Trump to shake up military leadership with new nominations: report

[left-of-center2012]

Source: The Hill

President Trump is expected to switch out commanders across the Middle East and Europe in the administration’s most dramatic change to the US military leadership so far, according to a new report from The Wall Street Journal.

The Journal reported that the personnel shifts will affect officers fighting in the Middle East, as well as those working to counter Russia, overseeing Guantanamo Bay and engaging in stealth operations around the world.

Officials told the Journal that Army Lt. Gen. Richard Clarke is anticipated to be formally appointed to U.S. Special Operations Command, in Tampa, Fla. He would succeed Army Gen. Tony Thomas, who will retire next year. The Special Operations Command oversees the specialized forces of all military branches.

As of now, Clarke serves as the director of strategic plans and policy for the Pentagon’s Joint Staff. He also served as operation officer at Joint Special Operations Command when the Pentagon initiated the raid that killed Osama Bin Laden. At that post, Clarke played a key role in the mission, participating in the planning, training and execution of the raid.

Read more: http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/402566-trump-to-shake-up-military-leadership-with-new-nominations-report

[Marrah_Goodman]

1. What the hell is he up to now?

I don't trust anything this admin does.

[Perseus]

4. Details are needed, but this could be a huge problem if

he is rewarding people from the military who support him and demoting or moving people who do not to positions they may not like.

This is what Hugo Chavez did in Venezuela to maintain support from the military, he promoted his supporters, assigned them to key positions, and from there on corruption became part of the military. I am not saying that corruption will happen in the US military, but then again, where is Flynn?

This could be very dangerous, lets not forget that the military holds the fire power, it helps dictators get a stronghold of the population.

[magicarpet]

12. Phasing out the old guard and bringing in...

... the new team that is more receptive to the idea of handing over and privatizing the Afgani War and then the Iraq War to the privatized death squad mercenary army of Erik Prince.

Then after people have gotten used to the idea of Prince's privatized mercenary army in the Middle East - Israel - Bolton - the NeoCons - and U S Military Industrial Complex can gin up a war with Iran for some reason or another.

The money spigot will be turned on full blast and some people stand to get filthy rich off privatized war with little oversight or limits.

War will then become an endeavor primarily driven by the motives of profit and hyper free market capitalism for those invested in the privatized war machine. We will now have a fiduciary responsibility to engage in, perpetuate, and wage endless war.

We then kick open the door of raping and plundering the valuable natural resources of other sovereign states at the point of hired guns and the threat of other technologically advanced military hardware.

Might is right - your natural resources are no longer yours but are now mine to do with as I see fit and profit from handsomely.

[groundloop]

2. This appears to be no big deal.... promotions to replace a couple of retirements

[left-of-center2012]

3. Massive turnover ...

Massive turnover for Military upper commanders could change the military for decades.

Upper commanders in the U.S. military are reportedly retiring at a significant rate, The Wall Street Journal reported Sunday. (WSJ requires a paid subscription)

The timing gives six crucial posts that will be taken over by leaders expected to impact the military for a decade or more.

https://www.rawstory.com/2018/08/massive-turnover-military-upper-commanders-change-military-decades/

[msongs]

6. first der fuehrer takes over, then the military takes a personal oath to the fuehrer, and then....

well we've seen this movie already

the military will do what trump says

[Jedi Guy]

7. I doubt the military would play along if Trump tried to do something wacky.

While the military does break right to a great extent, and some personnel are no doubt Trump supporters, I can't imagine the military blithely following along if Trump declared martial law and tried to deploy them domestically. It's one thing to get deployed to fight the Taliban or ISIS; it's quite another to get deployed to Akron to fight fellow Americans.

Trump is less popular among the officers (30% approval), and also among female and POC personnel. His main supporters in the military are enlisted personnel. His overall numbers are 44% favorable, 40% unfavorable, according to a Military Times poll. The only branch where he breaks the 50% mark is the Marine Corps.

With numbers like that, he's not about to turn the armed forces into the SS and unleash them on the populace. I think that if he tried doing so, most of the military would turn on him.

[haele]

13. Problem is, you're losing the senior officers who were commissioned in the 1990's.

You're starting to see the Rumsfield-era/post 9-11 officers taking senior command positions, officers who spent their first eight years or so rising through the ranks under the tacit expectations that they would keep their mouths shut when ordered to "do what needed to be done", no matter how unconstitutional it might be.
I haven't been too impressed with the education and policy awareness of the majority of the current batch of officers. They're much to willing to be technocrats for the CiC rather than actual strategic thinkers with a long view of what they're actually fighting for.
Most will take short cuts, potentially racking up major casualties to win battles thinking that's what wins wars. And there's very little respect for the opponent, whomever it is.

Haele

[keithbvadu2]

8. Oath of Allegiance - Pre and post 1934

Oath of Allegiance - Pre and post 1934
http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/the-fuehrer-oath

(before August 2, 1934)
"I swear by almighty God this sacred oath:
I will at all times loyally and honestly
serve my people and country
and, as a brave soldier,
I will be ready at any time
to stake my life for this oath."

The Fuehrer Oath
(effective August 2, 1934)
"I swear by almighty God this sacred oath:
I will render unconditional obedience
to the Fuehrer of the German Reich and people, Adolf Hitler,
Supreme Commander of the Wehrmacht,
and, as a brave soldier,
I will be ready at any time
to stake my life for this oath."

[Archae]

11. Reminds me more of Stalin and his purges...

People who were loyal to Stalin stayed while actually competent officers were purged.

Took until 1942 to undo the damage.

[global1]

9. Military Coup Prevention.....nt

[duforsure]

10. He's doing the same thing

As putin did in russia and installing loyalist in key positions to use to undermine that sector, and in this case its the military. Then when he has enough installed they replace the top leadership with them and he has the military in his court to use against us too.

[NoMoreRepugs]

14. Because of who he is and what he's done this has to have an ulterior motive.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

15. WWPD

What would Putin do?

Exactly this.

[Solly Mack]

16. K&R