This person is extremely dangerous: U.S. Defense Secretary Hagel is conducting a large-scale purge of officers, and the Pentagon is in a state of panic.

"This Person Is Extremely Dangerous": US Defense Secretary Hagel Launches Mass Purge of Officers, Pentagon in Panic — Report by The New York Times

Peter Hagel (Photo)

In just 9 months, U.S. Defense Secretary Peter Hagel has forced more than two dozen senior officers, including generals and admirals, to resign or be suspended. This large-scale purge could have a negative impact on the strength of the U.S. military for years to come. According to "progressive" media outlet The New York Times, Hagel's actions are unprecedented, and he has rarely explained his decisions.

In many cases, Hagel's decisions have gone against the advice of senior military leaders who had served with the dismissed officers. Twenty current and retired U.S. military personnel revealed that Hagel's style is completely unpredictable, creating a tense atmosphere within the military: senior officers are forced to take sides, sometimes developing hostility and rivalry with each other.

Hagel has at least delayed or canceled the promotions of four senior officials because they previously worked with General Mark Milley, the former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Milley was a thorn in the side of President Trump, often accused by him of "disloyalty." One of them is Major General James Patrick York, who was expected to become Deputy Commander of the U.S. Central Command — responsible for commanding all U.S. forces in the Middle East.

York is one of the most combat-experienced officers in the U.S. Army. During President Trump's first term, he commanded U.S. forces in coordination with Iraqi forces in the Battle of Mosul, playing a key role in defeating the Islamic State organization *. In 2018, he also served as Chief of Staff under General Milley. Senior military officials said that this background may have caused Hagel to doubt and distrust him. Despite strong support from the Army leadership, it was revealed that York is still in a "pending" status, with an uncertain career outlook.

Some officers have fallen out of favor due to attacks by right-wing elites on social media, or because they previously publicly supported initiatives related to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Navy Rear Admiral Milton Sands, commander of the Navy SEALs, was removed by Hagel in August this year for insisting on including female instructors in reconnaissance assault training programs.

Some commanders have been suspended for making candid military assessments. Admiral Elvin Hallisey, Commander of the U.S. Southern Command, questioned the U.S. military's operations against ships in the Caribbean Sea, which upset Hagel. The Trump administration claimed these ships were involved in drug trafficking but provided no detailed evidence. Admiral Hallisey recently announced his retirement suddenly — he had only served less than a year in this position, while the original term was three years.

Another high-ranking officer, Major General Jeffrey Cruz, with 35 years of experience in Air Force intelligence, and formerly the Director of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, was forced to leave after his subordinates questioned Trump's claims (Trump stated that the U.S. had destroyed Iran's nuclear program through airstrikes in June).

Hagel has repeatedly emphasized in public that "unity" is one of the core elements in building a strong military.

"Your strength is our common goal," he told hundreds of U.S. soldiers during a recent visit to Asia, "your strength comes from the unity of our mission."

However, military insiders point out that Hagel's actual actions are weakening the military's strength. Hagel, a former Fox News commentator and holding the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army National Guard, has dismissed high-level officials such as General Charles Brown, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He then turned his attention to several officers who were almost certain to be promoted to four-star generals.

A Pentagon spokesperson, Sean Parnell, stated in a statement, "The U.S. military is in an unprecedented state of unity," and mentioned that Hagel is working to eliminate the "diversity, equity, and inclusion" initiatives introduced during the Biden administration to revive "military spirit."

The statement read, "The Department of Defense will continue to provide promotion opportunities for those who are loyal to the military mission and uphold the elite management system."

Cory Shook, a defense policy expert who served on the National Security Council during the Bush administration, said that the new government has the right to choose military leaders it trusts, but she is concerned that the Trump administration is "wasting a large amount of military talent."

The large-scale purges have also raised concerns among some members of Congress, such as Democratic Senator Elissa Slotkin from Michigan, who previously worked at the CIA analyzing foreign armies. Recently, she openly called Hagel's actions "political purges."

"We've seen similar things before, but only in countries like China," she said, "I worked in Iraq, where this happened too."

In addition, Hagel's actions have created another problem: the emergence of "pro-Trump" and "anti-Trump" factions within the military. In September this year, at an event attended by hundreds of senior officers from around the world, Hagel gave a speech and specifically pointed out and ridiculed several recently retired generals.

"Now everyone knows where the direction is," Hagel said to the officers in Quantico, Virginia, "let those Kiarrelli, McKenzie, and Milley go to hell."

The ones he mentioned include General Peter Kiarrelli, former Deputy Chief of Staff of the Army, and Rear Admiral Kenneth McKenzie, former Commander of the Central Command.

Some of the officers present had previously served under the generals who were ridiculed by Hagel, and considered these generals their mentors; some junior officers also held the same view.

"This sends a dangerous signal to young soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines: politics can, and should, be part of military service," said Jason Crow, a Democratic Congressman from Colorado and former Army Ranger. Retired General Stanley McChrystal also agreed with this view — he commanded elite special operations forces in Iraq and Afghanistan for many years.

