A Farewell Interview With Mike Mullen

Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, 17th chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and his wife, Deborah, are piped ashore at the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff change of responsibility ceremony on Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, Va., Sept. 30, 2011. During the ceremony, Mullen retired after 43 years of military service and Army Gen. Martin Dempsey accepted the role of chairman. DOD photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Chad J. McNeeley

A Farewell Interview With Mike Mullen -- CBS News

(CBS News) At a change-of-command ceremony this past week, President Obama had nothing but praise for Admiral Mike Mullen, the just-retired Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Admiral Mullen has been speaking out a lot this week, too ... as we hear in our Cover Story from CBS News national security correspondent David Martin:

You wouldn't think the nation's highest ranking officer would be a regular on "The Daily Show," but in his final days as chairman he was back for a third appearance.

Last summer Admiral Mike Mullen recruited "Daily Show" host Jon Stewart to go with him to visit the troops in Afghanistan: "I was surprised when we landed in Kandahar that you forced them to carry you around on a litter," said Stewart.

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My Comment: Meet the new Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Chairman Of The U.S. Joint Chiefs Adm. Mullen To Retire Today

MEMORIAL WREATH
In his final full day as the 17th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Navy Adm. Mike Mullen and his wife, Deborah, lay a memorial wreath at Arlington National Cemetery's Section 60, Sept. 29, 2011. Mullen will retire after serving more than 40 years in uniform, handing the reins to Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey during a ceremony on Fort Meyer, Va. DOD photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Chad J. McNeeley

Mullen's Exit -- Matthew Kaminski, Wall Street Journal

When Admiral Mike Mullen hands over the most senior military job Friday, the changing of the guard at the Pentagon will be complete.

When Admiral Mike Mullen hands over the most senior military job Friday, the changing of the guard at the Pentagon will be complete. Robert Gates left the defense secretary's post in July. General David Petraeus, who oversaw the surge of troops into Iraq and Afghanistan, hung up his military uniform in August to run the Central Intelligence Agency. Adm. Mullen, who has chaired the Joint Chiefs of Staff since 2007, was the last senior holdover on the security team from the Bush years. He was less visible than either Secretary Gates or Gen. Petraeus, yet he helped shape a critical era for the military.

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More News And Commentary On Admiral Mullen's Retirement From The U.S. Military

Military Bids farewell To Navy Admiral Mike Mullen, Chairman Joint Chiefs Of Staff -- US Department of Defense
Admiral Michael Mullen: Farewell and thank you -- Micah Zenko, CNN
Mullen Highlights Troop Families Needs Before Retirement Friday -- Executive Gov.
‘Team Mullen’ Highlights Troops’ Service, Sacrifices -- US Department of Defense
Mullen's legacy as chairman defined by two bold moments -- Kevin Baron, Stars and Stripes
Adm. Mike Mullen’s legacy -- David Ignatius, Washington Post

Fears Of North Korean Provocation Voiced By Top U.S. Commander

SOUTH KOREAN MINISTER - U.S. Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, meets with South Korean Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin in Seoul, South Korean, July 14, 2011. DOD photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Chad J. McNeeley

Mullen: North Korea Remains A Danger -- CNN

Seoul, South Korea (CNN) -- The threat from North Korea -- which started a war with South Korea in 1950 and launched two attacks against the South last year -- is very real and they could well attack again. That's the candid view of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen.

"North Korea shows no sign of relenting in pursuit of its capabilities and I'm not convinced they won't provoke again," he told reporters. "I've said for a long time the only thing that is predictable about North Korea is their unpredictability."

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More News On Adm. Mullen Voicing His Concerns On North Korea

Top US military officer warns of NKorean threat -- Seattle PI/AP
N. Korea May Provoke Again, Creates ‘Urgency,’ Mullen Says -- Bloomberg
Mullen says N. Korea poses ''very real'' threat -- Yahoo News/AFP
At Yongsan, Mullen stresses importance of keeping close eye on N. Korea, China -- Stars and Stripes
Mullen Warns South Korea of Continued Threat from North -- Voice of America
Mullen: North Korea Poses "Very Real" Threat -- Defense News/AFP
Mullen says N. Korea poses ''very real'' threat -- AFP
North Korea must be stopped from more attacks: Admiral Mullen -- FOX News/Reuters
Mullen Seeks Multilateral Deterrence Against North Korea -- US Department of Defense
No Hints North Korea Open to Denuclearization: Mullen -- Global Security Newswire
Commander named for U.S. Forces Korea -- UPI
Sharp bids farewell, Thurman assumes command in Korea -- Army.mil

U.S. Chairman Of The Joint Chiefs Visits China

New Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta speaks with Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, during Panetta's first visit to "The Tank" to meet with the Joint Chiefs at the Pentagon, July 1, 2011. DOD photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Chad J. McNeeley

US Military Chief Heads To China, Visit Coincides With Naval Drill In South China Sea -- Washington Post/AP

WASHINGTON — The top U.S. military officer is traveling to China this weekend just as a multinational Navy exposition wraps up in neighboring Brunei with a drill in the hotly contested South China Sea.

Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, is expected to arrive in China on Sunday to begin four days of meetings with Chinese officials and visits to military units in Beijing and along the eastern coast.

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More News On Admiral Mullen's Trip To China

Mullen Makes Chairman's Visit to China -- U.S. Department of Defense
Top U.S. military officer heads to China for visit -- Reuters
Mullen flies to China as US plans naval exercise -- AFP
China Sea Dispute Looms Large in U.S. Visit -- Wall Street Journal
U.S. Joint Chiefs Chairman Adm. Mullen bound for China -- CNN

My Comment: What will be on the agenda .... South China Seas, Taiwan arms sales, the Korean peninsula, Afghanistan, better communications between China and the U.S.

Charlie Rose: An Interview With Chairman Of The Joint Chiefs Of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen

ROSE REMARK - Broadcast journalist Charlie Rose interviews Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, during his hour-long television talk show in New York, June 13, 2011. DOD photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Chad J. McNeeley

WNU Editor: The full one hour interview with Charlie Rose can be seen here.

Admiral Mullen Comments On The Ongoing Crisis In Egypt

Adm. Mullen On Stopping Aid To Egypt: 'Caution Against' It Right Now -- ABC News

The president’s top military advisor said we should wait before taking action and suspending any of the $1.5 billion in annual aid to Egypt if President Mubarak does not step down.

“There is a lot of uncertainty out there and I would just caution against doing anything until we really understand what’s going on,” Admiral Mike Mullen said on "GMA." “I recognize that certainly is a significant investment, but it’s an investment that has paid off for a long, long time.”

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My Comment: Adm. Mullen clearly does not want to lose his close contacts in the Egyptian military.

Why Did Chairman Of The Joint Chiefs Mullen Make An Unscheduled Stop In Israel

MULLEN MEETS BARAK - U.S. Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, greets Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak in Tel Aviv, Israel, June 27, 2010. DoD photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Chad J. McNeeley

US Military Chief In Israel For Top-Level Talks -- AFP

TEL AVIV — The top US military officer, Admiral Mike Mullen, on Sunday held talks in Tel Aviv with Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak and other members of the military's top brass, officials said.

A US embassy spokesman said Mullen, who was paying a flying visit to Israel, was also meeting Israeli Chief of Staff Gaby Ashkenazi and senior military officials.

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More News On Admiral Muke Mullen's Visit To Israel

Mullen makes unscheduled stop in Israel -- JTA
Mullen: I see Israeli perspective -- Jerusalem Post
Admiral Mullen: “I see the challenges from an Israeli perspective” -- Israel Defense Forces
U.S. army chief: I always try to see challenges from Israeli perspective -- Haaretz

My Comment: My guess is that he is going to certain countries to reassure them that the firing of General McChrystal will not change U.S. military policy in Afghanistan and elsewhere .... and Israel is one of those countries.

Mullen: 18-24 Months To Turn Afghanistan War Around

Adm. Mullen Rallies U.S. Troops: 'Slope on This Insurgency Is Going in the Wrong Direction' -- ABC News

ABC News' Luis Martinez reports: Adm. Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, stressed today that the surge of 30,000 troops to Afghanistan next spring has about 18 to 24 months to turn around the Taliban’s momentum in that country.

Mullen held town halls with Marines at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina and soldiers at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. Both military bases will be impacted by the president’s surge of 30,000 marines and soldiers into Afghanistan.

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More News On Mullen's Rally Call To The Marines

Mullen to marines: You have two years to turn tide in Afghanistan -- Christian Science Monitor
Joint Chiefs chairman tells troops casualties
will rise in 'tough fight' in Afghanistan -- Canadian Press
U.S. casualties will rise with troop surge: Mullen -- CBC
Mullen: Surge Will Entail More Casualties -- CBS
Mullen: Afghan training mission top priority -- Navy Times
Mullen answers questions as Lejeune Marines get orders to head to Afghanistan -- WWAY
Mullen rallies the troops at Fort Campbell -- The Hill

Chairman Of The Joint Chiefs Mullen: Afghanistan Is Deteriorating

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Mike Mullen

From The Wall Street Journal:

WASHINGTON -- Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Mike Mullen, said Sunday that the situation in Afghanistan has deteriorated but the commanding general on the ground has not yet asked for more troops.

