Chris Marshall (US President)
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| Image |  |
| Current Title | President Chris W. Marshall |
| Current Position: | President of the United States of America |
| Previous Positions: | Chief of Staff, US Army (1999-2002) Commander, TRADOC (1997-1999) Combatant Commander US European Command (1995-1997) Commander, XVIII Airborne Corps (1993-1995) Commanding Officer, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assualt) (1992-1993) Commanding Officer, 82nd Airborne Division (1989-1991) |
| Term of Office: | 21st January 2005 to present |
| Predecessor: | George W. Bush |
| Successor: | Incumbent |
| Birthdate: | 29th September, 1945 |
| Place of Birth: | Tampico, Illinois |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Profession | Politician, Commentator, Academic, Author, Army Officer |
| Political party | Republican Party |
| Languages spoken | English Spanish Vietnamese German Korean (partial) |
| Degrees | Bachelor of Science (USMA, 1967) U.S. Army Command and General Staff College Graduate Course (1981) Master of Public Administration (1985) |
| Honours | Silver Star Bronze Star with V device Purple Heart Defense Distinguished Service Medal Commendation Medal Legion of Merit Army Distinguished Service Medal Meritorious Service Medal Army Service Ribbon Army Overseas Service Ribbon National Defense Service Medal Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal Vietnam Service Medal Southwest Asia Service Medal United Nations Medal Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia) Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait) Inter-American Defense Board Medal |
Chris W. Marshall is the forty-fourth President of the United States of America. He is a retired US Army Officer, who rose to the rank of General, and the post of Chief of Staff of the US Army. He has also been an author, commentator, and academic.
Contents |
Early Life
Chris Marshall was born in Tampico, Illinois the son of a school teacher, and a fireman. He had a military interest from an early age, but during his childhood was regarded as a tear-away. He fought often, and was in constant trouble with his teachers, though he achieved well in school.
His parents eventually tired of his antics, and as his father frequently threatened, he was sent to Military school. At the age of fourteen in 1959, Chris Marshall was enrolled in the Illinois Military School . The Illinois Military School seemed to provide the envrionment Marshall needed to flourish. He became an ambitious cadet officer, and was on a fast track to West Point. He graduated a Cadet Captain.
Military Service
Marshall did well at West Point, and graduated a Bachelor of Science in 1967. Being assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division, he went straight to Vietnam. He served three tours in Vietnam (1967-68, 1970-71, 1971-72), and distinguished himself, earning a Silver Star and Purple heart during the Tet offensive. Between tours in Vietnam, Marshall served in Germany, where he met the lady he would marry, Klara Gruenewald. Marshall in the Army seemed to have kept his "outsider" image from his schooling. It was exceptionally rare for a US Army officer deployed overseas to marry a local woman.
Marshall transferred over to the Rangers in 1969 in time to return to Vietnam in 1970. Details of his service in Vietnam are sketchy. They form the only part of Marshall's military service which are not at all a part of the publically released records. There are rumours that Marshall became a part of SOG, perhaps even the Phoenix program.
After leaving Vietnam for the last time, Marshall moved steadily up the ranks, switching from Special Forces to Armour in 1977, in 1980 he went back to Airborne. He commanded the 82nd Airborne Division's Light Armoured Battalion operating M551 Sheridans. He became an Infantry Officer once again to achieve promotion to Colonel, and command of a Regiment in the 101st Airborne Division. He led his Regiment into Grenada in 1983. He moved back to Armour in Germany in 1986, but returned to the 82nd Airborne in 1989, in time to lead it into Panama.
He remained with it until after Desert Storm. He then went to the 101st Airborne, and then the XVIIIth Airborne Corps.
General Marshall
In 1995, Marshall received his fourth-star, and a return to Germany to command all US forces in Europe, and by extension, NATO's military forces as Supreme Allied Commander, Europe. Marshall, unlike many Generals saw the implications that computers, and networking could have for the Army, and while in Europe, developed an idea for the transformation of the US Army. Marshall had developed a good relationship with Secretary of Defense Cohen, and was allowed to press his plans. Cohen advised President Clinton to appoint Marshall to lead the US Army's Training and Doctine Command, or TRADOC.
Transformation of the US Army
Marshall's idea was to reorganise and partially reequip the Army. The Army would be organised around fully integrated Brigade groups, with combat brigades and special theatre support brigades. The divisional headquarters would disappear from the US Army, with commands flowing from the President, to the Secretary of Defense, to the Combatant Commander, to the Joint Theatre Commander to the Brigade.
There would be several types of Brigade, the heavy Armoured Cavalry would be used for intense warfighting roles, the medium Infantry Brigade for less intense warfighting roles, and the Light Infantry Brigade for peacekeeping and counter-insurgency. Airborne and Airmobile brigades would retain their traditional roles.
