Best Defense

Thomas E. Ricks' daily take on national security.

One candidate’s conditions for becoming Sec Def

Best Defense has obtained the conditions set down by one candidate for the job of Defense Secretary.

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Best Defense is in summer re-runs. This item originally appeared on November 26, 2014.

Best Defense is in summer re-runs. This item originally appeared on November 26, 2014.

Best Defense has obtained the conditions set down by one candidate for the job of Defense Secretary. Unusually unreliable sources could not vouch for its authenticity:

-I will take Susan Rice’s calls, as long as she understands that I don’t work for her. 

-People in primarily political positions will not be allowed to attend meetings about troop deployments.

-President agrees to try not to use the word “folks” when discussing torture. 

-At national-security meetings, WH chief of staff will use egg timer to limit Biden’s inability to stop speaking.

-No, I will not admonish the Joint Chiefs for expressing their own opinions when required to do so by Congress. 

-White House political aides who tell reporters on background that a cabinet secretary is “disappointment” or “not a team player” will be shot from cannon at dawn each morning.

Tom: What other conditions would you add?

 

Thomas E. Ricks covered the U.S. military from 1991 to 2008 for the Wall Street Journal and then the Washington Post. He can be reached at ricksblogcomment@gmail.com. Twitter: @tomricks1

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