Speaking on CNN's "State of the Union," Adm. Mullen said the situation in the country has been getting worse as the Taliban gains strength. "I've said that over the last couple of years, that the Taliban insurgency has gotten better, more sophisticated," he said. "Their tactics just in my recent visits out there and talking with our troops certainly indicate that."

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My Comment: If I had the opportunity to ask him a followup question, I would ask him politely to tell me something that I do not know.

Pentagon Chief: Israeli Attack On Iran Would Endanger Mideast

Photo: U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Michael Mullen, gesturing during a news conference in Bogota on March 5. (Reuters)

From Haaretz:

On the eve of Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi's visit to the United States for talks on Iran's nuclear program, his American counterpart, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Michael Mullen, warned last Thursday that an Israeli attack on Iran might lead to escalation, undermine the region's stability and endanger the lives of Americans in the Persian Gulf "who are under the threat envelope right now."

Asked by interviewer Charlie Rose of PBS television what would happen if Israel attacked Iran, Mullen, referring to the frequent statement that "all options are on the table," said such an "option generates a much higher level of risk in terms of outcomes in the region and it really concerns me."

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My Comment: You think !?!?!?

Mullen: US Has To Gain Afghan Citizens' Trust

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen, U.S. Navy, addresses U.S. sailors in the hangar bay of the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) while underway in the North Arabian Sea on Aug. 27, 2008. The Lincoln is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations in support of Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom. DoD photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class James R. Evans, U.S. Navy. (Released)

From The Washington Post:

WASHINGTON -- As the Obama administration considers a troop buildup in Afghanistan, the top American military officer says the war will be lost if the U.S. can't find a way to protect the Afghan people and gain their trust.

"We can send more troops. We can kill or capture all the Taliban and al-Qaida leaders we can find _ and we should. We can clear out havens and shut down the narcotics trade. But until we prove capable, with the help of our allies and Afghan partners, of safeguarding the population, we will never know a peaceful, prosperous Afghanistan," the Joint Chiefs chairman, Adm. Mike Mullen, wrote in a newspaper column.

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My Comment: I have trouble believing that adopting a "touchy feely" approach towards fighting an insurgency will work. The Afghan war has been going on for decades. There are millions who are now living in slums with no water, electricity, work, or hope. American or Afghan soldiers may show up and be polite and careful with what they do ... but I doubt people will care. It is blankets and food that will get their attention.

What Is The U.S. Chairman Of The Joint Chiefs Thinking?

MEMORIAL LECTURE - U.S. Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, delivers the Pew Memorial Lecture to students and faculty at Grove City College, Pa., Feb. 2, 2009. The Pew Memorial Lecture honors J. Howard Pew, the college's benefactor, and features speakers who share Pew's love of faith and freedom. DoD photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Chad J. McNeeley

From DoD Buzz:

The chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Adm. Mike Mullen, said today is concerned the global financial crisis may “result in increased instability” around the globe. “At a time when resources are drying up… what does that mean for security,” Mullen asked, making it clear he is worried.

Mullen spoke before an audience of more than 1,500 attending the Reserve Officers Association’s annual conference. Perhaps most worrying, the chairman conceded that the US national security establishment has a fairly poor record at gauging where and when trouble might break out. “Those of us who have been doing this for a while know we are not good at predicting,” the world’s next trouble spot.

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Joint Chiefs Chairman Makes Case For Non-Military Solutions

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen, U.S. Navy, addresses service members assigned to the U.S. Special Operations Command at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Fla., on Oct. 31, 2008. DoD photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Chad J. McNeeley, U.S. Navy. (Released)

From The L.A. Times:

Adm. Michael Mullen says the Defense Department should tell leaders when military force is not the best response and be able to transfer resources to other agencies when needed.

Reporting from Washington -- The country's top uniformed officer said Monday that the Defense Department should be ready to tell civilian leaders when military force is not the best response -- and be prepared to transfer resources to other agencies during times of crisis.

Adm. Michael G. Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, previously has made the case for nonmilitary solutions to world problems, but his comments Monday were his most forceful to date on the subject.

They also came as he prepares to report to a new president who has pledged to strengthen America's "soft," or nonmilitary, power abroad.

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My Comment: He is chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. What is he doing writing and reading reports on not using the military that is under his command?

If he was more concerned about non-military issues .... he should join the State Department or apply for a job as one of the President's advisers. But since he is the Chairman and not a University academic .... what he should do is write reports on how the military can be used effectively to solve world problems ... and why it should not be used in some other situations.

In short .... from my simple point of view .... it appears he is focused on issues that should be left to others .... and he is not focusing on what should be his responsibility ... which is to be a warrior who is ready to give the President military options when he is called upon.