Wonders of American politics! Why has the appointment of the top leader of the US military been delayed for so long? Measures | Chief of Staff | Head of Staff
On the 20th, the US Senate approved the nomination of Charles Brown, the candidate for the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, through unconventional measures.
However, due to ongoing obstruction by a Republican senator who is dissatisfied with the US military's abortion welfare policy, the nominations of hundreds of senior US military officials are still pending approval. It is not yet known when this "miracle" in American politics will come to an end.
The appointment of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Commerce has finally passed the test
On the same day, the Senate confirmed with 83 votes in favor and 11 votes against that Air Force Chief of Staff Brown, nominated by Democratic President Joseph Biden in May, would be appointed as the chairman of the Senate, replacing Mark Milley, who is scheduled to retire at the end of this month.
Senate Majority Leader and Democrat Chuck Schumer used procedural rules to bypass Republican Senator Tommy Tuberville's obstruction, allowing Brown's nomination to be voted through.
The nomination of senior generals by the President of the United States requires approval from the Senate. The Senate usually votes on nominations in bulk, and if there is no objection, they can be passed. However, since March this year, Tuberville has independently blocked the nominations of hundreds of military officers due to dissatisfaction with the US military's abortion welfare policy.
On May 25th, at the White House in Washington, D.C., US President Biden nominated Air Force General Charles Brown as the next Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to replace the current Chairman, Mark Milley. Shen Jizhong
Schumer's move was to first push for a nomination vote for Brown, Army Chief of Staff Randy George, and Marine Corps Commander in Chief Eric Smith. The nomination form for George and Smith has been decided to be held on the 21st.
It is currently unclear how he will push other important incoming generals to pass.
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 members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the highest ranking officers of their respective branches.
The "abortion war" between the two parties has affected the military community
On the 20th, Tuberville, along with 10 other Republicans, voted against it in the vote. He welcomed the upcoming inauguration of three senior US military generals, including Brown, but insisted that he did not regret launching obstruction actions. "They finally understand that I won't give in, and I won't do it now," said Tuberville. "They must do the right thing and repeal the policy."
The right to abortion is one of the main battlefields in the game between the Democratic Party and the Republican Party in the United States. Tuberville comes from Alabama, a deeply rooted "red state" of the Republican Party. He considers abortion illegal and is dissatisfied with the Department of Defense allowing military personnel and their families stationed in restricted abortion states to enjoy paid leave and travel subsidies for cross state abortions.
On June 24, 2022, supporters of abortion rights protested outside the Federal Supreme Court in Washington, D.C. On that day, the United States Supreme Court overturned the precedent of Roe v. Wade, which established the right to abortion at the federal level nearly half a century ago. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Liu Jie
The Commander of the United States Marine Corps, Chief of Army Staff, and Chief of Naval Operations have all stepped down earlier this year, but their successors have all been blocked by Tuberville and have not yet been approved in the Senate. They can only assume the role of Chief of Military. According to the Politburo, the proxy status prevents these military commanders from making significant strategic decisions related to the future of their respective branches.
On the 14th of last month, Defense Minister Lloyd Austin roast at the retirement ceremony of Naval Operations Secretary Michael Gilday: "From today on, for the first time in the history of the Ministry of Defense, our three services operate without the approval of the Senate. This is unprecedented, unnecessary, and unsafe."
When will the political spectacle come to an end?
Schumer said on the 20th that the Department of Defense's abortion related policies, which Tuberville "hates", "continue to be effective," and he "will achieve nothing.". Tuberville retorted, Schumer's poor control of the situation and underestimation of his determination.
John Kirby, Strategic Communications Coordinator for the White House National Security Council, stated on the 20th that Schumer's actions were beneficial to the three incoming generals, their respective branches, and the overall Department of Defense, but "did not solve the problem.".
This is a photo taken on December 22, 2022 in Washington, USA, of vehicles and the Capitol building in the rain. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Liu Jie
According to The New York Times, Schumer has been reluctant to adopt a one by one voting approach for nominations, due to the lengthy process and concerns that it may be seen as a compromise with Tuberville.
On the 23rd of last month, the Congressional Research Services Department wrote in a memo that if a one-on-one vote was adopted, the Senate would need to rotate for 30 days and 17 hours to complete the nomination vote for 273 military officers at that time. Kirby estimated on the 20th that if a vote is taken one by one, it may take up to 700 hours. "This is not only unrealistic, but also endangers our national security."