He also pushed for some new equipment, networking and communications equipment was top priority. New vehicles including a medium tank variant of the Bradley, a new version of the M113 based on the AIFV concept, the M8 Armoured Gun System, the M1A2 SEP, M2A3/M3A3 Bradley, HIMARS, and South African-designed Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles for light infantry.
Marshall put his program in action as head of TRADOC, and Chief of Staff of the US Army.
Departure from the Army
After the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Marshall advocated war with Afghanistan, but said it should be a primarily ground war with Airborne troops and light armour taking the front role, with very little aerial action. He was overruled by the Rumsfeld Defense Department which favoured a bomb-and-occupt strategy with heli-borne light infantry and special forces as the only US ground troops. He was overheard referring to Bush and Rumsfeld as "damned jet jockeys".
Marshall also made a more controversial recommendation, he recommended that the CIA's programme of covert paramilitary action be permanently abandoned. This placed him at odds with the Administration, which favoured covert action. Reminding the CIA of blowback from Iran and Afghanistan, which Marshall believed to be at the root of the problem did not sit well with Bush or Rumsfeld.
During 2002 he publically stated that CIA covert action was simply not productive, and had never been. He pointed out that the CIA's covert actions had not benefitted the national security of the United States at all, and said that all activities beyond intelligence gathering should be under full military control.
This was too much for Rumsfeld, and General Myers, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. He was called in, and ordered to curb his tongue.
He told Secretary Rumsfeld that "my differences with the Administration make it impossible to continue my duty as Chief of Staff of the United States Army."
Rumsfeld said "You've done a great job, a truly incredible job. Please don't tell me you are quitting."
Marshall replied "Mr. Secretary, as much as I hate the idea, I feel I have to. I do not believe that the Administration's conduct of the War on Terror, or the Cold War is good for the national security of the United States. I have tried to advise the Administration to a course that I believe is more appropriate, but my advice has not been heeded. I am not merely a soldier who follows orders, My main roles are to lead those under me, and advise those above me. I can do one, but the past few months has made me see that I cannot do the other."
"General, I do value your advice, all of us in the Administration do." Myers added that the rest of the Joint Chiefs did as well.
Marshall knew he never truly fitted into Washington D.C. His wife hated Georgetown (she actually told him that the Army house in South Korea in which they had once lived was better, though she could not speak a word of Korean she was better able to communicte with them than with the 'Pentagon crowd')
Marshall said "Mr. Secretary, I wish to resign my post as Chief of Staff of the United States Army."
Rumsfeld, in a strangely generous mood said "You can take retirement from active duty if you like. It means full pension, and you keep your stars as a retired regular."
Marshall accepted Rumsfeld's offer, and a Reserve Commission to Colonel, and became a private citizen. Ironically, Marshall's ideas on fighting in Afghanistan were eventually accepted, and are now in practice in Afghanistan.
He became a nationally syndicted commentator on radio, television, and the internet. He occasionally spoke on the War on Terror, but often spoke on the economy, the role of government, the Communists, and the broader threat. He also turned to writing his memoirs, and accepted a position as a Professor at the John F. Kennedy School of Government of Harvard University, and looked forward to a quiet life.
Republican split, and Presidential Campaign
Marshall did not contemplate a political career at first. He was financially secure, with his pension, investments, payments from media spots, and lecturing at Harvard, as well as a large inheritance from his wife's parents. Marshall and his wife were easily worth over $30 million. His fight with the Bush Administration would increase sales of his memoirs. Marshall also tired of Washington-life.
Marshall's memoirs were published in 2003 under the title "From the Mekong to the Potomac: An Autobiography of General Chris W. Marshall"
Within the Republican Party, dissatisfaction with Bush mounted, compassionate conservatism was alienating the traditional and classically liberal wing of the Party, the Administration's 'bomb and occupy' war policy was facing reality, and losing on the ground, the economy was sliding into recession.
Marshall had become popular with the public due to his media appearances, as well as his visits to Walter Reed to comfort wounded soldiers. Many politicians asked him for military advice.
By the end of 2003, rumours of a Marshall Presidential bid spread all over Washington, and Boston. Marshall was known to hold minarchist economic views, and hawkish foreign policy views, what some had taken to calling "Libertarian-Conservatism".
As the US slid into recession, and as the Taliban retook a major Afghan city, Marshall decided to put his hat into the ring, and run for the Republican nomination against a sitting President, George W. Bush.
He attracted a collection traditional conservatives, classical liberals, and hawks tired of a 'war on the cheap'.
He scraped by in the Primaries, but George Bush decided to run anyway, and had enough cash to run in all states.
The United States would be in its first (and only) three party election, with Marshall for the Republicans, Bush as an Independent (running as President George W. Bush), and John F. Kerry for the Democrats.
