Pete Hegseth-Sec Def Nominee

[BigStar]

2 hours ago, Hanaguma said:

Actually, the problem is that the DoD is NOT run like a business. There is little oversight and almost no accountability.  And nobody gets fired for debacles like the Afghanistan withdrawl. 

 

Never passed an audit, LOL. Seems those responsible for that debacle are at last going to meet justice.

[BigStar]

12 hours ago, pattayasan said:

 

He was and remains quite capable fo fulfilling his duties. He was definitely declining but not to the extent that you imagine. Otherwise he would have resigned. The dems merely figured that the MAGA hit jobs were landing to needed to take that out of the equation. Had he resigned earlier and given Harris free reign things may have been different.

 

You wish, but he was just reading from teleprompters what his handlers told him to read, and even that had obviously become difficult. Had he resigned earlier, Harris would have faced a primary, as Pelosi herself implied recently. Then she wouldn't have been the Dem candidate. That would have been different, but then the Dems still didn't have anyone that compelling and wouldn't have been willing to change any of their failed policies--and therefore have lost to Trump anyway.

 

[pattayasan]

2 hours ago, Walker88 said:

Since you are clearly not up to speed on matters of intelligence or intelligence itself, I'll explain what an experienced SecDef might do if a CCP spy balloon took a leisurely flight over the entire US....

 

Such a SecDef would know that there is nothing such a balloon could gather that they couldn't get from a Google search. No harm done. The SecDef would also know that capturing such a balloon would reveal the capabilities of Chinese spy tech. Oh, and by monitoring the balloon during its path, the telemetry or how it might send any data to receiving stations, plus where those stations might be, would also be gained.

 

It appears the balloon was a rogue operation by an idiot general in the PLA, and his stupidity was the US' gain.

 

Now about the Afghanistan withdrawal.....Biden had to deal with a 20 year war with $hundreds of billions of equipment delivered over those two decades, and do it AFTER his predecessor had not only set the timetable for withdrawal, but had also released 5000 Taliban prisoners being held by the US and Afghanistan govt. Many of those prisoners now run the country, while others were battle-hardened jihadis. The withdrawal had to happen with those 5000 not only free, but angry and out for retribution, such as engaging in suicide bomb attacks.

 

Had Biden/Austin done what critics bark about---such as withdrawing 20 years of equipment, how many more soldiers would you have been willing to sacrifice for that? Do you think the Taliban would have just sat back and not taking pot shots at soldiers and contractors gathering and shipping gear back to the US?

 

The withdrawal involved not only US troops and contractors, but also Afghanis who had assisted the US throughout the 20 year war. I guess you would have abandoned them and let the Taliban slaughter all of them and their families.

 

If you had ever served in a war zone or in Afghanistan, you would know that it is impossible to defend against every type of attack. Troops are exposed simply because the mission requires it.

 

Remember the soldiers killed in Mali while 47 was 45? Whose fault was that?  Also, do you considerate it appropriate for a President, when speaking with the spouse of one of the dead, telling her to "get over it; he knew the risks"? How about the soldiers injured when Iran sent missiles to a base near Irbil in Iraq during 45's term, especially when he claimed 'no harm done', when in fact many were seriously injured? That attack was a response to 45's order to take out Gen Suleimani.

 

 

 

The problem here is that the wingnuts at Fox News think they know better than the experts in the defense forces. Unfortunately, they are not the target audience and Fox knows it..

[sqwakvfr]

3 hours ago, Yagoda said:

Yeah put the fox in charge of the henhouse.

 

Hows that Lloyd Austin guy working out? Military in Great shape. BTW, you arent an American, are you.

Yes I am and a combat veteran.  I care about the men and women under the command of Sec Def Hegseth.  

[pattayasan]

Just now, sqwakvfr said:

Yes I am and a combat veteran.  I care about the men and women under the command of Sec Def Hegseth.  

 

My money is on Hegseth being in court for giving illegal orders within a year.

[sqwakvfr]

3 hours ago, Hanaguma said:

Actually, the problem is that the DoD is NOT run like a business. There is little oversight and almost no accountability.  And nobody gets fired for debacles like the Afghanistan withdrawl. 

In some aspects the DOD is run like a business: 

1) RFI-Request for Information on future contracts

2) RFP_Frequest for Proposals on future contracts

3) Competitive Bidding Process then occurrs

4) DCAA-Defense Contract Audit Ageny.  The title explains it and these guys and girls were snoopiing around in many parts of Kuwait, A-stan and Iraq.  

