Outgoing Joint Chiefs Chairman General Dempsey Is Leaving At A Time When The U.S. Military Is Facing Numerous Challenges

U.S. President Barack Obama (C) sits down to a meeting with Defense Secretary Ash Carter (L) and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff U.S. Army General Martin Dempsey (R), for an update on U.S. efforts against the Islamic State (ISIS), at the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia July 6, 2015. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

James Kitfield, Politico: Martin Dempsey’s World Is Falling Apart

The outgoing Joint Chiefs chairman bids farewell to an alliance beset by crises.

BERLIN—As his convoy sliced lights flashing through the busy streets of Berlin on a recent morning, Gen. Martin Dempsey could see a good part of his own career. He could see through the tinted windows of his limousine the bombed out ruins of the World War II-era Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, and the Brandenburg Gate where the Iron Curtain once placed Germany on the front lines of the Cold War—and where as a young Army lieutenant Dempsey helped guard the border against massed Soviet and Warsaw Pact forces. Soon the convoy would arrive at the German Ministry of Defense where Dempsey would be awarded the Knight Commander’s Cross of the Federal Republic of Germany, and lay a wreath to the war dead of Germany’s modern army next to the same building where Adolf Hitler and his Nazi minions once plotted the conquest of Europe.

At the end of a long and storied career in uniform Dempsey was in a reflective mood, and the one reality he could not escape was just how much war and conflict there still was to be fought, and how many memorials to the fallen had yet to be erected.

WNU Editor: This Politico article and analysis focuses on the career and "policy failures" of outgoing Joint Chiefs chairman General Martin Dempsey .... but the person that they should focus on (in regards to policy failures) is his boss .... President Obama.

U.S. Marine Corps Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr. Is Sworn In As Chairman Of The Joint Chiefs Of Staff

Washington Post: Dunford becomes America’s top military officer as Dempsey retires

Army Gen. Martin Dempsey stepped down as the United States’ top uniformed official on Friday, making way for Marine Gen. Joseph F. Dunford, who commanded U.S. troops in Afghanistan and will now take on a daunting set of military challenges including Russia’s buildup in Syria, China’s saber-rattling in the South China Sea, and a stalemated campaign in Iraq.

President Obama and Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter joined Dempsey and Dunford at the handover ceremony, accompanied by a gun salute, drum corps, and other military pomp, at a base near the Pentagon.

Obama praised Dempsey, retiring after a long Army career, for providing a “steady hand” in leading a military in transition after the large-scale deployments that followed the Sept. 11, 2011, attacks.

More News On U.S. Marine Corps Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr. Being Sworn In As Chairman Of The Joint Chiefs Of Staff

President Praises Retiring Dempsey, Incoming Chairman Dunford -- US Department of Defense
Dempsey Retires as Joint Chiefs Chairman in Emotional Farewell -- Military.com
Barack Obama Marks Transition at Top of Military Brass -- WSJ
Marine General Sworn In As US Military's Top Officer -- AFP
Change of command: Obama wishes Dempsey well, welcomes Dunford -- USA Today
General Dempsey retires, transitions Joint Chiefs of Staff chair -- UPI

Outgoing Joint Chiefs Chairman Martin Dempsey Issues Sober Assessment of Middle East

Washington Post: As Dempsey departs, he issues sober assessment of Middle East

Outgoing Joint Chiefs Chairman Martin Dempsey showed last week how much his understanding of the Middle East will be missed when he steps down.

In a blunt assessment given the Senate Armed Services Committee last Tuesday, Dempsey — who since 1991 has spent a good part of his career in the region — outlined the dilemma facing the Obama administration.

“While our potential adversaries grow stronger,” meaning the Islamic State and Iran, “many of our allies are becoming increasingly dependent on the United States and on our assistance,” meaning Iraq, Afghanistan, Yemen, Egypt, Lebanon, the Gulf States, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Syrian moderates.

Dempsey’s nominated successor, Marine Gen. Joseph Dunford, has more limited experience in the Middle East. Dunford, who served in Afghanistan until last year, said during testimony before the same Senate panel on Friday that it had been years since he was in Iraq or dealt directly with the issues that are likely to consume President Obama’s foreign policy team before a new president is sworn in.

WNU Editor: Somewhere .... someplace .... I suspect that outgoing Joint Chiefs Chairman Martin Dempsey is glad to be leaving.

