Why did Michele Flournoy not get the job?

MY FULL STORY NOT ALL USED IN THE TIMES TODAY Joe Biden’s decision to select a retired four-star African-American general to be his defence secretary would please critics in the Democratic party who have complained of the lack of diversity in the president-elect’s cabinet, a former senior Pentagon official told The Times yesterday. General Lloyd Austin who retired in 2016 after being the first black officer to command US Central Command, demonstrated his skills as a military leader when he commanded US and coalition forces in Iraq at a critical time. He masterminded the drawdown of US troops as the combat phase was replaced by a train-and-assist programme. However, he is not viewed in the Pentagon as a warrior with a Washington establishment reputation, capable of fighting the defence department’s interests against often rival demands of the White House and state department. While he has a long acquaintanceship with Mr Biden, when he was vice-president, and a reputation as a sound commander within Congress, he will face overwhelming challenges as defence secretary. Not least of which is that both he and the current chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, General Mark Milley, are both four-star army generals which could lead to friction among the other services. The former Pentagon official expressed disappointment that Mr Biden had passed up the chance to nominate a woman known to have been on his shortlist who is viewed as having impeccable qualifications for the job, both within the defence department and in Congress. Michele Flournoy who has been touted as a potential defence secretary in previous administrations, filled many of the top posts in the Pentagon, notably as head of defence policy, the third most senior civilian job. “It’s hard to see how Austin would be a better choice than Flournoy,” the former senior Pentagon official said. “She has extensive experience in the Pentagon going back to the Clinton administration and has served in senior positions across several administrations,” the former official said. “She has great credibility with both political parties. She also has extensive knowledge and experience dealing with the Chinese. Austin lacks these attributes,” the former official said. “