Utlimately final decisions are made by Sec Def after consulting with POTUS.

 

 

[sqwakvfr]

3 minutes ago, pattayasan said:

 

My money is on Hegseth being in court for giving illegal orders within a year.

I hope that does not happen.  Dem Senators have to decide who they want out of the running?  My money is on Gaetz. 

[pattayasan]

1 minute ago, sqwakvfr said:

In some aspects the DOD is run like a business: 

1) RFI-Request for Information on future contracts

2) RFP_Frequest for Proposals on future contracts

3) Competitive Bidding Process then occurrs

4) DCAA-Defense Contract Audit Ageny.  The title explains it and these guys and girls were snoopiing around in many parts of Kuwait, A-stan and Iraq.  

Utlimately final decisions are made by Sec Def after consulting with POTUS.

 

 

 

hmm. Musk. Competitive bidding process. .

[sqwakvfr]

10 minutes ago, pattayasan said:

 

hmm. Musk. Competitive bidding process. .

It has been like that for decades.  What Dwight Eisenhower warned the world about has come true: The Military Industrial Complex thrives globally.  Musk and/or Hegseth cannot touch it.  If certains banks are too big to fail then the Defense Industry is the beast that cannot be killed.  Experiened military officers knows this and work within the belly of the beast. 

Musk's Space X has been dealing with NASA but I do not know what their contracting process is.  I am very versed in the DOD process and it is a beast. No one can kill it and I doubt Musk or Fox and Friends host Pete can impact it. 

[Hummin]

4 minutes ago, sqwakvfr said:

It has been like that for decades.  What Dwight Eisenhower warned the world about has come true: The Military Industrial Complex thrives globally.  Musk and/or Hegseth cannot touch it.  If certains banks are too big to fail then the Defense Industry is the beast that cannot be killed.  Experiened military officers knows this and work within the belly of the beast. 

Musk's Space X has been dealing with NASA but I do not know what their contracting process is.  I am very versed in the DOD process and it is a beast. No one can kill it and I doubt Musk or Fox and Friends host Pete can impact it. 

And nobody questions Trump and Musk unauthorized talks with Putin with no records? 

 

 

[sqwakvfr]

1 minute ago, Hummin said:

And nobody questions Trump and Musk unauthorized talks with Putin with no records? 

 

 

Trump has not been sworn in yet and Musk is a private citzen and he can talk to anyone and anywhere.  

[Hummin]

4 minutes ago, sqwakvfr said:

Trump has not been sworn in yet and Musk is a private citzen and he can talk to anyone and anywhere.  

He had talks with Putin while he was president off record, and Musk do have interests of national security through space x and starlink

[BigStar]

8 minutes ago, Hummin said:

And nobody questions Trump and Musk unauthorized talks with Putin with no records?

 

Who had to "authorize" them? How do you know no records were kept?

[pedro01]

19 hours ago, Jingthing said:

So a random garbage man is OK to you then?
He's about as qualified as a random garbage man.

This pick is insanely dangerous.

Trump the biggest con man grifter and TROLL in history marches on.

The Trump regret vote movement has already started.

 

He is totally qualified. 

 

Your opinion was formed before you even heard the name.

[sqwakvfr]

8 minutes ago, Hummin said:

He had talks with Putin while he was president off record, and Musk do have interests of national security through space x and starlink

For Trump that was in the past.  For Musk does he currently hold a government security clearance?  If he does then it could be an issue. 

[Hummin]

12 minutes ago, sqwakvfr said:

For Trump that was in the past.  For Musk does he currently hold a government security clearance?  If he does then it could be an issue. 

Just to be employed in space x you need top security clearance, how naive can someone be, thinking anything else? 

 

Secret talks with the enemy of records, go figure how far the stupidity have gone, and people making excuses on their behalf

 

A private company owner controls X, space x and starlink, next becomes an highly trusted person in the new government? Talking about mixing roles

[sqwakvfr]

11 minutes ago, Hummin said:

Just to be employed in space x you need top security clearance, how naive can someone be, thinking anything else? 

 

Secret talks with the enemy of records, go figure how far the stupidity have gone, and people making excuses on their behalf

 

A private company owner controls X, space x and starlink, next becomes an highly trusted person in the new government? Talking about mixing roles

Not everyone at Space X has a TS.  I interviewed with Space X many years ago for a security position and a government clearance was not required.  At that time my Secret clearance had already expired. Secret clearance are active for 10 years. Possibly only Space X employees working on classified government contracts would at least a need to have  Secret level clearance.  

