“You are a [expletive] genius Gump!”

That famous line, recited by the iconic Army drill instructor in the film Forrest Gump, was funny on many levels; the late Winston Groom, author of the novel behind the production, was himself a Vietnam combat veteran, and I’m sure this experience fostered his great gift of writing with whimsical irony about the U.S. Army (and all of America during those war years).

But what would this tough-as-nails military man from yesterday say about (arguably) the worst DEI hire in American history, Lloyd Austin? How would Joe Biden’s pick compare to the “genius” Gump? The man is willfully sabotaging the safety and security of all Americans by placing DEI above military readiness and lethality, which is perhaps the most bone-headed direction ever taken by a general. What kind of ego could pull such a stunt?

Well, when Austin went MIA (before being discovered in the ICU at Walter Reed), and his staff summarily lied to those asking questions, we saw how cynical, callous, idiotic his disregard of his oath to “support and defend the Constitution” really was—naturally, he should be immediately relieved of duty. Perhaps he can find gainful employment in the private sector, and be appointed to the Boeing board, as is typical for the many former military brass striving to find sinecures.

I can picture it now, at a future Boeing board meeting discussion: “So what about that minor hole in the 737, let’s not talk about it.” This could easily fit into Austin’s way of thinking; after all, what are a few passenger casualties compared to being AWOL from the most sacred trust of guaranteeing the nuclear deterrence posture of our national command authority in which his position is the seminal command responsibility—literally when seconds count—or we get wiped out as a nation?

I am sure many articles will deep dive on his dereliction, because even the NYT, AP, and USA Today recognize how truly awful he and his team have been during this week of leadership infamy.

It is not like I didn’t see this coming, in an American Thinker blog on January 11, 2021, noting that the Bidenites were set to pass over a more qualified candidate (Michele Flournoy) in favor of the DEI checkboxes:

The beginning of Democrat Weltschmerz

Austin indeed had a track record of military service and one incident may capture with many in the military and veteran community another appropriate German word: ’Fremdschämen.’ That's a unique German word meaning to be ashamed for someone else.

Here’s why I think so:

General Lloyd Austin, the commander of U.S. Central Command leading the war on ISIS, told Congress today that only ‘four or five’ of the first 54 U.S.trained moderate Syrian fighters remain in the fight against ISIS.

…

This is just the beginning of many potential and wonderful-to-behold moments of Democrats and the Biden administration which are bound to be coming ahead.

In one brief shining moment of historic incompetence, the Biden administration reminded us all how profoundly incapable selected candidates can be when chosen via a DEI checklist. Way to go guys.

A true bipartisan weltschmerz moment this time meaning total “world pain.” And I suspect now three years later from my essay, many, many in the Democrat Party are really suffering true weltschmerz. After all, the Ds in those days controlled both the House and the Senate, and gave Biden a pass in waiving the law, and freezing out previous Four Star Generals.

Finally, come to think of it, I suspect Gump’s drill instructor would have less-than-polite things to say about Austin, noting that Secretary of Defense Forrest Gump would have been a much better choice.

Image: YouTube video screen grab.