Nine major errors occurred with Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin’s sudden, unexplained, dangerous disappearance from post for five days – what the military calls AWOL. On January 7, he remained hospitalized and said he is “in charge” again.
First, second, third, and fourth are profound errors of judgment by this Secretary of Defense himself.
Error one: Why do you choose to undertake “elective surgery” – submit to unnecessary, avoidable, nonurgent, potentially dangerous surgery – when the Mideast is on fire, the world on the brink of war?
On January 1st, as Austin committed to “elective” – that is, cosmetic, functional, or comfort-focused, non-urgent – surgery, he knew the Israel-Hamas war was widening, 100 strikes on US bases in Iraq, US servicemen seriously wounded, two dozen Iran-sponsored strikes on commercial shipping in the Red Sea, Iran deploying a destroyer there, violence by Hamas, Hezbollah, Islamic Jihad, and Houthi rebels rising, and the USS Gerald Ford Carrier Strike Fore coming back to the US. Why unneeded surgery, then?
Error two: While undertaking an “elective” surgical procedure requiring general anesthesia as the world burned was foolhardy, doubly unwise was not allowing others to know that operation was occurring, could put him out of commission, not letting the chain of command below or above know, including the President of the United States? Unforgivable.
Error three: Once the worst unfolded, where were the standing orders? To alert the chain of command, above and below? Whether unconscious or drugged, orders should have existed and been given within the hour that others were legally, operationally, and in every other way, in charge—dereliction three.
Error four: Upon regaining consciousness, how could it possibly be that this SECDEF did not notify the president, vice president, chairman of the joint chiefs, national security advisor, if not also peers, of his peril and incapacity, his inability to presently undertake and properly perform his duties, then down the chain promptly as well? Dereliction four. Good people can make profound errors, he made four.
Error five: This one is an error shared by all who knew about this operation, from the SECDEF and his inner circle to other non-chain defense and medical staff, and it reveals a great deal more than their bad judgment. No one told the president, not before, not during, and not after – for five days.
What does that tell you about the level of respect that all parties, those who knew, learned, and learned from those who first learned – have for this president? They do not care if he knows the most important facts surrounding the operation of his administration and do not respect him, his authority, his place in the chain, or his cognition. Biden is viewed as inconsequential, a titular part of the process, as others do what they wish.
Error six and seven: These belong to the President. What cognitive present, legally, and politically accountable Commander-in-Chief allows any cabinet member – never mind Secretary of Defense – to do as he wishes, keep him in the dark, and demand no accountability? What leader encourages disrespect?
But beyond merely showing no interest, being disrespected by his Secretary of Defense, and encouraging this kind of AWOL behavior – not just top-down, but bottom-up – Biden has shown contempt for his own position, authority, and duties as president. He has permitted this to go unpunished, shrugged. Pathetic.
Error eight: Those in the chain of command below the SECDEF failed to ask, insist, and on learning no one was in charge, failed to act, just stood around and waited. They should all be summarily dismissed. Their loyalty was to an appointed person, not the Constitution or people, but ultimately to themselves.
Error nine: The national security of the entire country was placed at risk by this group of people – the SECDEF, his inner circle, and an AWOL president, in effect by an inexcusable, ultimately vain and self-interested act, one that did not need to occur, and was then covered-up, excused, brushed away.
The national security of the country is the TOP reason a president, vice president, Secretary of Defense, and the whole surrounding apparatus and troop strength occur, and are constantly ready. This dereliction of readiness is truly terrifying because had any enemy known, that would have been the moment to strike.
Finally, a simple question has not yet been answered: Although the nation was put at risk, chain of command ignored, and elective surgery by this SECDEF was allowed to override the nation’s highest interests – and although a stent apparently was needed when the surgery went wrong, what was the surgery? What was so terribly important that everyone in this administration is ready to cover it up?
Bottom line: Bad judgment, compounded by more bad judgment, left to lie and excused by those who distinguished only by bad judgment – is serious and dangerous. Consequences should follow. They will not, which should tell every American why we need to dispense with this crowd and vote them out soonest.
Robert Charles is a former Assistant Secretary of State under Colin Powell, former Reagan and Bush 41 White House staffer, attorney, and naval intelligence officer (USNR). He wrote “Narcotics and Terrorism” (2003), “Eagles and Evergreens” (2018), and is National Spokesman for AMAC.