U.S. Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey Comments On Today’s Russia

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs General Martin Dempsey (Reuters / James Lawler Duggan)

Wall Street Journal: Putin and the Doctrinal Definition of Threat

Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey looks at today’s Russia

President Barack Obama and other leaders of the Group of Seven leading nations are meeting beginning Sunday in Germany, a gathering that will be dominated by concern over Russia and its actions in stoking the civil war in Ukraine.

The Wall Street Journal spoke recently with Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, about the rekindled strategic challenge of Russia. An edited excerpt of his remarks follow.

Q. Talk a little about how you see Russia. Is it a big strategic problem, is it a declining power? Where is it on the hierarchy of challenges?

A. When I give my advice to our elected officials, I talk in terms of threat, what could threaten our interests. Threat is the combination of capability and intent. That is the doctrinal definition. I can’t tell you, as we sit here today, precisely what [Russian President Vladimir] Putin and Russia intend to do. They have demonstrated some behaviors outside the international order that clearly indicate that they are willing to push beyond what most of the nations with whom we deal consider to be international norms.

Update #1: Russia Has Capabilities, Tactics to Threaten European Security – US General -- Sputnik
Update #2: Putin intends to undermine NATO - Jt. Chiefs Chairman Dempsey -- RT

WNU Editor: It appears that the White House is positioning itself to adopt a more aggressive stance towards Russia. This Wall Street Journal report sums it up accurately .... U.S. Considers Harder Line on Russia (Julian E. Barnes, WSJ).

Top U.S. General Issues Dire Warnings On Global Security

Defense Secretary Ash Carter looks on as Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, answers questions as the two defense leaders testify before the Senate Appropriations Committee's defense subcommittee in Washington, May 6, 2015. DoD photo by Glenn Fawcett

PJ Media: Dempsey: Global Security ‘as Uncertain as I’ve Seen in 40 Years’

President Obama’s outgoing chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff warned Congress today that the global security environment “is as uncertain as I’ve seen in 40 years of service.”

Appearing before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense for the last time, Gen. Martin Dempsey added that “we are at a point where our global aspirations are exceeding our available resources.”

Update #1: Dempsey: U.S. Aspirations Exceeding DoD’s Resources -- US Department of Defense
Update #2: Top Military General Issues Dire Warning About the Forces ‘Aligned’ Against America -- IJReview

WNU Editor: This is his last public appearance in front of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense .... and he said nothing new. The Wall Street Journal says that he will be remembered for leaving a "legacy of caution" .... Gen. Martin Dempsey Leaves a Legacy of Caution (WSJ) .... I say that he will be remembered more for overseeing a declining U.S. military while trying to manage multiple wars and conflicts with limited resources .... and failing at it.

Top U.S. General Apologizes For Ramadi Remark

FOX News: General Dempsey tells mom of fallen SEAL he's sorry for Ramadi remark

Gen. Martin Dempsey is used to giving orders, but it was an apology he issued Monday to Debbie Lee, after the Gold Star mom complained that the joint chiefs chairman trivialized the Iraqi town where her son became the first Navy SEAL to die in the Iraq War.

Lee, whose son Marc was killed in Ramadi in 2006 after a fierce firefight with insurgents, told FoxNews.com she was "in tears" Friday after listening to comments by Dempsey in which he said the imminent fall of Ramadi to ISIS militants was "not symbolic in any way."

Update: In apology to Gold Star mother, U.S. general draws distinction between wars in Iraq -- Washington Post

Previous Post: Top U.S. General: Losing Ramadi To The Islamic State Is 'Not A Big Deal'

WNU Editor: His answer to the question last week on Ramadi (see above video) was a poor choice of words .... and I guess he now realizes that.

Top US General Wants Washington To Arm Ukraine

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff U.S. Army General Martin Dempsey (Reuters/Jonathan Ernst)

Time: Top U.S. General Says Washington Should Consider Arming Ukraine

"Putin’s ultimate objective is to fracture NATO," says General Martin Dempsey

The U.S. military’s leading general says Washington should now consider providing Ukrainian forces with lethal aid to help combat the nation’s pro-Kremlin insurgency.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Martin Dempsey argued during a Senate hearing on Tuesday that the allegedly Russian-backed rebellion threatens to undo more than six decades of peace in Europe and could potentially splinter the NATO alliance.

