U.S. Army chief says military leaders see combat as last resort

Washington, US | XINHUA | U.S. Army’s top general on Tuesday defended military leaders after President Donald Trump’s claim that Pentagon leaders sought wars to please defense industries.

“I can assure the American people that the senior leaders would only recommend sending our troops to combat when it is required in national security and a last resort,” Army Chief of Staff James McConville said in a virtual conversation with Defense One.

“We take this very, very seriously in how we make our recommendations,” he added.

McConville’s comment came a day after Trump said that “top people in the Pentagon” sought wars to make defense industries profitable.

Trump told reporters at Monday’s White House briefing that senior leaders in the Pentagon probably did not like him “because they want to do nothing but fight wars so that all of those wonderful companies that make the bombs and make the planes and make everything else stay happy.”

“But we’re getting out of the endless wars,” he added.

White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows on Tuesday clarified that Trump’s earlier comments were more “directed about the military-industrial complex” than specific individuals.

U.S. media, however, noted that President Trump has a consistent record in promoting arms deals between U.S. defense manufactures and foreign governments as well as putting prominent figures in the military-industrial complex to senior positions in his administration.

Trump’s remarks also came days after an article published in The Atlantic, quoting anonymous sources, said that Trump disparaged slain U.S. service members by referring to them as “losers” and “suckers.” Trump and White House officials have vehemently denied the report.

*****

XINHUA