'''Lloyd James Austin III''' was appointed minister of defense in the [[Biden junta]]. He previously served as fall guy for the [[Obama administration]]'s disastrous [[Syrian]] [[regime change]] policy.<ref>https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:ZEmyuP5x6YIJ:https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/global-opinions/gen-lloyd-austin-has-a-chance-to-fix-his-legacy-on-syria/2020/12/10/e35417d2-3b2e-11eb-bc68-96af0daae728_story.html+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us</ref> Austin reported to Congress that after 6 months and spending $500 million, the supposed [[Free Syrian Army]] had recruited 5 guys.<ref>https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/4-or-5-in-syria-trained-by-us---500m-spent-527009859993</ref><ref>https://youtu.be/oeBEzeyV8Ow</ref> The 5 guys in reality were 5 arms traffickers in [[Switzerland]] supplying weapons to the [[Islamic State]].<ref>https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/syrian-opposition-groups-stop-pretending</ref>
Austin is an active member of the [[military industrial complex]] and served on the Board of Raytheon, a defense contractor, prior to rejoining the [[civil service system]].<ref>https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/biden-embraces-the-military-industrial-complex-over-civilian-control</ref> Within 3 weeks of occupying the position of defense chief, Raytheon was awarded a $49 million contract by the [[Pentagon]].<ref>https://bigleaguepolitics.com/raytheon-awarded-49-million-dod-contract-weeks-after-former-board-member-lloyd-austin-confirmed-as-defense-secretary/</ref> Austin walked away from Raytheon weeks earlier with a $1.7 million bonus and retirement package.<ref>https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-01-10/biden-defense-pick-to-get-up-to-1-7-million-from-raytheon-role</ref> Austin also served on the Board of Nucor, a supplier of steel to companies that benefit from US military spending, including Oshkosh Defense, which is producing 50,000 [[Humvee]] replacements. Austin ordered the abandonment of 22, and shipbuilder Huntington Ingalls Industries, whose work includes submarines and aircraft carriers174 taxpayer-funded Humvees in [[Afghanistan]].<ref>https://nyposttherightscoop.com/2020/12/10/bidens-pentagongift-nomineeto-lloydterror-austinstunning-criticizedinfographic-forshows-steelthe-massive-new-arsenal-the-taliban-industrynow-workpossesses/</ref> Over 220 retired Generals and Admirals called for Austin earned $275,000 in total compensation from Nucor 's resignation over his incompetent performance of duties during the previous yearplanning and operation of the withdrawal from Afghanistan.<ref>https://www.salarytherightscoop.com/research/executiveover-compensation/lloyd220-jretired-austinadmirals-iiiand-boardgenerals-membercall-offor-nucormilley-corpand-austin-to-resign-immediately-over-afghanistan/</ref>Billions of dollars worth the most state-of-the-art military equipment were turned over to the [[Taliban]], a brutal and barbaric [[terrorist]] group, and thousands of Americans were left at their mercy.
Gen. Xu Qiliang, vice-chair of the Central Military Commission and a member of the [[Politburo Standing Committee]] who is the [[CCP]]’s most senior military officer, refused to meet with Austin, his counterpart and America's first African American defense minister.<ref>https://www.bizpacreview.com/2021/05/23/show-of-disrespect-top-military-leaders-in-china-shunning-bidens-woke-defense-sec-report-1078176/</ref>
'''Q:''' So it sounds like you're saying this depends on diplomacy with the Taliban, that's it. That's our only option is getting them to agree to do this.<ref>https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Transcripts/Transcript/Article/2738086/secretary-of-defense-austin-and-chairman-of-the-joint-chiefs-of-staff-gen-mille/</ref>}}
==Corporate boards==
Austin also served on the Board of Nucor, a supplier of steel to companies that benefit from US military spending, including Oshkosh Defense, which is producing 50,000 [[Humvee]] replacements, and shipbuilder Huntington Ingalls Industries, whose work includes submarines and aircraft carriers.<ref>https://nypost.com/2020/12/10/bidens-pentagon-nominee-lloyd-austin-criticized-for-steel-industry-work/</ref> Austin earned $275,000 in total compensation from Nucor the previous year.<ref>https://www.salary.com/research/executive-compensation/lloyd-j-austin-iii-board-member-of-nucor-corp</ref>
==See also==