Best Defense
Thomas E. Ricks' daily take on national security.

Marine MEU commander gets heaved

Col. John Merna was ousted as commander of the 31 MEU on Okinawa for "intemperate behavior," among other things. I’d like to know more about that. I mean, sometimes people need a kick in the butt. Or was he just screaming at everyone? Meanwhile, former Virginia Senator and former Marine James Webb said he is ...

By , a former contributing editor to Foreign Policy.
U.S. MARINES
U.S. MARINES
U.S. MARINES

Col. John Merna was ousted as commander of the 31 MEU on Okinawa for "intemperate behavior," among other things. I'd like to know more about that. I mean, sometimes people need a kick in the butt. Or was he just screaming at everyone?

Col. John Merna was ousted as commander of the 31 MEU on Okinawa for "intemperate behavior," among other things. I’d like to know more about that. I mean, sometimes people need a kick in the butt. Or was he just screaming at everyone?

Meanwhile, former Virginia Senator and former Marine James Webb said he is considering running for president. I am surprised-I thought he didn’t like being a senator and that he wanted to go back to writing novels. I think I have read all of his. 

Thomas E. Ricks is a former contributing editor to Foreign Policy. Twitter: @tomricks1

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