Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen, U.S. Navy, speaks to service members and civilians assigned to U.S. Northern Command on Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., on March 10, 2008. DoD photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Chad J. McNeeley, U.S. Navy. (Released)From The Danger Room:
Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has a message for the State Department and other civilian agencies: It's time to step up to the plate in Afghanistan.
Yesterday, the Obama administration kicked off a 60-day policy review of Afghanistan and Pakistan strategy; options may include reinforcing the Afghanistan mission by sending as many as 20,000 to 30,000 more troops. Speaking Monday to soldiers at Fort Drum, N.Y., Mullen said it was time for a "commensurate surge" of diplomats and U.S. government civilians to reinforce stability operations and reconstruction.
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My Comment: The Chairman's criticism of the State Department would never have happened when President Bush was President and Secretary Rice was in the State Department. Both the President and Rice were friends and political allies .... and everyone knew that she was off limits from criticism.
Secretary of State Clinton and President Obama are political rivals .... and the Chairman knows that. This is all politics, and it is an easy shot at her .... which will receive approval from the White House.
A "civilian" surge to Afghanistan .... please. Without security and protection these employees would just show up on "jihad TV" with their heads being chopped off.