'National security suicide mission': GOP senators are turning on Tommy Tuberville

02 November 2023

The ongoing hold Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama) is placing on the confirmation of senior military officers is frustrating a growing number of his fellow Republicans.

Now, Politico is reporting that at least five Senate Republicans are publicly pushing back against their colleague's actions, saying it poses a danger to US military readiness in the midst of foreign policy crises like the war in Ukraine and the Israel-Hamas war. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), joined by Senators Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), Mitt Romney (R-Utah), and Todd Young (R-Indiana), tried unsuccessfully on Wednesday night to confirm 61 military leadership nominees, with Tuberville blocking a vote on each individual name.

Sen. Sullivan said Tuberville's obstruction was a hurdle in the way of US military readiness, calling it a "national security suicide mission."

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"We have a really dangerous world, a really dangerous world right now,” Sullivan said. “And to say, ‘Oh, don’t worry, this isn’t impacting readiness,’ with all due respect to my colleague, that’s just wrong. It’s not even a close call.”

Sen. Ernst said the military nominees were being unfairly used by Tuberville as "political pawns." and Sen. Graham said his colleague was "doing great damage to our military."

"I have been trying to work with you for nine months," Graham said on the Senate floor. “Folks, if this keeps going, people are going to leave."

For his part, Tuberville is vowing to continue obstructing military nominees' confirmation in the US Senate until the Department of Defense drops its policy of paying for travel costs of members of the military seeking abortion care.

"I have to respectfully disagree with my colleagues about the effect of my hold on readiness," Tuberville said in response to Republicans' confirmation push. "My hold is not affecting readiness."

One particular vacancy is causing more concern among senators than most: that of Marine Commandant Gen. Eric Smith, who has been hospitalized since October 29th due to an unnamed medical condition. The number two position in the US Marine Corps that would fill in that vacancy is among the 61 names whose confirmation is currently being held up by Tuberville.

"Patience is wearing thin with Sen. Tuberville on both sides of the aisle,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-New York) said. “What happened with the Marine commandant just showed many people how dangerous what Tuberville is doing is."

According to Politico, other confirmations being held up include Air Force Gen. Kenneth Wilsbach to lead Air Combat Command; Lt. Gen. James Mingus to be Army vice chief of staff; Air Force Maj. Gen. Heath Collins for director of the Missile Defense Agency; Navy Rear Adm. George Wikoff, picked to be the next commander of naval forces in the Middle East; Maj. Gen. Laura Lenderman to be deputy commander of the Pacific Air Forces; Maj. Gen. John Brennan to be the next deputy commander at U.S. Africa Command; and Vice Adm. Brad Cooper to be the deputy commander of U.S. Central Command.

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