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Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley made clear his dedication to the constitution during an event on Wednesday as he stood next to the newly installed Acting Secretary of Defense, Christopher Miller.
“We are unique among the military. We do not take an oath to a king or a queen, a tyrant or a dictator. We do not take an oath to an individual. No, we do not take an oath to a country, to a a tribe. or religion. We take an oath to the Constitution. And every soldier who is represented in this museum, every sailor, aviator, navy, coastguard, each of us will protect and defend this document, whatever our personal cost ” Milley said during remarks at the opening of the U.S. Army Museum.
While Milley regularly refers to the military’s oath to uphold the Constitution, he chose to reinforce that message in his first public remarks following the major reshuffle of senior Pentagon civilian leadership.
Following Trump’s dramatic purge of some of the top civilian Pentagon officials who have been replaced by political loyalists and conspiracy theorists, all eyes are now on whether Trump will take action against the leaders military personnel in uniform, including Milley. .
While the military prides itself on not being ideological, senior officers in uniform will have to work with new administration appointees who are fiercely committed to Trump’s agenda.
Unlike politically appointed civilian leadership positions, many of which have been dismissed or resigned within the past 48 hours, military leadership historically continues in the next administration.
All of this comes as Trump refuses to concede the election to President-elect Joe Biden and the administration has yet to trigger the formal transition process.
Milley concerned about politicization
Milley, who was appointed in October 2019, will officially step down at the end of his term in 2023.
President Barack Obama appointed General Joseph Dunford as president in 2015 and Dunford held that post during the early years of the Trump administration until his term expired in 2019.
But Trump could choose to sack his general before Milley’s term ends in 2023.
Many of Trump’s loyalists who have been installed in the highest positions in the Pentagon come from the National Security Council staff in the White House and are expected to advocate for the NSC’s priorities in the Defense Department.
While several officials praised Miller’s reputation and ability, several describe him as relatively inexperienced for someone who takes on such an important position, with one senior defense official describing him as a “tool” and “vassal of the NSC. “set up to execute the White House Agenda.
Knowledgeable sources told CNN’s Jake Tapper on Tuesday that the White House-led purge at the Defense Department could be due to the now ousted Defense Secretary Mark Esper and his team pushing back an early withdrawal Afghanistan that would be carried out before the requisite conditions on the ground were encountered, and other outstanding security concerns.
Milley stressed that the withdrawal from Afghanistan must be based on conditions
Milley has also been relatively vocal in stressing that any withdrawal from Afghanistan should be conditional and carried out in a way that does not threaten US security.
This position saw the General-in-Chief engage in a war of words with White House national security adviser Robert O’Brien, who called for a more accelerated withdrawal from Afghanistan regardless of the conditions on field.
US military officials have long emphasized that the US withdrawal from Afghanistan was based on conditions, including severing ties between the Taliban and al-Qaeda and advancing peace talks with the Afghan government, two conditions that are not still fulfilled.
Milley also said he supported the renaming of bases named after Confederate officers and apologized for participating in a photoshoot with Trump following the forced dispersal of peaceful protesters outside. of the White House, calling the decision a “mistake” and saying that his presence “created a perception of the military involved in domestic politics.”
Trump defended the photoshoot and strongly rejected efforts to change the name of bases named after Confederate officers.
But while Trump could theoretically fire Milley, his would be technically limited as to who he could bring in to replace him.
By law, the vice chairman of the air force chiefs of staff, General John Hyten, would automatically be acting chairman upon Milley’s departure.
If Trump were to fire Hyten as well, then the president would have to appoint a member of the acting chiefs of staff.
For her part, Milley seems to be continuing her activities as usual.
Shortly after Esper’s dismissal on Monday, Milley held a secure video teleconference with the other members of the Chiefs of Staff and the heads of combat commands in the secure meeting room known as the “tank.” , according to a senior US military official.
Senior officials subsequently called their counterparts abroad to assure them that the US military mission is continuing and to assure them that the Pentagon maintains its military stability in the world, the official said.
Acting Secretary Miller met with Milley and other senior officials to give them his initial advice on not expecting “significant changes at this time,” the official said.
Milley also conducted normal activities, meeting with the Qatari Armed Forces Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Ghanem bin Shaheen Al Ghanem at the Pentagon on Tuesday.
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