Posted on 12/02/2004 5:35:26 AM PST by xzins
All this aside, what do you think of the idea of a military, security expert in charge of Homeland Security instead of a politician?
If we're going to be serious about this, and especially in view of the likelihood of a major attack, I'd rather see someone with the general's credentials than a career politician. For one thing, how many politicos with serious future prospects will want to roll the dice on what is probably the cabinet post with the biggest risk and downside? Mr. Ridge did well but he probably had the sweatiest palms in Washington for all of the past three years.
We need fewer lawyers and career politicians in general. A military man or even a business manager would do a much better job.
I only served 4 years in USAF as an enlisted man straight out of high school 72-76. I have since that time gotten my degree and spent my life in management. I could do a superior job to a career politico or some ambulance chaser.
You might have just made the most important point that could be made outside of actually providing the security our nation needs.
Excellent.
Excellent post! I worked for General Downing and he would be the very best choice if they could pursuade him to return to Washington, which ain't gonna happen. He's enjoying his time fly fishing in Colorado. He's a very mission-oriented guy with little patience for Washington B.S., but Condy Rice doesn't like him. He regularly blew off NSC meetings that didn't directly relate to his responsibilities to "combat terrorism" - go figure - and we know Washington is all about meetings. His standard reply was, "I've got a war to fight". We can't actually have warriors fighting wars, now can we? Oh, he was replaced by Gen. John Gordon (USAF - retired), a former Air Force PHYSICIST and former NSC staffer with Condy in his earlier days; there was a man who knew how to fight a war! (In case you're a DU-er slinking around on the site, that last was SARCASM.)
I never got to meet Gen. Downing, but I was present on one occasion when he called us together afterwards and gave a stirring affirmation of all that had been accomplished. He was a no-nonsense type of guy....John Kerry wouldn't have gotten even one medal of any type out of this guy.
In any case, he wouldn't have to work for Condi.
Others with the credentials would be Schwarzkopf, Sullivan, Franks, .....
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