Chairman, Joint Chiefs Mullen says military must prepare for next president

[babylonsister]

Mullen says military must prepare for next president

The chairman of the Joint Chiefs tells Pentagon planners that carrying out the next administration's policies and remaining apolitical are key. He cautions against a quick Iraq pullout.

By Julian E. Barnes, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
February 29, 2008


WASHINGTON -- Taking note of the debate over the Iraq war in the presidential race, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff told Pentagon officials in a town hall meeting Thursday that the military must be prepared to change policy and carry out the wishes of the next president.

But at a news conference afterward, Navy Adm. Michael G. Mullen cautioned against policies that include a rapid withdrawal from Iraq, saying leaving too quickly would undermine recent security gains.

"I do worry about a rapid withdrawal," said Mullen, who serves as the top military advisor to the president.

Mullen would not specify what he considered too fast. "I am talking about a withdrawal that would be so fast that it would leave us in a chaotic situation, that the gains we have made would be lost," he said.

In the session with members of the Joint Staff, the primary planning organization in the Pentagon, Mullen said it was crucial for the military to remain apolitical. The uniformed military and the Joint Staff must be a "solid foundation" in the transition between the Bush administration and its successor, Mullen told them.

more...

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-mullen29feb29,1,6591836.story?ctrack=9&cset=true

[Demeter]

1. Excuse Me?

Prepare for the next President?

I thought the military was in charge of preparing for the next WAR!

Recruitment, procurement, maintaining or closing bases, training, retraining, support to the soldiers' families, succour to the wounded, honor to the dead, you know, military kinds of stuff.

Rooting out corruption, upholding the Constitution. Stuff like that.



What exactly and how does one prepare for the next President? Hide the graft? Retire the guilty with honors and pensions and medals? Burn the files, erase the tapes, bury the dead in unmarked graves?


What kind of a country is this become?

[SpiralHawk]

2. "Next time we'd like someone who is not a deserter." - Pentagon

"I mean, you have saddled us with a so-called 'commander in chief' with the most pathetic AWOL record imaginable. And you back him up with a VP clown war profiteer who sports five freaking military deferments? Give us a freakin break. No more republicon chickenhawks."

- Pentagon

[paparush]

3. If a Dem wins in Nov, we're still in Iraq for a long time..

[spanone]

4. remain apolitical my fucking ass....