Hours earlier, officials confirmed that radical cleric Anwar al-Awlaki, an American citizen and prominent figure in Al Qaeda’s affiliate in Yemen, was killed in an airstrike there.
Defense Secretary Leon Panetta also praised Mullen and welcomed Dempsey as the next chairman. Of Dempsey, he said, “He knows about people; he knows about hard work; he knows about sacrifice.’’
In his final speech as chairman, Mullen urged Americans to do more to help returning war veterans. “War has changed them and their loved ones forever, but it has not changed their dreams,’’ Mullen said. “You can help make those dreams come true. Hire them. Help them buy a home. Get them started on the path to an education. Give them a chance.’’
After his swearing-in, Dempsey delivered brief remarks pledging that on his watch the military will remain strong, despite the pressure of budget cuts.
“We’ll change, and we’ll be challenged,’’ he said. “But when I complete my tenure as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, I intend to be able to say exactly the same thing: We will be the joint force the nation needs us to be, so help me God.’’
Before taking over as chairman, Dempsey made clear that he differs with his predecessor on one of the most important issues of the day: the threat posed to national security by a growing national debt.
At his Senate confirmation hearing in July, Dempsey was asked whether he agreed with Mullen’s oft-repeated assertion that the debt crisis is the single biggest threat to US national security. “I don’t agree exactly with that,’’ Dempsey said.
In his view, developed in the course of a 37-year career that includes two tours of command in Iraq and one in Saudi Arabia, American global power and influence are derived from three strengths: military, diplomatic, and economic. “You can’t pick or choose,’’ he said; none of the three is paramount.
