Harward for NSC? Mattis is consolidating power...he bears watching!

Thanks to Galvars for the link!

via Reuters.

The Trump administration has offered the job of White House national security adviser, vacated by former U.S. intelligence official Michael Flynn, to Vice Admiral Robert Harward, said two U.S. officials familiar with the matter on Wednesday.
It was not immediately clear if Harward, a former deputy commander of U.S. Central Command who has Navy SEAL combat experience, had accepted the offer, according to sources.
A White House spokesperson had no immediate comment.

Story here. 

Who is Harward?  A Navy SEAL.  Combat Vet.  Deputy Commander of Centcom.  Mattis loyalist/mentor/sycophant(?).

I wasn't as sold on Mattis as SecDef.  I was alone in my concerns and most Marines, Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Coast Guardsmen cheered.  So did the Establishment Republicans, Establishment Democrats, National Security Establishment and the Military Industrial Complex.

Think about that.

The people that many of us love to hate cheered for this guy and most didn't even wonder why.

Having said that, Mattis hasn't done anything alarming.  He's laying low but I have noticed one thing that should be troubling.

In a quiet, almost Rumsfeld like fashion he is getting in place personal loyalist.  Trump shot down a deputy Mattis wanted but in true Marine Corps fashion he's continued moving forward ... the appointment of Harward as National Security Adviser would be a feather in the hat of not only Mattis but of the Establishments that I mentioned.  He will be seen as a "moderating" force in the Trump inner circle.

Don't get me wrong.

I don't think Mattis is a "bad guy".  I do think he has an agenda that is more "stay the course" rather than the change that I think the nation and Trump is looking to see implemented.  Yeah.  I don't think evil but I do think keeping an eye on his moves is warranted.  Next up?  The review of the F-35 vs Super Hornet.  That will tell us a lot.