Michele Flournoy Does Not Want To Be the Next U.S. Secretary Of Defense

FILE: June 2, 2014: Former Defense Undersecretary for Policy Michele Flournoy, in Washington, D.C. (REUTERS)

Ex-Defense Official Michele Flournoy Takes Self Out Of Running To Succeed Hagel At Pentagon -- FOX News

Former Defense official Michele Flournoy has taken herself out of the running to succeed Chuck Hagel as the next Defense Secretary because, according to a source, she wants to be Hillary Clinton’s Pentagon chief -- not President Obama’s.

A source familiar with the circumstances of the decision confirmed to Fox News Tuesday that Flournoy has taken her name out of the running for the job. Flournoy had been discussed as a front-runner for the position after Hagel announced he was quitting Monday.

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My Comment: As I had mentioned yesterday .... if she wants the job President Obama will give it to her .... but it looks like she does not want it.

Who Will Be The New U.S. Secretary Of Defense?

Michele Flournoy conducts a press conference at the Pentagon in 2010, while she served as undersecretary of defense for policy. She is considered a leading candidate to become the next Pentagon chief. (Photo by Cherie Cullen/Defense Department)

Who Will Succeed Hagel? Three Potential Replacements as Defense Secretary -- Wall Street Journal

The news that Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel is set to step down creates an opening for the top job at the Pentagon.

The secretary of defense post will be a crucial post to fill in President Barack Obama‘s final two in office — with the international military campaign against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria intensifying and Mr. Obama likely to focus more attention on foreign policy and international issues in his final two years.

Here are the three leading candidates to be Mr. Obama’s fourth defense secretary in his six years in office so far:

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Update: Exploring the options to replace Chuck Hagel as defense secretary -- Washington Post

My Comment: Who do I predict will be picked .... Michèle Flournoy ... if she wants the job she will have it.

No Large Scale Spy-Service For The Pentagon

Pentagon’s Plans For A Spy Service To Rival The CIA Have Been Pared Back -- Washington Post

The Pentagon has scaled back its plan to assemble an overseas spy service that could have rivaled the CIA in size, backing away from a project that faced opposition from lawmakers who questioned its purpose and cost, current and former U.S. officials said.

Under the revised blueprint, the Defense Intelligence Agency will train and deploy up to 500 undercover officers, roughly half the size of the espionage network envisioned two years ago when the formation of the Defense Clandestine Service was announced.

The previous plan called for moving as many as 1,000 undercover case officers overseas to work alongside the CIA and the U.S. military’s Joint Special Operations Command on counterterrorism missions and other targets of broad national security concern.

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Update: Pentagon Spy Agency Trimmed After Lawmakers Voice Concern -- Defense News/AFP

My Comment: One must also factor in the costs .... does it make sense to spend money on a new spy-intelligence agency that will be essentially duplicating what the CIA is already doing. It looks like for many U.S. lawmakers .... it does not.