Biden pick would make history at Pentagon

WASHINGTON— U.S presidentelect Joe Biden will nominate retired four-star army general Lloyd J. Austin to be secretary of defence, according to four people familiar with the decision. If confirmed by the Senate, Austin would be the first Black leader of the Pentagon.

Biden selected Austin over the longtime front-runner candidate, Michele Flournoy, a former senior Pentagon official and Biden supporter who would have been the first woman to serve as defence secretary. Biden also had considered Jeh Johnson, a former Pentagon general counsel and former secretary of homeland defence.

The impending nomination of Austin was confirmed by four people with knowledge of the pick who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the selection hadn’t been formally announced.

As a career military officer, the 67-year-old Austin is likely to face opposition from some in Congress and in the defence establishment who believe in drawing a clear line between civilian and military leadership of the Pentagon. Although many previous defence secretaries have served briefly in the military, only two — George C. Marshall and James Mattis — have been career officers. Marshall also served as secretary of state.

Like Mattis, Austin would need to obtain a congressional waiver to serve as defence secretary. The laws were meant to preserve the civilian nature of the Department of Defence.

Austin is a1975 graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and served 41years in uniform.

Biden has known Austin at least since the general’s years leading U.S. and coalition troops in Iraq while Biden was vice-president. Austin was commander in Baghdad of the Multinational Corps-Iraq in 2008 when Barack Obama was elected president, and he returned to lead U.S. troops from 2010 through 2011.