International Observation | Appointment of Several Hundred Important Military Positions in the United States Blocked, Becoming a Wonderful Candidate in Politics | Chief of Staff | Military

Beijing, August 28 (Xinhua) - Since the beginning of this year, due to continuous obstruction by Republican Senator Tommy Tuberville, about 300 senior military appointments and promotion candidates for the US military have been put on hold in the Senate approval process, including multiple members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Tuberville's actions were not aimed at the candidates themselves, but claimed to overturn the Democratic government's policy of subsidizing cross state abortions for military personnel and their families.

Tuberville refused to give up, and Democrats were also unwilling to compromise, with more and more senior officer appointments being put on hold. Analysts point out that this political spectacle is another example of how the two parties in the United States are using all means and disregarding the consequences to constrain each other, as American politics is caught up in an increasingly fierce party struggle.

This is the Capitol building captured on January 3rd this year in the US capital, Washington. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Liu Jie

Obstruction unprecedented in history

According to the Washington Post, Tuberville has blocked approximately 300 generals nominated by the President for military positions and promotions, including five successors from the eight members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, including the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Chief of Army Staff, Secretary of Naval Operations, Chief of Air Force Staff, and Commander of the Marine Corps.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff is the highest military agency of the United States Department of Defense, serving as the military advisor to the President and Secretary of Defense. The Chief of Staff of the Army, the Chief of Naval Operations, the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, and the Commander of the Marine Corps are the highest ranking officers of their respective branches.

Since the beginning of this year, the Commander of the United States Marine Corps, Chief of Staff of the Army, and Chief of Naval Operations have stepped down successively. The replacement candidates for the military commanders of these three branches have all been blocked by Tuberville and have not yet been approved in the Senate. They can only assume the duties of military commanders. According to the Politburo, the proxy status prevents these military commanders from making significant strategic decisions related to the future of their respective branches. The current Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Chief of Staff of the Air Force are also about to step down, and their successors are also being hindered.

On the 14th of this month, at the resignation ceremony of US Navy Chief of Operations Michael Gilder, US Secretary of Defense Austin once again expressed dissatisfaction: "Due to that comprehensive obstruction, starting today, for the first time in the history of the Department of Defense, our three branches operate without a Senate approved commander. This is unprecedented, unnecessary, and unsafe."

The US military currently has 852 generals. According to a spokesperson for the US Department of Defense, if Tuberville does not withdraw, by the end of this year, the number of generals on hold for appointment will reach about 650.

The picture shows a photo of the current Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Mark Milley, attending a congressional hearing on September 28, 2021. Shen Jizhong

Party disputes are fought by any means possible

Voting to approve presidential nominations for government officials, federal judges, diplomats, military officers, and other candidates is an important responsibility of the United States Senate. In recent years, against the backdrop of intensified bipartisan fighting in the United States, the two parties have been constantly tugging at candidates such as government officials, Supreme Court justices, and ambassadors, and the approval process often takes a lot of time.

But senators generally do not raise objections to the massive selection of military officers each year. The usual practice of the Senate is to hold a collective oral vote for a group of military officers each time, and pass it if there is no objection. This routine is time-saving and labor-saving. However, this time, Tuberville broke the tradition and used his own strength to prevent any general candidate from being quickly approved in the above-mentioned way. He gave the reason to oppose the Ministry of Defense's policy of subsidizing cross state abortions for military personnel and their families.

After the US Supreme Court overturned the Roe v. Wade case last year, some Republican controlled states have successively restricted abortion, which has forced some women to seek abortion across states. The US Department of Defense launched a policy in October last year to provide paid leave and travel allowances for military personnel and their families stationed in abortion restricted states to undergo cross state abortions.

Tuberville, who is 68 years old and was first elected as a federal senator in 2020, comes from Alabama, a deeply rooted "deep red state" of the Republican Party, where abortion is considered illegal. According to analysis by National Public Radio, Tuberville is serving as a federal senator for the first time and may want to increase his visibility by obstructing military appointments.

US President Biden and other Democrats have accused Tuberville of harming national security. Republicans have different opinions on Tuberville's actions, with some conservatives expressing support, while those who do not support cannot persuade him to stop.

On April 28, 2021, US President Biden delivered a speech in Congress in the capital city of Washington. Shen Jizhong

The political struggle is escalating

In terms of procedure, if Tuberville insists on obstructing, Democrats can request the Senate to hold a roll call vote in which all senators express their opinions on each official election. If more than half of the votes agree, it can be passed. According to American media, it takes too long and is almost impossible to make a final decision on the singing of hundreds of celebrities one by one.

Democrats have not yet requested a roll call vote on any military officer candidate, and they hope Republicans can persuade Tuberville to stop, fearing that if a precedent is set for individual voting on military officers, such obstruction actions will occur frequently in the future.

In Alabama, represented by Tuberville, a survey by the US Public Policy Institute showed that 58% of respondents believe that Tuberville has expressed its position and should be stopped; 72% of respondents believe that military appointments should not be politicized.

Analysts point out that in recent years, gun control, abortion rights, federal debt ceiling, immigration issues, and more have all become bargaining chips in the two parties' fierce struggle. The stalemate in the appointment of military officers once again highlights the intensification of political polarization and escalation of party struggles in the United States.

American journalist Ray Ananiah published an article on the website of Saudi Arabia's Arab News, stating that the US political system is in chaos, with officials at all levels, from federal senators, governors to local councilors, addicted to angrily blaming each other and no one engaging in practical discussions on various issues. The Washington Post published a commentary article pointing out that party struggles dominate most of the political behavior in the United States, highlighting the shortcomings of the political system.