Books, like the ones being dished out by major publishers about the Trump administration, are just giant versions of the usual insider leaks and dirt dispensed every few weeks by New York Times, Washington Post, and assorted national media talent. 

And they’re just as unreliable.

What they tell us isn’t the truth but someone’s narrative. And behind the narrative is an agenda. In government, that agenda is largely careerism. Media outlets and political movements have bigger aims, but the individuals telling their version of events are trying to keep their job, get ahead to a bigger job, and sabotage someone else’s job.

General Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, is trying to keep his job. 

Milley has been trying to keep his job ever since the media came down on him over accompanying President Trump to the Church of Presidents. Everything he’s done since then proved to be enough to resist efforts by some of Biden’s people to oust him. The latest set of narratives no doubt being dispensed by the man himself and his allies are an even more grandiose version of the same stuff.

Why would Milley be more worried about his job now? Afghanistan.

Biden’s partial withdrawal from Afghanistan is shaping up to be a disaster with the Taliban rapidly gobbling up the country. Someone is going to have to step down over the mess.

Obama tended to oust commanders and secretaries of defense, but I don’t see Biden dropping Secretary of Defense Austin, a loyalist, and one with ties to some of Biden’s backers.

Milley, on the other hand, is extremely expendable. And the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff likely will be the one expended. Milley knows it and is hoping to save his job. And, barring that, to go out with a good enough image to score the retirement package, board seats, consulting gigs, lobbying opportunities, and whatever else his heart desires, maybe the presidency of some smaller college.

It’ll probably work. 

I doubt Milley will keep his job. I suspect it won’t be terribly long before he makes way for General Brown, while the media lauds him for having saved “democracy”, even as he takes the fall for Afghanistan. But he will come away with some of the plum prizes he betrayed America for.