Pentagon Shifts Focus from Military Expertise to Political Allies

[centristo]

alternatively titled: A Recipe for Disaster


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051229/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/defense_doomsday_succession

Pentagon Shakes Up Emergency Hierarchy

By LOLITA C. BALDOR, Associated Press Writer 40 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - Heading a military service isn't quite the position of power it used to be. In a Bush administration revision of plans for
Pentagon succession in a doomsday scenario, three of Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld's most loyal advisers moved ahead of the secretaries of the Army, Navy and Air Force.
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A little-noticed holiday week executive order from
President Bush moved the Pentagon's intelligence chief to the No. 3 spot in the succession hierarchy behind Rumsfeld. The second spot would be the deputy secretary of defense, but that position currently is vacant. The Army secretary, which long held the No. 3 spot, was dropped to sixth.

The changes, announced last week, are the second in six months and reflect the administration's new emphasis on intelligence gathering versus combat in 21st century war fighting.

Technically, the line of succession is assigned to specific positions, rather than the current individuals holding those jobs.

But in its current incarnation, the doomsday plan moves to near the top three undersecretaries who are Rumsfeld loyalists and who previously worked for Vice President
Dick Cheney when he was defense secretary.

The changes were recommended, said Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman, because the three undersecretaries have "a broad knowledge and perspective of overall Defense Department operations." The service leaders are more focused on training, equipping and leading a particular military service, said Whitman.

Thomas Donnelly, a defense expert with the American Enterprise Institute, said the changes make it easier for the administration to assert political control and could lead to more narrow-minded decisions.

"It continues to devalue the services as institutions," said Donnelly, saying it will centralize power and shift it away from the services, where there is generally more military expertise.

/snip

[lyonn]

1. Slow down tank, plane & ships production

The Pentagon is shifting to intelligence. Now, is that an oxymoron or what, INTELLIGENCE? Another Exeuctive Order during a recess. They are circling their wagons again. Changing the Pentagon to fit bushco plan to keep us safe and terrorised at the same time. Spying on U.S. citizens, then making intelligence a priority in the Pentagon. You can't make this sh-t up!!

[lyonn]

2. kicked & recommended

nt

[windbreeze]

3. How far are we going to allow

* to go. I see a serious problem with this stroke of *'s pen..and I wonder if it wasn't a warning to the Joint Chiefs to be careful what is planned on the sneak...such as coups, etc....As far as I'm concerned...I would far rather have the head of a Military branch, who swears to uphold the Constitution come into power sooner, rather than an individual who swears allegiance, or might owe personal favors to, the likes of Cheney, Rumsfeld, or Bush for that matter...This bunch of crooks are making moves to solidify their already iron grip on this gov't...could it be another unmistakeable indication that they have NO intention of leaving office...I think we're in big trouble..and I'd sure like to know what the military leaders thought about this, as a thank you for your service...
windbreeze

[lyonn]

4. They are changing the whole Pentagon

In other words, the war machine is in the hands of bush totally. You are right, will the military stand up for the U.S.? Maybe that is what Murtha got stirred up over. The military know they are being dissed.

[windbreeze]

5. In what Document is the line of succession determined?

Does anyone know??? Does Bush have the legal right to change this, w/o a vote in the Congress???

I found it interesting that when I went to yahoo and tried to come up with this story to send to a friend...that it had disappeared already...so then I did a search...and when I came up with the article that yahoo had early this am...it had come from a paper in ANGOLA for heaven's sake...and this EXEC order was issued days ago, on the QT, while everyone was away for the Holiday, but the information was not released until today...at 8:45 pm(most likely 8:45 am to us)..to the Angola press and was picked up by AP at around 11 am...and the whole thing stayed visible on yahoo for about an hour or less...then was replaced by something else..in SHORT...

Bush issued and signed this EXEC order, during a holiday vacation
Waited days to release the info...
Then released it to The ANGOLA PRESS???
Sooooo, why all the sneakiness, if this is above board??? IS it illegal for him to have done this? or DOES he alone have the RIGHT to change the line of succession, to the WH by himself???

this is giving me a very bad feeling..
windbreeze