WNU Editor: What Ukraine needs right now is a political solution .... not a military solution. Pumping weapons into Ukraine will only escalate the war and suffering, and it will certainly not resolve the conflict. Moscow will also see General Martin Dempsey's remarks as further proof that the post-Cold War status that has kept the peace in Europe since the fall of the Soviet Union no longer exists ... in short ... the old rules and "red lines" no longer apply

More News On US General Martin Dempsey Wanting To Arm Ukraine

Top U.S. general says it is time to consider arming Ukrainian forces -- Washington Post
Dempsey Says It’s Time To ‘Absolutely Consider’ Arming Ukraine -- Defense One
US military chief backs arming Ukraine against separatists -- The Guardian
Dempsey Backs Arming Ukraine With 'Lethal Aid' Against Pro-Russian Separatists -- IBTimes
‘We should absolutely consider lethal aid’ to Ukraine – US Gen. Martin Dempsey -- RT
US Should Arm Ukraine Within NATO Alliance Context – General Dempsey -- Sputnik

Should U.S. General Dempsey Resign?

Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, delivers remarks during an awards ceremony for Newman's Own grant winners at the Hall of Heroes in the Pentagon, Sept. 24, 2014. DoD photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Daniel Hinton

Is It Time For General Dempsey To Resign? -- Col. Gary Anderson, USMC (Ret.), Best Defense/Foreign Policy

General Martin Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, knows that the Obama strategy for dealing with the self-proclaimed Islamic State is doomed to fail as currently structured; he has done as much to speculate in public that it will have to be altered. Without American combat troops on the ground to physically clear the cities and towns that the forces of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi have occupied, we are in for a long and frustrating open-ended conflict that the American people will quickly tire of. Dempsey is too good a tactician not to know differently; having served with him briefly on a fact-finding tour for the deputy secretary of defense in Iraq in 2003, I found him to be one of the best commanders in the field. If he slaps his four stars on the table and tells the president to find somebody else to pitch the next inning, it will make a real difference.

In a telling study of the Vietnam War, H.R. McMaster, now an Army general officer himself, castigates the military general-officer class of that era for quietly carrying out orders that they knew to be wrong. In 2003, many generals strongly disagreed with President George W. Bush's decision to go to war with Iraq, but none resigned in protest. How does this happen?

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My Comment: It is not going to happen .... especially at this moment in time with military operations currently underway (and escalating) in the Middle East.

Top U.S. General Compares Putin To Stalin

U.S. Military Chief Compares Putin’s Ukraine Move to Stalin’s Invasion of Poland -- Josh Rogin, Daily Beast

Today the U.S. government claimed the Russian military is firing artillery into Ukraine and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs said it reminds him of Russia’s invasion of Poland in 1939.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Martin Dempsey said Thursday that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s new use of Russian military force inside Ukraine harkens back to 1939 when Joseph Stalin led a Russian invasion of Poland, and Dempsey predicted Putin was far from finished.

Dempsey was speaking to the Aspen Security Forum and responding to the news that the U.S. government is accusing the Russian military of firing artillery from Russian territory into eastern Ukraine in support of separatists there. The latest development represents a dangerous escalation of the crisis on the part of Putin and the Russia-Ukraine crisis is now a global problem, he said.

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Update: Dempsey: Russian Attacks Change Europe’s Security Landscape -- US Department of Defense

My Comment: More signs that tensions are raising.

Top U.S. General: Israel And The Gulf States May One Day Cooperate On Security Issues

Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, spoke during a news conference with Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz, chief of the Israeli Defense Forces, in Jerusalem on Monday. Credit Ronen Zvulun/Reuters

Converging Interests May Lead to Cooperation Between Israel and Gulf States -- New York Times

JERUSALEM — Looking for a potential bright spot in the roiling upheaval of the Middle East, American and Israeli officials meeting in Jerusalem on Monday held out the hope of growing security cooperation between Israel and its Arab neighbors in the Persian Gulf.

That idea, basically unthinkable a few years ago, could be more plausible now because of widespread worry over Iran’s nuclear program, coupled with chaos in Syria and turmoil in Egypt. Even though Saudi Arabia and other gulf countries have long viewed Israel as the Arab world’s biggest adversary, the rise of threats they all share in common is creating a new urgency to find common ground, the officials said.

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Update: In Israel, Dempsey Surprises with Comment about Gulf States Cooperation -- The Tower

My Comment:  These remarks by General Dempsey are very strange .... the Gulf Arabs would rather commit suicide than cooperate publicly with Israel.

