Marine commandant nominee draws fire for answers on Iraq, arming recruiters. Is LtGen Neller right?

2015-07-24T07:29:11-04:00

What are your thoughts on career-politicians clashing with career-military officers?

The nominee to be the next Marine Corps commandant had a rocky confirmation hearing in the Senate on Thursday, drawing fire for his positions on the war in Iraq and arming military recruiters.

Lt. Gen. Bob Neller, who was nominated earlier this month to replace Gen. Joseph Dunford, told the Armed Services Committee that the war in Iraq against the Islamic State has been at a stalemate for at least a year.

When pressed by committee chairman Sen. John McCain, Neller backed the current Obama administration strategy, which relies on keeping U.S. troops off the ground, directing air strikes. McCain, R-Arizona, has argued that the policy is losing the year-old war in Iraq.

“The Iraqis cannot do it themselves. That is why they are losing,” he told Neller, citing the fall of Mosul to the Islamic State last year. “That is why they’ve lost their second largest city.”

Neller disagreed, telling the committee that the Iraqis are not losing.

“I do not believe they are winning either. I believe they are at stalemate right now,” he said.

McCain made his position clear: “I am very disappointed in a number of your answers.”

Neller also butted heads with Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., over arming recruiters.

He was the second military nominee this week to say firearms at the nation’s recruiting centers should be considered. On Tuesday, Army Chief of Staff nominee Gen. Mark Milley testified that it could be appropriate under certain circumstances.

But he also cautioned against the move and possible unintended consequences.

“I think we need to take a look at it, but I have some concerns of second- and third-order effects of that,” Neller told senators. “I’m not going to discount it but I think in the end, it is the most extreme measure to do what we need to do, which is protect those Marines who are serving out there.”

Read the entire article:
http://www.stripes.com/marine-commandant-nominee-draws-fire-for-answers-on-iraq-arming-recruiters-1.359387

Response by Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS made Jul 24 at 2015 7:46 AM

2015-07-24T07:46:41-04:00

Confirmation hearings shouldn't go smoothly. They should be fought tooth and nail. I don't care what the position is. I don't want someone to breeze through it on a "formality." I want them to go through it like a murder board.

There should be hard questions, and there should be doubts. And at the end of the day, when that person is confirmed, the final answer is "Yah, we asked him hard questions, and we were confident in (enough/most of) his answers. He's the right guy."

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 24 at 2015 8:39 AM

2015-07-24T08:39:32-04:00

We don't need anymore "YES MEN" in these positions. I would rather these confirmation hearing went rough and they said that NEEDS to be said from the get go... and everyone- senate, the military... everyone- knows where they stand on the important issues within the military.

Response by SSgt Alex Robinson made Jul 24 at 2015 9:40 AM

2015-07-24T09:40:01-04:00

Our troops should be able to defend themselves. Law enforcement can't be everywhere and know when something is about to happen.