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The Pentagon has finally released details about Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin's several-day hospitalization related to prostate cancer. But this incident made me wonder: What have China's Xi Jinping and Russia's Vladimir Putin learned from this embarrassing failure?
On January 8, China's state-run newspaper Global Times laughed and said, “This incident reflects the chaotic US government.''
Sadly, Austin's image has been tarnished. We all hope he makes a full recovery from prostate cancer. It's not because of some medical procedure, it's because he's not running a tough business.
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin diagnosed with prostate cancer
Mr. Austin was a natural choice for Secretary of Defense. Biden's team knew him well from his time as commander of U.S. Central Command. He has had great success in uniting 50 countries in support of Ukraine, and is also deeply involved with Israel.
However, this blunder cost the United States dearly.
First, Mr. Xi and Mr. Putin will wonder whether U.S. nuclear command and control has ever been compromised. Standard procedure is to replace the Secretary of Defense within the chain of command in the event of the Secretary's temporary absence. It's understandable why the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Pentagon don't like to go into details.
It took us a week to figure out how to handle Austin's medical emergency. If China becomes hostile towards Taiwan, the Pentagon will have less than a week's grace.
But secondly, the basics are simple. President Joe Biden has access to military command and control at any time. That's why he flies in his Air Force One. The president, secretary of defense, and combatant commanders travel frequently. If they have to launch a nuclear weapon, they convene a threat meeting, like a conference call, to carry out their orders. Honestly, they can do it from anywhere. That's why we have military aides equipped with top-secret cell phones and other equipment.
Anywhere except the back of an ambulance or intensive care unit (ICU) if one of the key leaders is in severe pain.
White House begins review of Cabinet protocols following secret hospitalization of Defense Secretary: Memo
Officials within the military chain of command are not afforded the same rights to medical privacy as civilians. This is especially true if the mission involves nuclear weapons. Civilian military personnel who serve on nuclear-powered submarines, guard intercontinental ballistic missiles or join bomber squads already participate in highly rigorous programs where their behavior and health are monitored. The captain of a nuclear submarine can't just set sail and have a mysterious medical emergency. They have to plan and take over command.
Even if nuclear command and control remained intact during Austin's secret hospitalization, Mr. Xi and Mr. Putin recognized that U.S. national security decision-making could be stalled. The Global Times reports, “Modern wars are more sudden, faster, and more intense, so the efficiency of command and control has a direct impact on war management.'' It's tedious but accurate.
This is an important tactical indicator for Xi Jinping, who will aim to blindside Biden if he attempts military action against Taiwan this year. It took him a week to decide how to handle Austin's medical emergency. If China becomes hostile towards Taiwan, the Pentagon will have less than a week's grace.
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Third, Austin's team is not proactive. This should come as no surprise to anyone who has watched American foreign policy over the past two and a half years. What I'm saying is they don't have the instinct to look down the football field and read the defense. They're not trying to be one step ahead of China or Russia or anyone else.
Despite the confluence of crises around the world, the Pentagon cannot respond to simple temporary transfers of authority.
How easy it would have been for Secretary Austin to go on medical leave for a few days during the holidays and issue a statement before Christmas that another official would take over his duties. America cannot afford to be so clumsy when China is bent on overthrowing us as the world's superpower.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin remains hospitalized a week after suffering severe pain following elective surgery related to prostate cancer, the Pentagon said Tuesday. (Ian Waldie/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Let me add that Team Biden still appears to want to hide their national security operations from the American people. Remember China's giant reconnaissance balloons? It was recently revealed that Pentagon officials had been discussing the balloon for almost a week before it made the news. Then there were further delays until an F-22 fighter jet from Virginia finally shot it down off the coast of North Carolina on February 4, 2023.
Most of Biden's national security team was chosen because of long-standing ties to Biden dating back to his time as vice president (Austin) and senator (Blinken). They took office with the hope of putting military issues on the back burner and moving forward with diplomacy. . It was followed by Afghanistan, Ukraine, Taiwan, Gaza and the Red Sea. Despite all of these crises, the Pentagon cannot respond to a simple temporary transfer of authority.
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“This lack of disclosure must never happen again,” Sen. Jack Reed, a Rhode Island Democrat who chairs the Armed Services Committee, said this week.
I wholeheartedly agree.
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