I know some Marines who hate that bastid!

[anotherdrew]

25. which bastard? n/t

[BikeWriter]

26. All of them, especially Pace. :-)

[PassingFair]

9. Who will replace Gates? n/t

I can't read story...

[MNDemNY]

10. PFC Gomer Pyle, no doubt.

[underpants]

11. I think Gates is getting rid of the Rummy operative

[katty]

15. yup, looks like it

[maddezmom]

22. and homophobe and Libby lover

good riddance

[K in FL]

13. Yet another thrown under the bus...

... but too bad for us, this administration has a never ending supply of patsies and buses. They will be able to hold out the next year and a half and the true war criminals will get through it all unblemished.

[USMC_Liberal]

41. General Pace............

Has been the "high official" who has consistently opposed an attack on Iran for several years now.

If only he would rat them all out. He better stay out of small planes.

Walt

[myrna minx]

14. Did anyone see this coming? This is a total surprise to me. n/t

[BadGimp]

27. what question exactly

eom

[myrna minx]

28. Pace getting the axe. I didn't know he was about to step down. n/t

[davidwparker]

16. job performance or attacking Iran by the Navy/Air Force imminent?

[Kool Kitty]

46. Didn't Pace send a letter to the judge asking for leniency

for Scooter? I wonder if this had anything to do with it, getting involved in a political fight. Maybe they didn't want him questioned about this?

[davidwparker]

47. I heard that in one of the commentaries. He crossed a line and it was

out of place the him to get into politics. I'm sure that was part of it as well as not wanting him to answer questions when he is before the Democratically-controlled Congress. The new guy can just go 'Don't know. Can't recall. That was before my watch.'

[onehandle]

17. Why not replace him with a spanking new Liberty University Graduate?

They couldn't do any worse.

[maddezmom]

18. Gates suggests Admiral Mullen

press conf now

http://www.navy.mil/navydata/bios/navybio.asp?bioID=11

[maddezmom]

19. after consultation with both GOP and Dems, he realized that Pace

probably would not get the nomination.

[maddezmom]

30. Rueters: Iraq forces Gates to pick new top U.S. officer

WASHINGTON, June 8 (Reuters) - The Bush administration said on Friday it would not renominate Gen. Peter Pace as the top U.S. military officer, avoiding a contentious debate with the Democratic-led Congress over unpopular Iraq war.

Instead, Defense Secretary Robert Gates nominated Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, the current head of the U.S. Navy, to take over from Pace, a Marine general, when his two-year term expires at the end of September.

Gates paid tribute to Pace but said after consulting with Republican and Democratic Senators, he had come to believe that Pace would face a bruising reconfirmation hearing.

"I concluded that because General Pace has served as chairman and vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff for the last six years, the focus of his confirmation process would have been on the past rather than the future," Gates said.

more:http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N08373831.htm

[napi21]

20. Of all the Shrub appointees, I like Gates the best.

He could prove me wrong in the future, but the man does sound like a straight shooter that even has ethics!

WOW! Gates is on cspan NOW announcing the recommendation of Admiral Mullen to replace Pace and Gen John Cartright to replace the Vice Chief since he's RETIRING! Boy, Two birds in one!

[ryanmuegge]

33. Ahh, they're all the fucking same. There is ZERO difference between any of them.

[Divine Discontent]

37. I was thinking the same...

he has impressed me so far! I guess impressing me, though, isn't hard to do when you consider the other FINE choices Bush has made...



www.cafepress.com/warisprofitable <<-- check it out, top '08 stuff

[maddezmom]

21. AP: Mullen tabbed to head Chiefs of Staff

Mullen tabbed to head Chiefs of Staff By LOLITA BALDOR, Associated Press Writer
4 minutes ago



WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert Gates announced Friday he has recommended Adm. Mike Mullen, currently chief of naval operations, to become the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

ADVERTISEMENT

Gates said that Mullen has the "vision strategic insight and integrity to lead America's armed forces."

