Deputy Defence Secretary Patrick Shanahan appointed acting Pentagon chief

a reply to: Shamrock6

No, Boeing specifically with this guy. The Air Force said repeatedly that they don't want the F-15X, but it was announced the other day that the 2020 budget request, from the Pentagon, is going to have $1.2B for 12 F-15Xs, and he was one of the ones pushing for it. He supposedly didn't have anything to do with the actual deal itself, but he pushed for it to happen. He's a former Boeing exec.

a reply to: Zaphod58

I know he is, and his background.

My point was that the entire MIC is jumping for joy right now, with these developments.

a reply to: Shamrock6

The entire MIC has been jumping for joy for years with all the equipment that we've run into the ground and now have to replace. Now Boeing gets to show even more how badly they can screw up a project *coughKC-46*cough* under his leadership. This guy is so bad that John McCain once referred to him as the fox in the hen house. That's pretty bad for McCain to say that.

This guy is completely unqualified, especially so next to Mattis. The guy spent his career as a mechanical engineer then project manager in the defense industry. Now he's supposed to be SecDef, right as they're announcing crazy deals like the F-15X, which benefits the company he used to work for? Respected members in the aviation forum have called it (buying the F-15X) "borderline treasonous" and the negative sentiment is nearly unanimous there.

Revolving door... between the government and the defense industry.

Put someone in like Mattis, or keep him. Otherwise put in a civilian who is an expert in defense policy (not industry). CNAS? RAND? CSIS? Or someone who has done both.

originally posted by: Arnie123

originally posted by: gortex

originally posted by: projectvxn
Can't wait to hear all the "Constitutional crisis" people talk about this temporary appointment too.

Everybody in the Trump administration is temporary , this we have learnt.

Can't step up, you're out.

Don't see the big deal you leftist make.

LOL, so any critique over the turn-over rate means they are a "leftist"? You want a leftist critique, I'll give you a damn leftist critique.

Perhaps Trump should select the right people in the first place, then actually follow their advice. Not throw a tantrum and then put "the fox in charge of the hen house" as if he's going to be a "replacement". Right as this has happened, a rip-off deal was announced which benefits Shanahan's former employer. Trump is surrounding himself by yes-men and in the new era of great-power competition this is not going to end well. You have no idea how psychopathic and cunning Americas enemies are, and this so called game involves thousands of nuclear weapons.

Pulling out of Syria seems to have similarities to pulling out of Iraq. Power vacuum time, just different political parties have initiated it. I'm sure they'll both point fingers at each-other. Boo at giving up on key allies as well, hope they learn next time.

You hire the right people, then they aren't going to tell you what you want to hear all the time. That's why you hire them. Instead the way this seems to be working is Trump is ruling with an iron fist by finding people who do as they are told and who benefit Trump personally, and firing those who don't. Those people, in turn, do the same thing on the next level down (in this case to the benefit of Boohooing, oops I mean Boeing). There's a word for that kind of power-structure and it starts with an F and it gets an "F".

originally posted by: C0bzz

Pulling out of Syria seems to have similarities to pulling out of Iraq. Power vacuum time, just different political parties have initiated it.

And look at today. The cascading events unfold precisely as I thought they would...NOW Iraq is pushing Trump for American troop withdrawls. Any bets?

originally posted by: C0bzz
This guy is completely unqualified, especially so next to Mattis.

And that has stopped the Pentagon when exactly?

“Well, we have wonderful man in there now, as you know. Our friend, Shanahan, is a good man, and he’s done a great job. And he’s a good buyer. I wanted somebody that could buy, because I’m giving a lot of money and I don’t want it to be wasted,” Trump said.

“So Shanahan was at Boeing, and did a great job at Boeing,” he added. “He was there for a long time. Boeing is a hell of a company. He did a great job. Very responsible for the success of a certain plane, the Dreamliner. And he’s a respected man. He could be there for a long time. I mean, I’m in no rush.”

taskandpurpose.com...