WASHINGTON: NewUS Defense Secretary Mark Esper picked his way through a political minefield inhis first public meeting with the media Wednesday, skirting anything that couldirritate his irascible boss President Donald Trump. Just hours afterpredecessor James Mattis wrote that Trump's policies toward US allies aredamaging US security, the new Pentagon chief hewed the official line,undoubtedly aware that the US leader studiously watches and assesses hiscabinet members' televised performances.
For most of twoyears Mattis avoided appearing on camera, knowing that speaking his mind couldonly worsen a tense White House relationship rooted in fundamentaldisagreements over US defense policy. Mattis resigned late last year. Esper, aclose ally of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo -- now Trump's primary nationalsecurity advisor -- made clear he would not rock the boat, even given thepresident's unorthodox policymaking and sharp turns in longstanding US defenseprinciples.
'All options onthe table'
He didn't blinkwhen asked about Trump's disturbing assertion that the US military could easilysettle the Afghanistan conflict. "We could win that war in a week if wewanted to fight it, but I'm not looking to kill 10 million people," Trumpsaid last week, echoing similar comments he made previously and which led tospeculation that only nuclear weapons could quickly eliminate such a largenumber.
"We reservethe right to keep all options on the table," Esper said. "We'rehoping that we can reach some kind of conclusion that could result in apolitical agreement" and bring peace to the country, he said. Esper alsosmoothly took up Trump's apparent about-face toward Iran, whom he designatedthe premier US enemy after taking office in January 2017. Trump said on Mondayhe was willing to sit down and negotiate with Tehran's leaders, after an offerto arrange a summit by French President Emmanuel Macron. "We hope that theIranians would agree to meet and talk and help us resolve these issues,"Esper told reporters.
China is main USrival
In laying out thebasis of his policies, he highlighted China as the foremost strategic rival tothe United States, while making only the slightest reference to Russia, whichTrump sees as a potential partner. He meanwhile highlighted the launch of thePentagon's US Space Command, a pet Trump project that Mattis opposed asunnecessary. "The United States Space Command is the next crucial step towardsthe creation of an independent space force as an additional armedservice," Esper said.
A classmate ofPompeo's at the US Military Academy at West Point, Esper served in the militaryfor several years and then joined the defense industry, becoming an executiveof leading Pentagon supplier Raytheon. As Army Secretary under Mattis he wascloser to Pompeo and avoided the policy fights Mattis had with the White House.Not Trump's first pick to lead the Pentagon, he nevertheless got thepresident's blessing when he was sworn in on July 23. "There is no onemore qualified to lead the Department of Defense," the president said
Trump's shiftingpolicies
But his tenurecould be easier: Trump has already appeared to slightly back off the hardlineIran policy that Mattis disagreed with, and likewise has moved to takedenuclearization talks with North Korea more slowly, as Mattis had reportedlycounseled. In addition, a policy Mattis resigned over -- pulling out ofAfghanistan -- is now well underway in negotiations with the Taliban, and Espercould not likely reverse the process if he wanted.
Yet in a WallStreet Journal opinion piece published Wednesday, Mattis highlighted perhapsthe foremost challenge his successor has in serving Trump. He assailed Trump forshredding US alliances, days after the G7 summit showed the president out ofstep with America's major partners. "An oft-spoken admonition in theMarines is this: When you're going to a gunfight, bring all your friends withguns," Mattis wrote in The Wall Street Journal, giving his first publiccomments since quitting the Pentagon. "A leader must display strategicacumen that incorporates respect for those nations that have stood with us whentrouble loomed," Mattis wrote. "Nations with allies thrive, and those withoutthem wither. Alone,America cannot protectour people and our economy."- AFP