 

Mixing? I don't know anything about that. It is common practice for those who take government position to divest or even completely withdraw from commerical ventures to avoid a conflict of interest.  If I know this then Democractic Senators know it and should bring this issue up at confirmation hearings. 

[Yagoda]

1 hour ago, sqwakvfr said:

Yes I am and a combat veteran.  I care about the men and women under the command of Sec Def Hegseth.  

Did you care when they screwed up Afghanistan

[Yellowtail]

11 hours ago, Patong2021 said:

 

Trump does not want a confirmation hearing. That's the issue of concern for me. The man may or may not be qualified, but his appointment should be subject to a review by the US Senate.Trump does not want anyone  asking the man about his plans and qualifications.

 

Secretary of Defense is a CEO type of position and this nominee has no big picture, no multinational management experience or training. The US General staff are well educated and trained. Logistics and management is on a whole different level  in the US military. The first duty of the military is to the US Constitution, not to the President.

I think Commander in Chief is a "big picture" CEO type position and Secretary of Defense is more of a Chief Operating Officer. 

 

And he will have the well-educated and trained US General to advise him, yes? 

 

 

[Yellowtail]

4 hours ago, Walker88 said:

Since you are clearly not up to speed on matters of intelligence or intelligence itself, I'll explain what an experienced SecDef might do if a CCP spy balloon took a leisurely flight over the entire US....

 

Such a SecDef would know that there is nothing such a balloon could gather that they couldn't get from a Google search. No harm done. The SecDef would also know that capturing such a balloon would reveal the capabilities of Chinese spy tech. Oh, and by monitoring the balloon during its path, the telemetry or how it might send any data to receiving stations, plus where those stations might be, would also be gained.

 

It appears the balloon was a rogue operation by an idiot general in the PLA, and his stupidity was the US' gain.

 

Now about the Afghanistan withdrawal.....Biden had to deal with a 20 year war with $hundreds of billions of equipment delivered over those two decades, and do it AFTER his predecessor had not only set the timetable for withdrawal, but had also released 5000 Taliban prisoners being held by the US and Afghanistan govt. Many of those prisoners now run the country, while others were battle-hardened jihadis. The withdrawal had to happen with those 5000 not only free, but angry and out for retribution, such as engaging in suicide bomb attacks.

 

Had Biden/Austin done what critics bark about---such as withdrawing 20 years of equipment, how many more soldiers would you have been willing to sacrifice for that? Do you think the Taliban would have just sat back and not taking pot shots at soldiers and contractors gathering and shipping gear back to the US?

 

The withdrawal involved not only US troops and contractors, but also Afghanis who had assisted the US throughout the 20 year war. I guess you would have abandoned them and let the Taliban slaughter all of them and their families.

 

If you had ever served in a war zone or in Afghanistan, you would know that it is impossible to defend against every type of attack. Troops are exposed simply because the mission requires it.

 

Remember the soldiers killed in Mali while 47 was 45? Whose fault was that?  Also, do you considerate it appropriate for a President, when speaking with the spouse of one of the dead, telling her to "get over it; he knew the risks"? How about the soldiers injured when Iran sent missiles to a base near Irbil in Iraq during 45's term, especially when he claimed 'no harm done', when in fact many were seriously injured? That attack was a response to 45's order to take out Gen Suleimani.

 

 

Perhaps some day I'll be a fat piece of human filth like you, but that can wait.

[sqwakvfr]

26 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

I think Commander in Chief is a "big picture" CEO type position and Secretary of Defense is more of a Chief Operating Officer. 

 

And he will have the well-educated and trained US General to advise him, yes? 

 

 

It depends on Sec Def Hegseth first meeting with the JCS.  If he comes with humility and sets the tone tha he has a lot to learn and not lecture them then it could work.  On the otherhand if he comes in with the perspective that he he is in town to tear it down then it could be a disaster.  We shalll see and as it stands now I think Hegseth gets confirmed unless the Dems come up with some really dirt on him.  "Politics is the dirtiest game in town".  

[sqwakvfr]

1 hour ago, Yagoda said:

Did you care when they screwed up Afghanistan

What do you think? OF course I do.   Been to Kabul airport many times. If I was a younger it could have been me at Abbey gate.  Amazing question based upon on little to knowledge about me or my experience. 

