Small Wars Journal

McCain Could Shake Up US Defense in Powerful New Senate Role

Wed, 11/05/2014 - 8:22am

McCain Could Shake Up US Defense in Powerful New Senate Role by Andrea Shalal and David Alexander, Reuters

Senator John McCain's voice just got a whole lot louder.

One of President Barack Obama's noisiest detractors, McCain is expected to take the helm of the powerful Armed Services Committee in the new Republican-controlled U.S. Senate when the U.S. Congress convenes in January.

The Arizona senator, a critic of the $399 billion Lockheed Martin Corp F-35 fighter jet program, is likely to push for tougher congressional scrutiny of costly U.S. weapons programs, defense analysts say…

Read on.

Comments

Wolverine57

Thu, 11/06/2014 - 6:04pm

I agree that Senator McCain's voice just got louder. However, the article seems to focus mostly on equipment, programs, bases, and budgets. As a Vietnam vet, I would like to see Senator McCain raise his voice at some senior leadership , particularly the SECDEF. As a Vietnam Vet, a September 1968 9th Division Old Reliable Newspaper indicates to me that SECDEF Hagel attended the NCO academy in May, was assigned as a clerk in HHC, and running a club. While Purple Hearts are respected, it appears to me that he has more Vietnam military experience running a club than in the field.