He is currently the 17th Chair of the Joint Chiefs.
He is a Harvard man.
He is standing with his Commander and Chief and with his Secretary of Defense in bringing change to the 'underbelly' of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." Did we ever think we would see the day?
He has a USA footprint in many areas around the globe including a very sensitive circumstances with North Korea and its nuclear capacity. I can't help believe his motto is anything short of, "Steady as she goes."
His comments regarding China are complimentary to his Secretary's. I find it interesting. While Secretary Gates points dramatically to the movement by Taiwan and China in honoring the One China Policy, Admiral Mullen points to the fact, China's response is disproportionate.
...China’s amassing of “expeditionary maritime and air capabilities,” he said, “seems oddly out of step with their stated goal of territorial defense.”
“Every nation has a right to defend itself, and to spend as it sees fit for that purpose,” Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said on Wednesday. “But a gap as wide as what seems to be forming between China’s stated intent and its military programs leaves me more than curious about the end result....
http://www.stripes.com/news/pacific/mullen-china-buildup-out-of-step-with-territorial-defense-1.106589
It is a worry. I have a suggestion. For many years, if not decades, China has been held at arms length diplomatically If I am not mistaken, a Chinese delegation, while visiting the USA under Bush's Administration, was brushed off as unimportant. It just may be, through all the investment by China and the huge decline in confidence of the USA financial institutions, the current President needs to extend an open hand to the President of China and hold a formal White House Dinner to open 'again' better relations between the two nations.
China has not been an enemy, so much as a curious and willing partner. The USA has been a good partner in developing the Chinese economy and opening up space exploration. Perhaps it is time to bring old 'paradigms' of mistrust to an end between the USA and China.
...The president's 52-page US National Security Strategy (NSS) issued in early May, for example, was an engagement-centric, restrained and diplomatic overview. The NSS spoke of US relations with China using carefully crafted words such as "we will encourage China to make choices that contribute to peace, stability and prosperity as its influence rises". The NSS did not rock the boat and was really not a formal strategy, unless repeating the word "engagement' more than three dozen times is acceptable as such....
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/China/LF12Ad02.html
China has three to four times the people within its borders than the USA. It should not be surprising to the USA, China also has many more problems to iron out, including, efficient use of energy and natural resources. It is time to 'cut China a break.' China has not been disloyal to nuclear non-proliferation with North Korea and that is a 'big one.' Let's not let North Korea and its containment feel like a threat to China any longer.
