Congress has formed a new advisory committee of top defense thinkers, in order to provide a pathway forward for the Department of Defense…
House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mac Thornberry, R-Texas, selected:
Eric Edelman – Edelman, a former ambassador to both Finland and Turkey, served as undersecretary of defense for policy from 2005-2009. He has held a number of roles in the DC think tank scene. He was also a vocal critic of then-candidate Donald Trump during the 2016 election.
Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain, R-Ariz., selected:
Ret. Gen. Jack Keane – Keane is the former Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Army, and a frequent contributor to Fox News. In November, Keane claimed that Trump asked him to become Secretary of Defense, but that the retired general declined due to personal reasons. Keane retired from the military in 2003.
Thomas Mahnken -- Mahnken is president and CEO of the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments think tank. He served as deputy assistant secretary of defense for policy planning from 2006–2009, and has served on a number of DoD advisory panels. He represents another link to Marshall’s Office of Net Assessment.