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| Randy Forbes (Wiki Info - Image: Wiki Commons) |
By Zachary Keck
J. Randy Forbes is the best choice for the next Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee.
Rep. Buck McKeon’s (R-Cali) retirement at the end of this year will open up the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) chairmanship. The current frontrunner to replace him is Rep. Marc Thornberry, a ten-term representative from the state of Texas who currently serves as the vice chairman of the HASC and the senior member of the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.
I do not doubt that Rep. Thornberry could serve ably as the HASC chairman, and he has certainly patiently waited his turn for the privilege to do so. However, if the Republican Party selects the next chairman on the basis of merit alone, a better candidate exists: J. Randy Forbes (R-VA).
Veteran readers will know that Rep. Forbes is a friend of The Diplomat, having written numerous opinion pieces and granted us interviews on a number of occasions. There is a reason for this: namely, Rep. Forbes is an expert on U.S. defense policy, and in particular U.S. naval strategy and the Asia-Pacific region. It’s increasingly rare to find legitimate subject matter experts in Congress, particularly in areas of foreign and defense policy that often rank last among the issues that voters cast their ballots on.
Rep. Forbes passion and expertise in the two areas that will be of most importance to America’s strategic interests in the coming years make him a rare breed among members of Congress. It would be a shame for the nation, its allies, and the Republican Party itself if the GOP weren’t to take full advantage of such a valuable asset.
Read the full story at The Diplomat