During a Tuesday hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee, General Terrence O’Shaughnessy, the head of U.S. Northern Command and the North American Aerospace Defense Command — the guy in charge of all the military troops at the border of our own country — was asked what the biggest threat to US homeland security was today, and given the command he’s been assigned, it was more than a little shocking to hear him completely omit illegal immigration, drugs, or families seeking asylum in the United States.
After all, it only seems logical that whoever Trump puts in charge of the southern border would agree with him that “caravans” and drug smugglers and human traffickers coming from Mexico and countries even further south constitute enough of a “crisis” to at least justify the declaration of a national emergency, as Trump has.
But while O’Shaughnessy did testify that he carries out every legal order he’s given by the President, he certainly didn’t answer “the national emergency” when asked what was most pressing in the fight to secure our homeland.
No, he actually said Russia.
In fact, during his opening statements, the General actually admitted that the threat at the southern border isn’t even “military in nature,” kind of obviating the presence of the US military there. Russia, on the other hand, was something that needs our attention:
Air Force Gen. Terrance J. O’Shaughnessy, the guy in charge of all the mil troops on the border, when asked for his view on biggest threat facing the US, doesn’t say Mexico, or caravans, or even drugs. Tells SASC: Russia.”Something we need to have a sense of urgency on”
— Patrick Tucker (@DefTechPat) February 26, 2019
Connecticut Democrat Richard Blumenthal pressed O’Shaughnessy on whether or not there even was a national emergency declaration warranted at the US-Mexico border:
You’re saying, in effect, I don’t mean to be disrespectful, that there’s a national emergency because the president has said there’s a national emergency.”
The General could do no more than refer Blumenthal to DHS for what the situation at the border might appropriately be called.
Watch the hearing here:
Featured image via screen capture
