Michael Mullen
The Guardian
What holds, and what fails, under pressure, standards and accountability.
Admiral Michael Mullen is a former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff who has navigated complex military and political landscapes. This interview reveals his commitment to protecting the values of the military and advocating for principled change, particularly in areas like the 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy.
“Commander level I screened, and I was lucky to do that. And then I had several commands after that as well. But it still sticks with me. Actually, it's Buoy 11 down in the Thimble Show's channel in Norfolk, Virginia. And I looked at it with scorn every time I went by it after that day. But I made a mistake. And it was mine.”
“I think it almost puts an exclamation point on what we have been doing in terms of creating questions in our allies' minds over the last ten years or so about whether we would be there for them and in particular, I mean, I have friends in the Far East, friends in the Middle East, even friends in Europe that wonder what the United States w…”
“He joked about the president. Yeah, from the president. I wasn't surprised. I mean, the president doesn't leave those comments or those criticisms alone very often. So I wasn't surprised.”
“I just think we have to be very careful about how we isolate and what we leave alone or what we leave others quote unquote who live closer to do because the United States of America is still the United States of America. And there are a lot of people around the world that resent who we are.”
The Axe Files with David Axelrod — Ep. 352 – Admiral Michael Mullen
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