Small Wars Journal

General Anthony Zinni (Ret.), U.S. Special Envoy Working on Persian Gulf Disputes, Steps Down

Wed, 01/09/2019 - 12:19am

General Anthony Zinni (Ret.), U.S. Special Envoy Working on Persian Gulf Disputes, Steps Down by Karen DeYoung – Washington Post

Anthony Zinni has become the latest senior military officer to leave the Trump administration, resigning his position as special envoy to help resolve disputes in the Persian Gulf and build a strategic U.S. military alliance with Arab governments in the region.

 

Zinni had served in numerous diplomatic roles for previous administrations and was head of the military’s Central Command, which manages U.S. forces in the Middle East, before his 2000 retirement as a four-star Marine general.

 

His departure follows that of two other retired Marine generals in recent weeks — Jim Mattis, who resigned as defense secretary, and John F. Kelly, who left his post as White House chief of staff last month.

 

President Trump once described “my generals” as key members of his administration, but none of the senior officers remain. Retired Army Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn was fired as Trump’s national security adviser less than a month into the administration. He was replaced by then-active-duty Army Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster, who was ousted in March and replaced by former diplomat John Bolton.

 

Zinni described his resignation in a Monday letter to the State Department as a “formality” rather than as a protest…

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