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In a move that surprised no one, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville finally dropped his hold on the promotion of Lt. Gen. Ronald P. Clark, a key aide to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. This is just the latest in a series of stunts from Tuberville, who has spent the past year playing politics with military promotions. His so-called principled stand against the Pentagon’s abortion policy — which amounted to nothing more than a blockade of over 300 senior military officers — fell apart last year under the weight of his own party’s pressure, leaving him humiliated and the nation’s military leadership in limbo.
It appears Tuberville’s long-running feud with Secretary Austin had escalated into a personal vendetta, with the Alabama senator targeting one of Austin’s top aides. Earlier this month, APR exposed Tuberville’s false statements about Lt. Gen. Clark, claims so shoddy they barely passed for political theater, let alone serious critique.
Still, after months of grandstanding, Tuberville’s decision to step aside, just before the Senate recessed for the November elections, led to Clark’s rapid confirmation by voice vote. His promotion, along with nearly two dozen others, including key positions like the new head of U.S. Southern Command and U.S. forces on the Korean Peninsula, slipped through the Senate in mere hours.
Had Tuberville persisted, the Senate could have forced votes to bypass him, making his obstructionism all the more futile. But the truth remains: Tuberville’s last-ditch effort to end Clark’s career has crumbled, leaving his scorched-earth tactics once again in the ash heap of failed political gambles. As for the Senate, it breathes easier, having cleared the decks of top military promotions before the looming November recess.
How many more times will Tuberville gamble with military readiness, or will he move on to a new political stunt while the nation’s most vital institutions sit in the crossfire?
