When All You Want is a Pretty Face in Defense
The position of Secretary of Defense can be challenging. He/she leads the world's biggest single employer with 3.2 million people. Frequently, the Secretary of Defense sets the trend for new policies or implements huge changes, and arguably contributes heavily to life and death decisions regarding the nation's strategy and tactics on defense.
Or not.
From all readings it appears that Chuck Hagel's departure came about due to his actually wishing to be involved in some of the military decisions. "Chuck Hagel’s resignation was given amid reports that he was increasingly left out of the loop on military decisions while the Department of Defense was essentially being managed out of the White House." He was brought in to preside over a steady draw-down of the Pentagon budget as the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts were brought to a complete withdrawal. Events didn't cooperate.
The two previous occupants of the position cite similar failings, namely that the White House made all the decisions internally, without SecDef input, and sought to control even the most basic of Pentagon actions:
"Gates was blunt. 'It was that
micromanaging that drove me crazy,' he lamented.
Gates said he witnessed conflict
between the White House and Department of Defense over the sweep of his long
service and said his biggest concern was the same, 'The first president I
served and the last president I served, both cases, Lyndon Johnson and Barack
Obama, it was White House micromanagement of military affairs.'
"Panetta [a Democrat and former Chief of Staff under Clinton], who succeeded Gates in the
position, criticized a growing centralized power in the White House that kept
even some cabinet officials out of the loop when high level policies were
considered. 'You go there and by the time you get to the White House, the
staff has already decided or tried to influence what the direction should be.'"
Michele Flournoy, a former under secretary of defense and previous top contender, opted out, as did Senator Jack Reed, Democrat from RI citing "family concerns." Jeh Johnson, Secretary of Homeland Security, was also mentioned to be in the running, but he said he was happy with his current job.
That leaves the White House looking for a candidate who is content to toe the White House line, no matter how much he/she disagrees, put a smile on the cover, and not be too interested in making any decisions for their department. A former White House Spokesperson sounds like the perfect candidate.
If not him, given the turnover of political administrations and their incumbent appointees, I'm sure somebody needs a job out there. Perhaps there's a big donor who fired a gun once.