 

Let me ask you "did you care when the decision to rapidly withdraw from Afghanistan was so poorly executed that 13 young service members were killed needlessly?".  Also, who gave the final order to execute such an operation? I doubt this will ever be answered.  But the decisions ike these are usually brought up the flag pole all the way to 1600 Pennsylavnia Ave. You know who lives there? 

[Yellowtail]

4 minutes ago, sqwakvfr said:

It depends on Sec Def Hegseth first meeting with the JCS.  If he comes with humility and sets the tone tha he has a lot to learn and not lecture them then it could work.  On the otherhand if he comes in with the perspective that he he is in town to tear it down then it could be a disaster.  We shalll see and as it stands now I think Hegseth gets confirmed unless the Dems come up with some really dirt on him.  "Politics is the dirtiest game in town".  

 

He's not stupid. I'm betting he comes with the attitude that he has a lot to learn and needs help. That said, he is very anti-DEI, and I imagine anyone not on board gets their walking papers. 

[Yellowtail]

7 minutes ago, sqwakvfr said:

What do you think? OF course I do.   Been to Kabul airport many times. If I was a younger it could have been me at Abbey gate.  Amazing question based upon on little to knowledge about me or my experience. 

 

Let me ask you "did you care when the decision to rapidly withdraw from Afghanistan was so poorly executed that 13 young service members were killed needlessly?".  Also, who gave the final order to execute such an operation? I doubt this will ever be answered.  But the decisions ike these are usually brought up the flag pole all the way to 1600 Pennsylavnia Ave. You know who lives there? 

I do not know much about Pete Hegseth, but I think he would call a press conference and resign before he'd be party to such an event. 

 

Did anyone resign, before or after? 

[sqwakvfr]

2 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

I do not know much about Pete Hegseth, but I think he would call a press conference and resign before he'd be party to such an event. 

 

Did anyone resign, before or after? 

No.  Of course not.  Austin had been in office 8 months at the time fo the withdraw.  I thought at least Miley, Army Chief of Staff, would have taken sword but he did not. Maybe that is the current state of Generals in the US Military?  In my time did not have a lot of contact with general officers.  Any Sec Def can olny work with the people that are currently in uniform.  

[sqwakvfr]

18 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

 

He's not stupid. I'm betting he comes with the attitude that he has a lot to learn and needs help. That said, he is very anti-DEI, and I imagine anyone not on board gets their walking papers. 

"you can't fire everybody".  A good leader finds a way to work with those he disagrees with.  DEI is just one issue that is negatively affecting the current US Military.  There are many others.  

[Yellowtail]

Just now, sqwakvfr said:

No.  Of course not.  Austin had been in office 8 months at the time fo the withdraw.  I thought at least Miley, Army Chief of Staff, would have taken sword but he did not. Maybe that is the current state of Generals in the US Military?  In my time did not have a lot of contact with general officers.  Any Sec Def can olny work with the people that are currently in uniform.  

Austen came from Ratheon, yes? No conflict there. 

 

The Commander in Chief can fire any of them. 

[sqwakvfr]

5 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

Austen came from Ratheon, yes? No conflict there. 

 

The Commander in Chief can fire any of them. 

Name one major DOD contract Raytheon(correct spelling) was awarded between Jan 2021 until now? What was a major part Raytheon's business with the DOD?  In the past it was part of the various UAV programs.  UAV'shave been joint venture with multiple defense contract companies.  I am not defending Austin because I have not been a fan of his  but one has to prove his action or actions as Sec Def could be a conflict of interest.  

[Yellowtail]

1 minute ago, sqwakvfr said:

"you can't fire everybody".  A good leader finds a way to work with those he disagrees with.  DEI is just one issue that is negatively affecting the current US Military.  There are many others.  

 

The you can fire the CEO of Amazon and not one order will be late as a result of it. 

[Yellowtail]

1 minute ago, sqwakvfr said:

Name one major DOD contract Raytheon(correct spelling) was awarded between Jan 2021 until now? What was is a major part Raytheon's business with the DOD?  In the past it was part of the various UAV programs.  UAV'shave been joint venture with multiple defense contract companies.  I am not defending Austin because I have not been a fan of his  but one has to prove his action or actions as Sec Def could be a conflict of interest.  

I am not claiming he did anything wrong, that's not what a conflict of interest means.