If formally appointed by President Bush and confirmed by the Senate, Mullen would replace Marine Gen. Peter Pace as the nation's top military officer.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070608/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/joint_chiefs_mullen_1

[triguy46]

23. the 3 card monte administration

"keep your eye on the dancing lady..." Another metaphor would be musical chairs. This continual shuffling keeps the failed efforts always in a transition, always biding for time for this weeks new guy to get relocated, learn, etc. The names change, but the policies are still stupid and failed.

[sandnsea]

31. TO AVOID CONGRESSIONAL HEARINGS

People, this is NOT A GOOD THING. The reason Gates is doing this is because he doesn't want Pace to have to answer questions. We have officially lost Congressional oversight.

[Marie26]

32. Why was Pace replaced?

Did he decide to leave voluntarily, or did Gates actually ask him to resign? Does anyone know?

[eringer]

36. Lt. Gen. Douglas E. Lute

A good military man would never report up to a lower rank. Pace never liked the idea of a War Czar and is pi$$ed off at Stephen Hadley for selecting Lute. No matter, Pace was no longer useful to this administration as no one believed him anymore.

[PATRICK]

34. Further explanation

in the minimal exposure given to the story has Gates explaining it as a tactical decision considering the "timing" and projected difficulties of Pace and the Vice Chairman for re-confirmation hearings added to some timely concern about Pace's pension plan. This doesn't help allay the immediate suspicions or shock that BOTH the top heads have been summarily replaced ahead of the FALL re-nomination process. So the new guys will a) lie better b)actually believe the crap Cheney wants to dish out, likely both. Mullen definitely sounds like a true believer in the war on terror not stung enough by reality. If this shaky reason is what they are trying to sell to the public it makes one even more suspect that chess pieces are being re-shuffled for the Iran war which by no means has been stopped in any decisive way and that all its small details advance inevitably to war no matter what. In any interpretation it is a shoddy destabilizing leadership at the top of the war chain caused by the greater concern for politics and by the WH pols.

The Repugs throw celebrity women in jail to great effect, no doubt about it.

[USMC_Liberal]

40. Attack on Iran is Imminent

General Pace has always opposed an attack on Iran.

I very much hope this is a case where he lived up to the Marine creed and kept his honor clean. The abrupt nature suggests that.

Walt

[AlinPA]

42. Rove wants to invade Iran with a new face (with product rollout in August)

Gates has little to do with these personnel "changes"

[SoDesuKa]

43. Bush Appreciated Pace's "Candid" Advice

Bush, traveling in Poland, issued a statement praising Pace.

"As chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Pete's job has been to help ensure that America's military forces are prepared to meet the threats of this new century," Bush said. "This is a difficult task in a time of peace. Pete Pace has done it in a time of war -- and he has done it superbly.

"As part of our senior military leadership, Pete has helped oversee the liberation of more than 50 million people," Bush said. "I have relied on his unvarnished military judgment and I value his candor, his integrity and his friendship."

(emphasis added)

http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/06/08/gates.pace/index.html

The fact that Bush even comments on Pace's candid advice and his unvarnished military judgment suggests it was an issue between them. Bush doesn't welcome anybody telling him he's wrong about anything. That's why he fired General Shinseki, Paul O'Neill and Larry Lindsey.

Pace got booted because he wouldn't go on television and say dumb things.

[laststeamtrain]

44. Guardian(Saturday): General 'sacrificed' to clear decks on Iraq

General 'sacrificed' to clear decks on Iraq


· Chairman of joint chiefs of staff to stand down
· Senate hearings would have been controversial

Suzanne Goldenberg in Washington
Saturday June 9, 2007
The Guardian

The Bush administration yesterday attempted to wipe the slate clean on the Iraq war and chart a new way forward with the surprise announcement that it was replacing General Peter Pace as chairman of the joint chiefs of staff.

The defence chief, Robert Gates, said he had reluctantly decided on the reshuffle - despite his initial support for Gen Pace - to avoid a "divisive ordeal" at the Senate which would have had to approve an extension of the general's term.

"The focus of this confirmation process would have been on the past rather than on the future," Mr Gates told the press conference. "There was a very real prospect that the process would be quite contentious."

<more>

http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,,2099084,00.html?gusrc=rss&feed=12