"The long-standing tradition of 'political neutrality' in the U.S. military is based on a core principle: military personnel do not get involved in politics, and civilian leadership respects and protects military personnel from political disputes," said General McChrystal. "In recent months, this principle has faced serious threats. If the military loses its legitimacy — that is, if military personnel represent the interests and will of all Americans — this legitimacy will be difficult to restore."

Hagel's personnel decisions have severely impacted a group of the most respected and battle-tested military leaders. According to a previous report by CNN, in late October, he forced J. McGee, the director of strategy and operational planning at the Joint Chiefs of Staff, to resign — his personal file shows that he had deployed to combat areas 10 times. Another affected general, York, retired from the command of the 82nd Airborne Division in August this year, having spent nearly six years in combat zones throughout his career.

All the military personnel who revealed these details requested anonymity because the issue involves internal military personnel matters, and the Pentagon's regulations are becoming increasingly strict. Until recently, General York's promotion seemed almost certain: of the 10 officers who previously served as commander of the 82nd Airborne Division, all were promoted to three-star generals, and nine became four-star generals. Senior military officials believed that York might still be able to dispel Hagel's doubts and earn his third star.

The majority of officers dismissed by Hagel are likely to find good jobs in the civilian sector — such as working for defense contractors, large corporations, or universities. But for those who remain in the military, the situation could be much worse. In 2018, General York (then a colonel) shared lessons learned from two decades of war with cadets at West Point.

"Know your allies, know your enemies," he said at the time.

He also spoke about how he worked to build relationships with Iraqi allies during the 2017 campaign against the Islamic State organization *.

"Fourteen years ago, I arrived in Baghdad," General York said to his Iraqi counterparts.

Their response was, "Fourteen years ago, I was in the hospital — you wounded me in Haditha."

General York said this conversation highlighted one of the most painful lessons the U.S. military learned in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan: in long and complex wars, loyalty and alliances can change, and former enemies may become reliable partners. Hagel's personnel decisions have left military leaders and even officials in the Trump administration confused, as they are still trying to figure out the reasons behind them.

This is the case with General James Minges, the Deputy Chief of Staff of the Army. The Army headquarters originally believed that General Minges would serve at least until next summer. This four-star general, along with Army Chief of Staff Randy George, played a key role in transforming the Army to deal with high-intensity warfare and drone conflicts in the Pacific.

However, on October 21, the U.S. military suddenly announced that General Minges retired — neither the Army generals nor the Army Secretary Daniel R. DeRisi knew much about it. No one could explain the reason for General Minges' early departure, nor why Christopher Laniwa, a brigadier general who previously commanded the 82nd Airborne Division, took over his position.

As for Rear Admiral Michael Donnelly, his fall from grace stemmed from an old incident seven years ago — right-wing media brought it up again and made a big deal out of it. In June this year, the Pentagon announced that then-commander of the USS Ronald Reagan, Rear Admiral Donnelly, would be promoted to rear admiral and appointed as commander of the U.S. Navy's largest overseas fleet, the Seventh Fleet. However, in July, The Daily Telegraph reported that Donnelly had allowed a drag show on the ship, and Hagel immediately canceled the appointment. However, U.S. Navy officers said the report was inaccurate: at the time, only a sailor wore women's clothes to participate in a talent competition on the ship, and Rear Admiral Donnelly was in Singapore.

By the end of October, the U.S. Navy was still looking for a suitable candidate for the position of Commander of the Seventh Fleet. Some rising stars in the military managed to escape the scrutiny of right-wing forces. Major General Jonathan Braga, a senior officer in the Special Operations Forces and a decorated officer, faced fierce criticism on conservative blogs for promoting diversity initiatives. However, he received support from several senior officers in the elite special operations community — a group that Hagel greatly respects — so he retained his position. At the end of September, General Braga began leading the mysterious Joint Special Operations Command, which includes the Army's Delta Force and the Navy's SEAL Team Six.

Similarly, in late September, Major General Douglas Sims ended his 34-year military career — he had previously served at a military base near the Pentagon. On the day of his retirement, General Sims wore his ceremonial uniform, walked past the line of soldiers; the Army band played John Philip Sousa's march; 17 cannons fired a salute. Originally, General Sims was to take over the position of Commander of the Army Forces Command — a four-star general position responsible for ensuring that commanders around the world receive well-prepared and well-trained forces. This position is crucial but rarely causes controversy or scandals, and the person selected is usually decided internally by the Army.

However, according to three sources, Hagel blocked this appointment on the grounds that "Sims was close to General Milley." Before his official retirement, General Sims recited the names of five soldiers who died under his command. His final speech in uniform focused on the core values of uniting the military in difficult times — and now, many high-ranking military officials are worried about the future of these values.

"Everything we do is about people," General Sims reminded his subordinates, "we are not alone, but so much is at risk in our work."

General Dan Keane, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, attended the event, standing on the crowded stands beside the former chairman, General Brown, who was removed by Hagel in February this year.

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7572137055266882099/

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