If Kerry wins can he flush the neocons out of the Pentagon?

[bluestateguy]

A little known secret outside of Washington, alluded to by General Zinni in his recent 60 minutes interview, is that there are hundreds of neocons now staffing the Pentagon. They are working to carry out the PNAC/AEI blueprint to impose a new era of American neocolonialism/neoimperialism upon the world. I'm not talking about Rumsfeld and Wolfowitz. They are very visible. I'm talking about the mid-level staffers, many of whom are younger, many of whom worked in think tanks like Heritage or AEI, and almost none of whom have ever actually worn a military uniform. If Kerry wins we can say goodbye to Rumsfeld and Wolfowitz, but what about all of these neocon bureaucrats? Would Kerry be able to reign them in? Can he get rid of them? I don't know how many can be removed or not, but I fear that if Kerry were to win these neocons would just sit on their asses in the depths of the Penatgon bureaucracy making life difficult for Kerry as they wait around a few years for their old bosses to come back into power.

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. They are civilian employees

and most do work at the pleasure of the President.

They can and I hope and expect that Kerry will
flush them out

[Geo55]

3. civilian employees

All JK has to say is...DON"T LET THE DOOR HIT YOU IN THE ASS ON THE WAY OUT !

[nadinbrzezinski]

6. Thank you

Actually they don't fall under the civil service
rules, or JK could not just fire them out right.

They are in the special category of POLITICAL apointees.

The Civil Service Act would bar JFK from just outright
cleaning house with the Civil Service. SO expect some of
them to be TRANSFERRED to the Civil Service

[napi21]

2. I don't know, but I suspect the NEW leaders can and would make changes.

I sure don't know the pentagon ops, but I know the military fairly well. The LEADERS set the tone! You obey, or hit the bricks. Can he change philosophy....probably not. Can he change ORDERS, YES! I'm sure the hierarchy would take care of most of the rest....given enough time.

[Turbineguy]

4. Flush?

There's a good idea! Notice to neocons: When you go to the head, beware of limbo dancers!

[mike_c]

5. my prediction-- the heads will roll but the body will remain...

...firmly in place as long as they keep their grumbling to themselves and stick to working the brushfires rather than sticking their necks out for visible policy. Kerry is NOT a reformist.