Did The Pentagon Leadership Fail At Benghazi?

Gen. Dempsey’s ‘Failures In Leadership’ Cited In Benghazi Disaster -- Washington Times

Congress generally has given the Pentagon a pass on failing to come to the aid of Americans in Benghazi — that is until now.

Six Republicans on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, led by Vice Chairman Saxby Chambliss of Georgia, have issued a blistering criticism of Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, who as Joint Chiefs chairman is the nation’s highest-ranking officer and chief military adviser to President Obama.

Under the heading “Failures in leadership — General Dempsey,” the senators singled out the four-star officer for not having an emergency plan in place in al Qaeda-infiltrated North Africa, including Benghazi, Libya.

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My Comment: For the moment .... the Commander in Chief is still supporting General Dempsey and as long as this support continues .... U.S. Senators notwithstanding .... General Dempsey will still keep his job. As to what is my take .... U.S> intelligence and the pentagon did fail in their planning.

Top U.S. General Voices His Concerns On The Delay In The Signing Of A U.S. - Afghan Security Agreement

Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, addresses reporters during a news conference with Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, (not pictured) at the Pentagon, Dec. 4, 2013. DOD photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Daniel Hinton

Dempsey: No U.S. Troops In Afghanistan Possible, But No Withdrawal Plans Yet -- CNN

Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey said Wednesday he clearly understands a complete withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan by the end of 2014 - known as the "zero option" - is a "possibility" given Afghan President Hamid Karzai's current unwillingness to sign the security pact that would govern some troops remaining in his country beyond that time frame.

But Dempsey also said he has not been told to plan for such a withdrawal.

The United States is pushing for the agreement to be signed by the end of 2013, although Dempsey said the Pentagon could still figure out a way to leave a residual U.S. force behind if an agreement is signed by early summer of 2014.

"Nothing is irreversible," Dempsey said, referring to troops that would have been withdrawn from Afghanistan by then.

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Update: Delaying security deal a risk to Afghan forces: U.S. military chief -- Reuters

My Comment: General Dempsey appears to be concerned (but also not overly stressed) by the delay in the signing of a U.S. - Afghan security agreement.

Joint Chiefs Chairman Criticizes Leak of Syria Military Plans

Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, testifies to support U.S. military intervention in Syria as Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and Secretary of State John F. Kerry listen during a hearing before the House Foreign Affairs Committee in Washington, D.C., Sept. 4, 2013. DOD photo by Erin A. Kirk-Cuomo

Misfire -- Washington Free Beacon

Joint Chiefs Chairman Criticizes Leak of Syria Military Plans, Delay in Syria Strikes as Forces Moved

The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the president’s top military adviser, told the Senate on Tuesday that U.S. plans for attacks on Syria were made more difficult by leaks to the press and the president’s delay in ordering the strikes.

Gen. Martin Dempsey, the chairman, said in testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that despite those setbacks he is confident military strikes will be effective in degrading the Syrian military’s chemical warfare capabilities.

Dempsey appeared before Congress with Secretary of State John Kerry and Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel in the first day of what is expected to be a two-week debate on whether to approve President Obama’s announced plans to take military action along

Unlike Kerry and Hagel, Dempsey had no prepared statement and provided short answers to most questions.

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My Comment: So prosecute the leakers .... but I suspect that some of these leaks are coming from the White House itself.

Is The Top Pentagon Officer Now 'On Board' On What To Do With Syria?

General Martin Dempsey, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, holds up a card with handwritten notes for a closed meeting with the Senate Armed Services Committee earlier in the day, as he appears to testify at a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing on Syria on Capitol Hill in Washington, September 4. Jason Reed/Reuters

Has Pentagon Chief Reversed His Position On Striking Syria? -- Anna Mulrine, Christian Science Monitor

Gen. Martin Dempsey, the top Pentagon officer, repeatedly warned against the costs and potential entanglements of military involvement in Syria. Now he's testifying on behalf of the White House.

The nation’s top military officer warned repeatedly in recent months that getting US military involved with Syria is a dangerous proposition that runs the risk of quick escalation.

In congressional testimony this week, however, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Martin Dempsey, has been put in the tricky position of defending the White House desire to launch a strike there.

Did he change his mind, or is he just doing the White House’s bidding?

