1y ago

Defense Secretary Austin has been hospitalized since Jan. 1, but the Pentagon kept the news quiet

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1y ago

Defense Secretary Austin has been hospitalized since Jan. 1, but the Pentagon kept the news quiet

apnews.com /article/pentagon-secretary-austin-hospitalized-recovering-74cf07ebba8ab4d028fd4c3be1011bfb

9 comments

It should be his right to not have his medical condition not blasted to the news the moment something changes. Don’t know why he should not have that right
- Details of condition, yes. But I can see the argument that such an important appointment should let the people know if the holder is incapacitated for a long time. That being said, yes the President's cabinet and they only answer to the president, not the general public.
  
  I don't really see why the people need to know. As long as the relevant people know in order to handle his duties in his absence it's not like the people will have any effect on anything whether they know or not.
- Chinese politicians aren't given that right. Russian politicians aren't given that right. What makes this guy different?
  
  Well he’s not Chinese or Russian for one. And I think no matter your status you still should have basic human rights like privacy
  
  Well, china and Russia blow, so, jot that down.
- Keeping it a secret inherently aides the gerontocracy. If you're interested in preserving your privacy don't take a cabinet position.
This is the best summary I could come up with:
“The fact that he has been at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for four days and the Pentagon is only now alerting the public late on a Friday evening is an outrage,” the PPA said in its letter.
“At a time when there are growing threats to U.S. military service members in the Middle East and the U.S. is playing key national security roles in the wars in Israel and Ukraine, it is particularly critical for the American public to be informed about the health status and decision-making ability of its top defense leader.”
When Attorney General Merrick Garland went in for a routine medical procedure in 2022, his office informed the public a week in advance and outlined how long he was expected to be out and when he would return to work.
Austin’s hospitalization comes as Iranian-backed militias have repeatedly launched drones, missiles and rockets at bases where U.S. troops are stationed in Iraq and Syria, leading the Biden administration to strike back on a number of occasions.
The U.S. is also the chief organizer behind a new international maritime coalition using ships and other assets to patrol the southern Red Sea to deter persistent attacks on commercial vessels by Houthi militants in Yemen.
In addition, the administration, particularly Austin, has been at the forefront of the effort to supply weapons and training to Ukraine, and he’s also been communicating frequently with the Israelis on their war against Hamas.
The original article contains 491 words, the summary contains 242 words. Saved 51%. I'm a bot and I'm open source!
Given his size, that's a lot of care!
And I don't believe the White House was not informed at once.

9 comments