March 06, 2018

It is time for Trump to send H.R. McMaster to Afghanistan

By Dr. Jason Dempsey

It is time to send H.R. McMaster to Afghanistan. Following reports of the National Security Advisor’s imminent departure from the White House, speculation on where the lieutenant general might end up has been rampant. While there have been rumors of a position at Stanford, most reports have focused on military options. McMaster opted to remain on active-duty when he took the job in the White House, making him eligible to return to the ranks.

Unfortunately this is a problematic option. Going from the right hand of the president to a typical three- or even four-star position represents a dramatic drop in formal influence on national strategy, but wherever McMaster goes he will have an outsized voice. One can imagine the discomfort of Pentagon brass with the prospect of a subordinate with political influence that far outweighs that of most of his superiors. There is also the problem of politicizing the ranks.

Read the full article in The Hill.

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