In the past, he has made it clear that US military intervention could tip the balance of power in favor of Islamist rebels who don’t necessarily have the interests of the United States at heart.

What’s more, he has warned, any Pentagon foray directed by the president could have the unintended consequences of miring US troops more deeply in the Syrian conflict.

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More News On Gen. Martin Dempsey Testimony On Syria

Dempsey says he has been asked to degrade Assad's military capabilities, not change the momentum of the Syria conflict -- Jerusalem Post/Reuters
Dempsey outlines possible targets for strike on Syria -- Washington Times
Dempsey Outlines Strike Goals, Potential Retaliation -- Washington Free Beacon
Joint Chiefs Chairman Criticizes Leak of Syria Military Plans, Delay in Syria Strikes as Forces Moved -- Washington Free Ceacon
Dempsey: Obama’s Delay Impacts Syria Strike -- Daily Beast
General Dempsey's warnings could go unheeded if Obama opts to strike -- The Guardian
Has Obama Forgotten General Dempsey’s Warnings? -- John Cassidy, New Yorker

U.S. Chairman Of The Joint Chiefs Of Staff General Dempsey Is In Israel

U.S. Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, center, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Israeli Lt. Gen Benny Gantz, right, chief of the Israeli general staff, render honors while participating in an arrival ceremony at the Kirya, an area that includes an Israeli military base, in Tel Aviv, Israel, Aug. 13, 2013. Dempsey is on a multiday trip to meet with his counterparts in Israel and Jordan. DOD photo by D. Myles Cullen

Egypt, Iran Top Dempsey's Agenda With Netanyahu in Israel -- Al-Monitor

US Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, arrived in Israel yesterday, Aug. 12, for another visit. Last week, on Aug. 9, it was US Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh who came for a four-day working visit. This marks Dempsey’s third visit to Israel since he became chairman of the Joint Chiefs. In 2012, he was here in October and January on what was said to be an American endeavor to dissuade Israel from its intentions to independently strike Iran’s nuclear installations.

At some point, someone has to count how many American chiefs of staff and generals have visited Israel since Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was elected and took office in April 2009. Netanyahu’s election heralded Israel’s saber-rattling vis-à-vis Iran, turning top American defense officials into subtenants at the Ministry of Defense Headquarters in Tel Aviv as well as at the headquarters of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and at the Israeli defense establishment, serving as babysitters in what may look like a day-care center for particularly edgy and dangerous children.

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More News On U.S. Chairman Of The Joint Chiefs Of Staff General Dempsey In Israel To Discuss Regional Security Issues

Israel, Jordan, U.S. Face Common Threats, Dempsey Says -- US Department of Defense
Dempsey, Israeli Counterpart Pledge Ongoing Partnership -- US Department of Defense
U.S. eyeing Syrian opposition alliances, chemical weapons moves -- Reuters
Dempsey says U.S. learning more about Syrian opposition -- USA Today
Syrian War Shapes Trip by Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff -- New York Times
US military chief arrives in Israel to discuss regional security issues -- Jerusalem Post
General Dempsey Again Warns on Syria War -- The Nation
PM to Dempsey: Regional threats minimal compared to nuclear Iran -- YNet News
Dempsey Outlines Budget Cuts with Israel -- Military.com
Dempsey in Israel, Jordan, to tie last ends before Obama decides finally on US military action in Syria -- Debka File

Are The Joint Chiefs Chairman’s Views On Syria Correct?

Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, speaks with Martha Raddatz, ABC's chief global affairs correspondent, during an interview at the Pentagon, Aug. 2, 2013. DOD photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Daniel Hinton

Defense Experts Question Joint Chiefs Chairman’s Views On Syria -- McClatchy News

WASHINGTON — Several international defense experts said that a recent letter from America’s top military leader about the war in Syria revealed a “great power” weary of conflict, cautious on spending and hesitant about overseas engagements.

“Very risk averse” is how Magnus Ranstorp, a security expert at the Swedish National Defence College, described the recent letter to Congress from Gen. Martin Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in which he laid out the U.S. options on Syria.

“This letter reflects the dilemma the United States is facing,” Ranstorp said. “After a decade of military action, the American military knows well that it can be no more than part of a real solution.”

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My Comment: After years of war and conflict .... skepticism from the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs is justified. But in the end he is answerable to the Commander in Chief, and if President Obama tells him to prepare for a mission in Syria .... prepare he must.

