"Putting Michèle Flournoy in charge of the Pentagon would have been a dangerous gift to the military-industrial complex. We have opposed her nomination not only because of a notably extensive record of spinning through revolving doors between the Pentagon and war-profiteering firms. She also would have been a terrible choice for Defense Secretary due to her long record as a vehement hawk who has often favored military intervention, and due to her current emphatic advocacy of reckless military provocations toward China in the South China Sea and elsewhere. While RootsAction fundamentally disagrees with many actions taken by Gen. Austin, we believe he is a significantly better choice for Secretary of Defense than Flournoy."
Background:
On Nov. 30, the Washington Post reported on a statement of opposition to Michèle Flournoy being released that day by five national progressive organizations – RootsAction.org, Progressive Democrats of America, CodePink, World Beyond War and Our Revolution. The Post's coverage included a quote from RootsAction national director Norman Solomon pledging an extensive campaign of constituent pressure on senators to vote against Flournoy if she were to be nominated for Defense Secretary: "RootsAction.org has a 1.2 million active list of supporters in the U.S., and we're geared up for an all-out push for a 'no' vote, if it comes to that."
For further information:
Norman Solomon,
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it