"The Courting of General Jones" (WSJ, 4-23-07)

[Catchawave]

Are the good Generalisimo's Powell and Clark so yesterday now? Oh, this is good...

Candidates From Both Parties
Woo Policy-Savvy Ex-Marine
By NEIL KING JR.
April 23, 2007; Page A6

"WASHINGTON -- Republican Sen. John McCain and Democratic Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton have at least one thing in common on the foreign-policy front. His name is Gen. James Jones.

Gen. Jones is a freshly retired Marine Corps general who stands 6-foot-5, speaks fluent French and served until December as supreme allied commander in Europe. He says he thinks that the troops should stay in Iraq but that the U.S. should close the Guantanamo military prison "tomorrow." He advocates engagement with friends and enemies alike. And, more to the point, he pledges allegiance to no political party.

All of which has made Gen. Jones one of Washington's hottest political commodities. As they look toward an election sure to be dominated by issues of war and national security, candidates from both major parties are clamoring to get Gen. Jones on their side.

New York's Sen. Clinton has told some advisers that if she is elected she could imagine putting Gen. Jones in her cabinet, possibly as defense secretary, these advisers say. Her campaign says such talk "is way premature," but in a statement, Sen. Clinton says she has enjoyed her "many conversations about military and diplomatic issues" with Gen. Jones. "I am confident he has much to contribute to our nation in the years to come," she said.

Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois, another top Democratic contender, consults regularly with Gen. Jones on foreign-policy issues and "thinks the world of him," according to one Obama aide......"

cont'd here: http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB117729466180378622-EsUqlNtDy_ec0v1WZO4L1xy3tw4_20070522.html?mod=tff_main_tff_top

[Catchawave]

1. Did I strike a nerve?

:shrug:

[depakid]

2. Either Hillary was misquoted by the Wall Street Journal....

She's not familiar with 10 USC Sec. 113, which provides that the secretary must be a civilian who has not served in the active component of the armed forces for at least 10 years.

Of course, Congress could pass a special law like they did with Marshall- but it would be pretty damn arrogant to expect that....