Inside The CAG

DoD photo by Master Sgt. Ken Hammond, U.S. Air Force. Wikipedia

Inside The CAG: Dempsey’s Inner Circle -- Kevin Baron, Inside The Ring/Foreign Policy

Walking around the Joint Chiefs of Staff hallways in the Pentagon, one often hears of a mystical and powerful force known simply as “the CAG.”

Ever heard of them? Know who they are? What they do? How much power they wield? Probably not, but you should.

The “Chairman’s Action Group” is a team of 18 little-known but highly influential advisors -- though they prefer not to be called that -- working directly for Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Col. Troy Thomas, special assistant to the chairman and director of the CAG, sat with the E-Ring on Friday for a rare on-the-record interview to help explain.

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My Comment: A good (but brief) explanation on what they do.

Taking A Look At Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey

Army Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, addresses reporters during a press conference at the Pentagon, June 26, 2013. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel also participated, announcing that President Barack Obama has nominated Dempsey and Navy Adm. James A. Winnefeld Jr., vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, to second terms. DOD photo by Erin A. Kirk-Cuomo

Gen. Dempsey: ‘Winning Our Nation’s Wars Is No Longer Enough’ -- Walter Pincus, Washington Post

“For the first time our competence and character are being evaluated by experts and pundits while we fight.”

That was Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey speaking frankly to field-grade officers graduating June 13 from National Defense University (NDU) about what he called “this time of turmoil” when the military is “working hard to adapt to uncertainty and rapidly changing geopolitical, budgetary and cultural landscapes.”

President Obama said last week that he plans to reappoint Dempsey for another two-year term. That makes it worthwhile to take another look at this career Army officer who likes to quote Yeats, is a straight talker on tough issues — including to Congress — and enjoys singing in public, as he did Memorial Day weekend with a silly song about unicorns for hundreds of children whose fathers or mothers had died in combat.

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My Comment: I do expect him to be re-confirmed to another two years as the Joint Chiefs Chairman.

President Obama Renominates Dempsey As Chairman Of The Joint Chiefs

Army Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, addresses reporters during a press conference at the Pentagon, June 26, 2013. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel also participated, announcing that President Barack Obama has nominated Dempsey and Navy Adm. James A. Winnefeld Jr., vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, to second terms. DOD photo by Erin A. Kirk-Cuomo

Obama Wants To Retain Top Military Advisors -- Defense News

WASHINGTON — US President Barack Obama is renominating Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joints Chiefs of Staff, and Adm. Sandy Winnefeld, the vice chairman, for second terms as his top two uniformed military advisors.

“I’m very proud of the president’s announcement, and I’m very pleased that, with concurrence of the United States Senate, I will have the opportunity to work with these two distinguished leaders of our country for another two years,” Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said Wednesday during a briefing at the Pentagon.

Dempsey and Winnefeld must now go through the same confirmation process each faced when nominated for their first terms in 2011.

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More News On President Obama Renominating General Dempsey As Chairman Of The Joint Chiefs

Obama renominates Dempsey as chairman of the joint chiefs -- Stars and Stripes
Obama to re-up Dempsey as Joint Chiefs chairman -- FOX News/AP
Obama to nominate Dempsey for another term heading Joint Chiefs -- Politico
Obama again taps Dempsey for Joint Chiefs chair -- USA Today
Obama renominates general Dempsey as military chief -- AFP
Obama To Nominate Gen. Dempsey, Adm. Winnefeld For Second Terms -- RTT News

General Martin Dempsey Does Not Want To Get Involved In The Syria Conflict

Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. DoD

General "No" -- Kevin Baron, The E-Ring/Foreign Policy

Not exactly a broken record, but for more than a year General Martin Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has found many ways to make it clear he does not want to get involved in the Syria conflict.

February 12, 2012 - On CNN
"I think it would be premature to exclusively decide that the time for a military option was upon us."

February 14, 2012 - To the Senate Armed Services Committee
"It is a much different situation than we collectively saw in Libya. I think that's an important point to make, because we don't have as clear an understanding of the nature of the opposition."

May 28, 2012 - On CBS "This Morning"
"I think diplomatic pressure should always precede any discussions about military options. And that's my job by the way is options, not policy. And so we`ll -- we`ll be prepared to provide options if asked to do so."

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My Comment: I guess Bing West has a point .... but in this case General Dempsey is right.