Former NATO commander latest to blast Tuberville blockade of military confirmations

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10 October 2023

U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville‘s blockade of over 300 Senate required confirmations of U.S. Military promotions is gaining new attention as the Biden administration announced it is sending warships after the terrorist attack on Israel.

Among the latest to deliver criticism against the Alabama Republican Senator is the former NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe, Admiral James Stavridis (ret.), who served in the U.S. Navy for 37 years.

Since February, Senator Tuberville has been holding up U.S. Military promotions and nominations requiring Senate confirmation. He has claimed he is doing so in response to the Pentagon’s policy of reimbursing service members who must travel out of state to obtain abortion services. But Sen. Tuberville has also said his blockade is a response to the “woke” policies of President Joe Biden, and even in response to the personal remarks of some of the officers he is holding up.

In attacking them personally, Tuberville one officer who allegedly “joined a ‘Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion panel,’” and one who “celebrated Ruth Bader Ginsburg.”

Sen. Tuberville, who has a history of defending white nationalism, also reportedly emailed out posts which attack career military officers’ comments supporting LGBTQ equality, embracing diversity, pledging to address systemic racism, and more.

On Sunday, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced he is sending an aircraft carrier group, including the USS Gerald R. Ford, the largest warship in the world, to the region.

“We have an American aircraft carrier, airwing, warships off the coast of Israel – could be in combat any minute,” warned Adm. Stavridis. “But we don’t have a chief of naval operations confirmed. What’s wrong with that picture? Answer: Senator Tuberville. Lift the hold coach.”

Iraq War veteran Paul Rieckhoff, founder of the nonprofit Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), responded to Adm. Stavridis’ remarks, writing on social media: “Maybe now people will finally appreciate the depth of disruption Tuberville’s radical antics are having on our military. @DeptofDefense doesn’t need any additional problems to deal with right now. Especially problems created by one of our own Senators. #OurEnemiesAreCelebrating.”

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