On December 3, Defense News published an article by Atlantic Council Senior Vice President and Director of the Scowcroft Center Barry Pavel titled “There should be no doubt about Michèle Flournoy for defense secretary.” At a time when Michèle Flournoy’s nomination is being questioned due to her connections with the defense industry, Pavel asserts that her experience with and deep knowledge of the sector is an advantage.
The primary criterion for assessing any nomination for secretary of defense at this dangerous point in U.S. history is whether the nominee has the experience, competence and steadfastness to oversee the most powerful military in history and the wide-ranging defense establishment that supports it. Clearly, by all accounts (including my own), the answer to these questions regarding Ms. Flournoy is a resounding “Yes.”
