Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin defended US military efforts related to Ukraine and the strength of the military in general during a fiery exchange with Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Florida, on Tuesday.
At a wide-ranging House Armed Services Committee hearing, Gaetz pressed Austin about a conference on democratic socialism at the National Defense University that became a target for conservative media, accusing Pentagon officials of targeting evil.
“You said that Russia would invade Ukraine in 36 days,” Gaetz said. “You said the Taliban would be held off for months. You completely blew those calls, and maybe we’d be better at them if the National Defense University really worked a little more on strategy and a little less on awakening.”
Read next: With hour-long drives and weeks to appointments, pregnant servicewomen ache for medical reforms
An enthusiastic Austin responded: “Has it occurred to you that Russia hasn’t invaded Ukraine because of what we’ve done and because of what our allies have done? Have you ever thought about that?”
Since the start of the Biden administration, conservatives have been accusing Pentagon leaders of being more focused on so-called “woke” ideas like diversity, fairness and inclusion than combat effectiveness. Similar Republican criticism during last year’s House Armed Services Committee hearing with Austin and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley. provoked an impassioned response of Milley.
This year’s hearing took place against the background of the five-week war in Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin’s forces have so far failed to achieve any major objectives in the face of what US officials have described as disastrous logistics and stronger-than-expected Ukrainian resistance. american defense officials have recognized what there could have been an intelligence gap that led the US to overestimate Russia and underestimate Ukraine before the invasion.
Republicans also accused the Biden administration of failing to deter the invasion by, among other things, not sending enough weapons to Ukraine early enough.
In other exchanges at Tuesday’s hearing, both Austin and Milley said they doubted anything short of sending US forces directly into Ukraine could have dissuaded Putin from what Milley described as a “longstanding” goal of invasion. Milley added that he “certainly would not have advised” deploying US troops to Ukraine.
But it was the exchange with Gaetz that stoked the typically mild-mannered Austin’s ire.
Gaetz’s initial cross-examination, in which he did not allow Austin to refute his accusations that the National Defense University was teaching socialism, prompted a warning from committee chairman Adam Smith, D-Wash., that “we’re not going to let have the guy say four words and still talk and then cut him off.”
But the exchange with Austin turned into a shouting match soon after, when Gaetz claimed that the military has lagged behind in developing hypersonic weapons, which are also being pursued by adversaries such as Russia.
“What do you mean we’re behind on hypersonics?” Austin chimed in.
After some back and forth on hypersonic weapons, Gaetz maintained that “it’s not just about hypersonics.”
“It’s all over the world,” he continued, citing increased Chinese military flights near Taiwan and North Korean missile tests.
Austin defended the US military as the “world’s most capable and credible fighting force” and accused Gaetz of being “ashamed” for his country.
“I am embarrassed by his leadership,” Gaetz replied. “It appears that the Biden administration is trying to destroy our military by force-feeding it wake-ism.”
Subsequently, several Democrats used some of their time to defend Austin and implicitly criticize Gaetz. Given the opportunity Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo., gave him to further refute the GOP’s use of “artificial boogeymans,” Austin maintained that he and the military are fully focused on defending the country.
“So any notion that they’re awake or our military is awake, I don’t agree with that,” Austin said. “Because it’s just not true. It’s a false narrative, and they deserve better than that.”
As the hearing concluded, Smith, without mentioning Gaetz by name, apologized for “a notable exception” to a “very, very good discussion.”
“I looked it up. Unfortunately, I don’t have the power to just take a member’s time away,” Smith said.
— Rebecca Kheel can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @reporterkeel.
Related: Military leaders fire back at lawmakers as critical race theory debate erupts on Capitol Hill
Reference-news.yahoo.com