Mullen fires back at McCain’s ‘don’t ask’ repeal criticism

[Frank Booth]

Source: Yahoo News

In Senate hearings Thursday, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Adm. Mike Mullen shot back at Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) for implying that Mullen is not in charge of troops and is thus not qualified to say that the military should end its ban on openly gay service.

McCain has repeatedly criticized the military's 10-month study on repealing "don't ask, don't tell," dismissing its conclusion that there is little risk to ending the policy. McCain, considered the leading opponent of repeal, has suggested that Commander in Chief Barack Obama, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mullen are not qualified to determine whether the policy's repeal will harm the troops, and that he defers to the opinion of the four service chiefs of staff. This week, he wrongly said Gates had never served in the military, and added that he considers neither Gates nor Obama a "military leader."

On Thursday, Mullen told McCain: "Don't think for one moment that I haven't carefully considered the impact of the advice I give on those who will have to live with the decisions that that advice informs." He said:

"With all due respect, Mr. Chairman and Sen. McCain, it is true that, as chairman, I am not in charge of troops. But I have commanded three ships, a carrier battle group and two fleets. And I was most recently a service chief myself. For more than 40 years I have made decisions that affected and even risked the lives of young men and women.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_thelookout/20101202/ts_yblog_thelookout/mullen-fires-back-at-mccains-dont-ask-criticism

---

Sorry for linking to Yahoo News (the FoxNews of the internet). Anyway, it is some consolation that at least we didn't get this senile old creep as president.

[joeybee12]

1. You know, through all this, I am gaining more respect for the military...

and I'd say less for McLame, but I never had any for him in the first place.

[Arkana]

2. Me too, strangely enough.

[joeybee12]

3. It's scary that the heads of the armed forces are moving with the times more quickly

than the US Senate.

[Arkana]

4. Glaciers move faster than the U.S. Senate.

Let's not dick around.

[WildEyedLiberal]

25. For the most part, the military just wants to get its job done

There ARE conservative trolls and sleeper agents trying to remake the military into a RW junta, but they are pretty firmly in the minority. I get the impression most of the time that the military has little patience for Washington political bullshit of any stripe. I'm not that surprised that the military would just as soon be done with DADT and get on with the business of soldiering.

[Bigmack]

5. Umm.. Sen. McCain...

perhaps if you had zigged when you should have zagged.... turned and burned more effectively.... you wouldn't have been SHOT FUCKING DOWN!

Mullen commanded ships and fleets. From what I read, you were a hot-dog famous for "wet starts", one of which might have started a devastating fire on the Forrestal.

Don't try to tell a guy who has fucking been there how to do his job.

[dgibby]

15. Amazing how fast they got him off that ship after that, isn't it?

Daddy was always having to clean up after little Johnny.

[Supersedeas]

26. those injured on the Forrestal will not forget McCain's act of leadership

[msanthrope]

6. and Mullen didn't crash five planes, McCain...

http://www.factcheck.org/askfactcheck/did_mccain_crash_five_planes_did_he.html

[azmesa207]

17. McCain did

Crash 5 planes and if like he claims that he alway ask advise from the enlisted men in his Squadron he would not have crash that many times

[Jed28]

7. John...

should be in a retirement home.

[TwilightGardener]

8. Why would a Navy guy dismiss an admiral's lifelong service? Just bizarre.

[dgibby]

13. McCain brought nothing but disgrace to the Navy.

5th from the bottom of his class at the Academy, lost 5 of our planes, hence the nickname "Ace",saw approx 20hrs of combat duty,had a rep as a party boy, womanizer, etc, etc. Had he been anyone other than the son and grandson of 4 star admirals, he'd have washed out of Annapolis,and certainly would never have gotten anywhere near a plane.

He's not fit to spit shine Mullen's shoes.

[frylock]

9. but i have commanded three ships..

big fucking deal. johnny boy crashed five planes and nearly burned down a ship.

[icnorth]

11. Was he practising his

kamikaze maneuvers or just trying to remove himself from the gene pool? ;)

[LawnLover]

10. McCain is just protesting this WAY too much

It suggests to me that he may have something in his closet that he'd rather not face. Such irrational fear of homosexuals makes no sense, otherwise. This is more than mere bigotry.

I could be wrong, but not much else explains it.

[elleng]

14. I suspect its fairly common among 'homophobes,'

whether or not they actually have something in their closets, they harbor interests/desires they feel are shameful; hence the vitriol, they have trouble living with themselves.

[LawnLover]

16. I was just discussing this with my son

and he said, "Honestly, why would anyone really give a fuck? I certainly don't."

We concluded that those of us who are secure in our sexuality -- no matter what it might be -- are unlikely to object to anyone else's. And based on the report, it sounds like a healthy portion of the military is very secure and also don't give a fuck.

[SoapBox]

12. Grampy McCain is just in sheer PANIC, to pander to the Haters.

...Grampy? Retire. You are WAY out of touch with the world.

[Frisbee]

18. Then he added...

..."and by the way, Senator, I have never crashed even a single plane"


BTW, is Grampy claiming that the military is not bound to obey the President of the United States when he says, "that he considers neither Gates nor Obama a "military leader"? That is whacked.

[BenzoDia]

19. Repeal the damned law already!!!

It's gonna happen sooner or later, and this "we can't during war" excuse is wrong since we'll be at war for a very long time.

[Volaris]

20. McCain doesn't consider Obama a military leader....

Well what the fuck does he think the Commander-In-Chief is in command of then? Capitol Hill Crossing-guards????
If anyone had so much as WHISPERED something so stupid as this during the Bush Admin., McCain and the rest of the Warmongers would have had them dragged down to the floor of the Senate to answer to charges of Treason.
There is JUST NO context in which his statement DOESN'T make him look like a complete ass.
Fuck---

[Hubert Flottz]

21. How screwn is John McSame's brain?

It still think's it won in 2008. Maybe it did?

[onenote]

22. as good as Mullen's comments were, Gates smackdown of McCain was even better

Watch the video.

[Danger Mouse]

23. Oh, that was great!

[90-percent]

24. Johnny Wrong Way

This idiot McCain is doing his damndest to be on the wrong side of history with DADT.

And thinking of McCain's caliber is why these old fools send our best and brightest young treasure to die for lies.

When facing a decision, do these people think; "What's the meanest thing I can do to the people of my country?" or something?

-90$ jimmy