Date: October 28, 2012 12:28:17 PM PDT Friends: I do not know if you have noticed, but two senior military commanders involved in the Benghazi debacle have been removed from command. The removal of any flag grade officer is a drastic measure rarely performed except for extreme cause. According to what I have read and been told by others, General Carter Ham, AFRICOM commander, received the same e-mails that were going to the White House notifying them of the attack on the Benghazi embassy. From his headquarters at Patch Barracks in Stuttgart, Federal Republic of Germany (FRG), immediately ordered a Special Forces Quick Reaction Force (QRF) to stand-to for deployment, and then notified the White House of his actions. It is alleged that upon receiving an order from the White House to stand-down, General Ham chose to ignore the order and continued preparations to deploy. Supposedly, General Ham was then confronted by his second in command, “apprehended” and informed that he was “relieved of command.” General David Rodriguez has subsequently been named as the AFRICOM commander. Within days of this incident with General Ham, Rear Admiral Charles M. Gaouette, commander of the USS Stennis aircraft carrier strike group – MidEast, was relieved of his command citing, “inappropriate leadership judgment.” Admiral Gaouette’s naval strike group stood off in the Mediterranean Sea, prepared to provide support to the beleaguered Benghazi embassy. Both his command and the forces at NAS Sigonella were ordered to stand-down. Rear Admiral Gaouette has subsequently been ordered to return to his home port while the US Navy cites that his recall is “a temporary assignment.” While I see the necessity of civilian control over the military, I do see the actions against these two commanders as extremely detrimental to national defense and the military’s true function. I can almost assure you that the replacement commanders will not be quick to move towards crisis, to march to the sound of the guns, or to prepare to fight on a moment’s notice. Rather, it seems as though hesitancy and an overwhelming willingness to “wait for further” orders; i.e, it is beyond my paygrade…, is being rewarded. These reliefs require a closer examination. Perhaps both of the relieved commanders would have the balls to demand a court-martial, or resign in the manner that General Jack Singlaub did upon his relief in Korea in 1976. “Where will I be found? March to the sound of the guns. That is where you will find me.” - Napoleon HENRY. | ||
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