Marshall won 45% of the popular vote, Kerry won 35%, and Bush won 19%. Unfortunately for Marshall, he did not win enough electoral votes, but the House of Representatives, being Republican-controlled, and tired of Bush elected Marshall with a two-thirds majority.
Presidency
Key measures of the Marshall Presidency:
- 2005
- Replacement of most light infantry in Afghanistan with Medium units, leads to immediate drop in casualties, and increase in terrorists killed/captured.
- Beginning of Social Security Replacement, multiple tiered system with either return of payroll tax for private investment/spending, or Personal Retirement Accounts in Social Security. No new members of the Social Security System. Current recipients to be paid out of General Revenue.
- Military Commissions sentence first terrorist to death
- 2006
- First execution of convicted terrorist
- Removal of most farm subsidies
- Removal of most trade barriers
- Major cuts to company tax rate
- Department of Homeland Security abolished, functions returned to existing departments (Defense, Transportation, Justice, Treasury)
- 2007
- Removal of remaining trade barriers except arms, and WMD-technology (licensing required for export/import)
- Marijuana legalisation, possession crime acts repealed, state governments go their own way on marijuana laws. Hard drug laws remain the same
- Removal of most industrial subsidies
- Income tax cuts
- National Gun Freedom Act, removal of almost all federal restrictions on small arms, except for automatic weapons
- Budget balanced
- PATRIOT Act repealed
- 2008
- National Second Amendment Support Act, removal of final restrictions except for destructive devices, and felons, open and concealed carriage allowed, state governments muscled into compliance
- Interstate Commerce Commission abolished
- FDA reformed to focus on safety only
- Balanced Budget Amendment proposed, Congress required to keep budget in balance, or to have at most 10% surplus except in time of declared war, and national emergency. Emergency/War Bonds to be sold in those instances.
Marshall has been criticised by State Rights' Advocates for the way he deals with the states on matters including Gun Control, and Drugs. Marshall has threatened the closure of military bases, the movement of other Federal Government jobs, and the changing of government procurement to favour compliant states.
2008 Campaign
The US economy picked up after the Bush recession. Marshall's measures are widely reported to have made the US economy grow faster than ever before. Inspite of taking on the "Big Security" bureaucracy, the US has seen its security from terrorism improve without a real reduction in liberty. The US budget is balanced, and looks to remain that way for the forseeable future. While the US has taken some foreign policy hits, none have really challenged the position of the United States, nor has its prestige been geniunely challenged.
In this envrionment of good security, good economic position, and good foreign policy positon, Marshall is running for reelection against Senator Hillary Clinton (Democrat-Manhattan).
Among his policy proposals are:
- Withdrawal from the United Nations
- Abolition of the Department of Education
- Banking reform, to full reserve banking
- A gold-based currency, possibly pan-American
- A renewed military buildup
- Additional missile defence spending
- Intelligence reform, splitting the CIA's functions into existing and new agencies
- Abolition of the ATF
- Ending of most foreign aid (excepting military assistance to certain allies, and a capacity for natural disaster relief e.g. the 2004 Tsunami)
- Continued trade, industrial, and agricultural reform including the removal of the last tariffs and subsidies. The US would restrict trade for geopolitical or national security reasons only. Trade restrictions with the Soviet Union remain in force.
- Withdrawal of the United States from the IMF, World Bank, and BIS
Marshall was tipped to win easily in 2008, and defeated Democratic candidate Barack Obama in a landslide vote. Most commentators cite the lack of detailed policies in the Obama campaign, the massive tax increases proposed by Obama, good economic performance, and the progress made in the War on Terror.
Second Term - 2009-2013
Marshall's first term, while providing a swathe of reforms to the United States' political and governmental structure, they did not go far enough for the President, or his close circle of Right-Wing Libertarians. The reason was that Marshall has to compromise a lot to get enough Republicans on his side to defeat George W. Bush for the nomination in 2004. Accoding to Michelle Malkin "The Republicans need Marshall more than Marshall needs the Republicans".
Post-Presidency Speculation
Marshall will retire from the Presidency in 2013 at the age of 67. It is likely that he will retire into private life.
Trivia
- Of all ex-US military officers who have reach the Presidency, Marshall is the fourth most senior (After Washington, Eisenhower, and Grant, the latter had the same rank as Marshall, but with 129-years seniority)
- Marshall is the second US President to be a lecturer, and broadcaster, and the only one to be both.
- Marshall is the third President to have previously been the Chief of Staff/Commanding General of the US Army
- Marshall has been the target of three assassination attempts (though he once said "I've probably had one hundred thousand bullets fired at me, with only one hit."
- Marshall is the only US President to have won the Purple Heart, and the first Vietnam Veteran to be elected.
- First Lady Klara Marshall is the second First Lady to be born outside the United States.
