Source: New Talk

"Madame Total Annihilation" and "Sister Inevitable Clash" out of the picture! Hagseath dismisses 14 defense committee members; anti-China hawks vanish overnight?

Recently, the Pentagon suddenly announced the dismissal of 14 members of the Defense Policy Board. This news should not have caused much of a stir, but due to the dense labels of "anti-China hawks" on the list, it triggered a major uproar.

According to a report by "Observation Today" today (March 3), this round of layoffs was led by U.S. Defense Secretary Brandon Hegseth. Among those dismissed were key figures who had initiated or promoted critical plans such as the "Pacific Deterrence Initiative," the "Taiwan Strait Intervention Strategy," and the "Expansion of Sanctions List."

In this group of dismissed individuals, the most attention-grabbing was Michele Flournoy and Jessica Schake. Flournoy has long been vocal in think tanks and defense advisory circles, advocating for a tough stance against China. In 2020, she publicly claimed that the U.S. Navy had the capability to destroy China's South China Sea fleet within 72 hours, earning her the nickname "Madame Total Annihilation" online and quickly gaining popularity among hawks. She was even rumored to be a candidate for the next Secretary of Defense.

Schake also gained fame for predicting a Sino-American clash. She openly asserted that there would inevitably be a war between China and the U.S. around the South China Sea in the early 2030s, earning her the nickname "Sister Inevitable Clash." She actively pushed for increased arms sales to Taiwan and argued that the U.S. Navy should conduct forward deployment around the South China Sea.

It is worth noting that before the layoff order was issued, a closed-door meeting between Hegseth and Musk, the leader of the government efficiency reform team, was exposed. Although the content of the meeting was not made public, subsequent developments seemed to provide a hidden thread for this purge. On one hand, the Pentagon faced increasing financial pressure, and on the other hand, the Trump administration began to show concern about some out-of-control hawks.

Although these experts have been laid off, it does not mean that the U.S. is abandoning its tough stance towards Beijing. Instead, it may represent the imminent adoption of another more systematic and precise containment strategy.

The Pentagon recently announced the dismissal of 14 members of the Defense Policy Board. The photo shows Flournoy, who was laid off. Photo: Captured from "Observation Today"

The Pentagon recently announced the dismissal of 14 members of the Defense Policy Board. Photo: Captured from "Observation Today"

The Pentagon recently announced the dismissal of 14 members of the Defense Policy Board. The photo shows Schake, who was laid off. Photo: Captured from "Observation Today"

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7500396009827172883/

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