In Pentagon shakeup, some see bid for more covert action, less oversight

The selection of John Caine as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff may signal a new emphasis on irregular warfare and covert operations, enabling swifter action with fewer legal constraints and less congressional scrutiny, say former military and senior defense officials who have worked in the intelligence community, special operations, the Defense Department, and the White House.The nomination of Caine—a retired Air Force lieutenant general—and the early dismissal of Gen. CQ Brown