Central Command chief Gen. Joseph Votel took the very unusual step of
publicly disagreeing with President Trump on the withdrawal from Syria.
Now, with negotiations ongoing to possibly leave Afghanistan, the
general is staking out a public position against that as well.
Testifying to the House Armed Services Committee, Gen. Votel said that he doesn’t believe the current political conditions in Afghanistan merit a US withdrawal at all, and that Afghan forces are still dependent on the US coalition.
At the same time, Votel distanced himself from reports of US plans to
withdraw from Afghanistan within five years, saying there have been no
orders to withdraw, and that there are no current plans to do so.
All indications are that the negotiations between the US and the Taliban
hinge on a US withdrawal from Afghanistan. The US is said to be
resisting Taliban pushes to have all 14,000 US troops out within a year,
though clearly the Taliban believes five years is much too long, and
the sooner the better.
WTF? This fool thinks it’s some kind of revelation that the puppet government in Kabul would collapse without US troops?
That’s the point. It’s been 18 years and no end in sight. Here is another general who needs to be canned. And a n example should be made that any MIC that hires this idiot will be less likely to be favored for purchases of equipment.
I agree 100%; This fool (Gen. Votel) thinks it’s some type of revelation that the puppet govt in Kabul would collapse w/o US troops?
That’s exactly the point .. It’s been 18 years and no end in sight. Here’s another general who hasn’t learned from history who needs to be canned .. And an example should be made that any MCI that hires this idiot will be less likely to be favored for equipment purchases.
I also totally agree with Vic Pittman, and I second the motion. Give the SOB a rifle and send him over there. He stays until “conditions” warrant a complete withdrawal, and HE’s the last to leave. I, too, have had it with these pompous nitwits.
There are plenty of General Officers who don’t know how to follow orders or policy.
When has the USA ever left any of its “successes” to allow them to look after themselves???
Give the sonofabitch a rifle and send him over there. He stays there until “conditions” warrant a complete pullout, and HE is the last one to leave. I’ve had it with these little Hitlers.
“In my view, we have come further in the last six months than we have at anytime in the last 18 years,” he said. “It is a difficult problem. We are still at the front end of this. I acknowledge that, and we have a ways to go.”
I’m convinced.
Me too! I mean just because the same thing was said a few dozen times over 18 years….. hasn’t everyone heard ” the 30th time is the charm!”
I remember a Rand study back around 06, it stated there were more US generals and admirals in Afghanistan than there were Al Qaeda members. I think this why the military claimed it killed the #2 al Qaeda man every 6 weeks….there were only 2 of em, and the other one is in jail.
The Pentagon and US armed forces is top heavy in generals. I seen estimates that there are 8X as many per trooper as there was in WW2. These armchair generals are effectively another lobby group for the MIC. Getting rid of them wouldn’t solve the problem, but it would help. Especially because the top brass were selected for the adherence to neo-con foreign policy.
Officers (especially senior officers) have long been the “most sacred” in the US military. I was in the USAF in 1986, when a proposal to trim the bloated officer corps by just 6% over three years was denounced as TEOTWAWKI. Meanwhile, every 4-6 months thousands of enlisteds were discharged before their ETS under various “early out” programs. Others who planned to re-up had to do so early and lose part of their bonuses.
Right, mon general, not for another hundred years, or more.
Or at least until General Votel retires on a full pension.
If President Trump ignores him it does not matter what the general recommends. That is how it works here.
Wouldn’t it be nice to have patriots in US military flag positions.
A precedent-setting scenario: President Trump and General Votel have a meeting where the president specifically issues an oral order followed by a mutual signed order, that complete withdrawal from Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan is demanded within a specified time.
Willful disobedience then or after the withdrawal date results in court-martial, reduction in two ranks upon resignation or due to punishment implemented by a military court or perhaps a federal court.
At least three layers of the military’s chain of command will have to be avoided or subverted for President Trump’s to gain someone’s attention.
How’s his current impression of admirals and generals?
Votel is channeling fellow political hack Gov. LePetomane: “We’ve got to think about our phony-baloney jobs here! Harumph! Harumph!”