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Subject:
Politics Holding Up Military Nominations
Softwar
6/5/2008 8:54:16 AM
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Military holds
The Pentagon is upset that about 140 military officers are being delayed from Senate confirmation because of political disputes among Senate Democrats and Republicans.
The Pentagon is "painfully aware" of the problem, said one official, who described the conflicting "holds" on nominees as "politics at its worst."
The first hold on two key military promotions was imposed by a Democrat last month. It blocked, among others, the promotion of Army Lt. Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal to be the director of the Joint Staff once the Senate confirms his fourth star. Gen. McChrystal will depart as commander of the Joint Special Operations Command, which is on the front line of the war on terrorism.
Also on hold is Navy Rear Adm. William H. McRaven, head of Special Operations Command Europe (SOCEUR), who is slated to replace Gen. McChrystal.
According to Senate aides, the military hold was done in secret by Democrats in response to Republicans holding up Federal Election Commission nominees in their effort to prevent a political realignment on the commission favoring Democrats.
A Democratic aide blamed the military hold on one Republican who is blocking all nominees over a disputed appointment to the Tennessee Valley Authority.
A Pentagon official said of Gen. McChrystal and Adm. McRaven: "These guys have done tremendous work in the war on terrorism, and we need them [confirmed]."
Said Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell: "We were pleased that all the nominees, including Gen. McChrystal and Adm. McRaven, were voted out of committee by unanimous consent and, though it has been two weeks since the committee voiced its overwhelming support, we remain optimistic they will soon be confirmed by the full Senate." |
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