Obama Restores Former Pentagon Line of Succession

[babylonsister]

Pentagon Memo
Obama Restores Former Pentagon Line of Succession

By THOM SHANKER
Published: March 16, 2010


WASHINGTON — It is a morbid theme, but one that no superpower can ignore. So the Obama administration has quietly reviewed, and revised, the sequence in which Pentagon civilian officials would take command should Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates die unexpectedly, say in a surprise attack.

An executive order published without fanfare this month does away with a system for Pentagon succession instituted by former President George W. Bush, which played down the service secretaries and elevated positions held at the time by trusted aides to Donald H. Rumsfeld, who as defense secretary wanted it that way.

These plans governing Pentagon succession are intended to guarantee civilian control of the military during a doomsday situation, like a nuclear strike or a terrorist attack, when the defense secretary could be taken out of action at the moment when war-fighting decisions must be made. The Bush order, issued in December 2005, continued the traditional sequence of the deputy defense secretary as next in line. But it booted the Army secretary out of the No. 3 slot in the order of succession, in favor of the under secretary of defense for intelligence.

more...

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/17/us/17pentagon.html

[Raine1967]

1. I really appreciate this.

I didn't know that the previous administration had made this particular power grab, I must admit.

I think it is good that he returned it back to the way it was.

[TacticalPeek]

2. Good.

Next, stow the 'combatant commanders' and bring back the CINCs.

This President unlike his predecessor can handle the idea of multiple CINCs.

[Jennicut]

3. Secretary of defense for intelligence? Of course it was that way. Rummy wanted his

cronies in charge.

[izquierdista]

4. Fluffing up the pillows in the Lincoln Bedroom

This must be the "change we can believe in". :eyes: No single-payer, no financial reform, same old bloated defense budget, but I'll bet the furniture in the White House will all be properly arranged. :grr:

[Cha]

5. Interesting all the things that the bush admin did that

the Obama admin is having to work through to get our country on a better course starting with the Economy.