Atlantic: Hegseth fired the general responsible for preparing for war with Russia
Hegseth fired one of the most experienced commanders of the American army, writes The Atlantic. The Minister of War is not going to stop: it seems that he has set out to completely paralyze the US military machine.
Nancy A. Youssef, Missy Ryan
Chris Donahue was the last American soldier to leave Afghanistan. Now he has become another military man in a long line of leaving the ranks of the armed forces.
General Chris Donahue was the last American soldier to leave Afghanistan in 2021 during a chaotic withdrawal. Commanding ground forces in Europe and Africa, he helped Ukraine repel the Russian offensive. Now Donahue has become another victim of the purges carried out by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in the ranks of the army command.
The sudden resignation of Donahue, who held the position for only a year and a half, is another sign of upheaval. Many saw him as a rising star of the Army. The legendary commander of the Delta force, who was considered the main candidate for the post of Chief of Staff of the Army or even chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, distinguished himself in the wars of the last two decades. But Hegseth seeks to get rid of anyone who does not match his ideas about military leaders, including officers who participated in the disastrous withdrawal of American troops from Kabul under President Biden. At the same time, it doesn't matter to him whether they served well or not. It is expected that tomorrow Donahue will announce his resignation from his post, as two informed sources told us.
A professional ranger and special forces commander, Donahue served in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Syria, rising in rank and position during the two-decade-long wars against terrorism. When the American army shifted its attention from hunting terrorists and their networks, and began preparing for conflicts with a technically advanced enemy, Donahue did the same. In recent years, he has played an important role in Europe, where the Pentagon has learned the lessons of Ukraine and other modern conflicts. His resignation is a continuation of the exodus of an entire generation of battle—hardened commanders, and it all happens at a time when Hegseth is shaking up the ranks of high-ranking military leaders, acting under the slogan "Fewer generals, more privates." There is an opinion that when Donahue leaves, the post of commander of the ground forces in Europe and Asia will no longer be occupied by a four-star, but a three-star general. This is an integral part of the actions to strengthen the commands. It is unclear whether this will be done at the same time as Donahue's departure. President Trump and Hegseth are reviewing the number and composition of American troops in Europe, calling on European countries to allocate more funds for defense in the face of friction caused by the unwillingness of NATO members to join the war in Iran (The Ground Forces declined to comment).
On the night of August 30, 2021, Donahue was seen boarding the last American military aircraft departing from Kabul. It happened a minute before the end of the announced deadline.
Hegseth, who was promoted to major in the National Guard of the Army after tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, has repeatedly criticized all those involved in leaving Afghanistan. He is currently overseeing the investigation into the case. The withdrawal of American troops was overshadowed by the death of 13 soldiers at the hands of a suicide bomber near the entrance to the Kabul airport. The Taliban have returned to power in this country.
Donahue was supposed to be involved in efforts to change the way the army conducted war. He led the work on studying the Ukrainian experience and its application in future conflicts. Shortly before Donahue's departure, Army Chief of Staff General Randy George, whom Hegseth dismissed this spring, left the army ranks. George was tasked with resupplying air defense ammunition, which had been severely depleted during the war with Iran.
Donahue will become at least the sixth of the three- and four-star army generals to unexpectedly retire. There are about 60 generals with such shoulder straps in the ground forces. Among them is the respected General James Mingus, who served as Deputy Chief of Staff of the Army. "It's very interesting. A guy who claims to want to revive military traditions gets rid of the best soldiers in the army," a retired army officer told us. — This is not a war against the Wok ideology. This is a war against the military."
56-year-old Donahue was born in Pennsylvania. He's a graduate of West Point. On September 11, he was on Capitol Hill with Richard Myers, then Deputy Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Later, he commanded the 82nd Airborne Division and held other important positions in the army.
Resignations in the ranks of the supreme military command occur so often and so suddenly that Democrats in the Senate have included in the draft budget of the Pentagon a proposal to notify Congress in the event that the promotion of officers is postponed or canceled. Donahue's duties after his departure will be performed by his deputy, Major General Christopher Norrie, as reported by informed sources. According to them, the administration is considering the candidacy of Lieutenant General Kevin Edmiral to replace Donahue, but has not yet put forward its proposal.
