Loyalists Picked for Pentagon Posts

President Bush chose longtime administration loyalists for the second- and third-ranking Pentagon posts Thursday, nominating Navy Secretary Gordon R. England as deputy Defense secretary and Eric S. Edelman, the departing U.S. ambassador to Turkey, as undersecretary of Defense for policy.

If England is confirmed by the Senate, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld would have one of his most trusted aides in charge of the U.S. military’s day-to-day operations. The current deputy secretary, Paul D. Wolfowitz, was approved Thursday as the head of the World Bank.

Edelman would replace Douglas J. Feith as undersecretary of Defense for policy, a position that was largely responsible for the planning of postwar Iraq. In January, Feith announced his intention to leave this summer.

Bush is seeking to replace two of the most controversial figures in the administration, both known as lightning rods for political opponents who describe them as neoconservative architects of the Iraq war, with lower-profile figures who draw less partisan fire. Edelman is a career Foreign Service officer; England, a former executive for a defense contractor, is often described as a technocrat.

Rumsfeld’s “go-to guy” in a crisis, England was named Navy secretary in May 2001 but left in 2003 for a top post at the Department of Homeland Security. He returned to the Navy position later that year at Rumsfeld’s request. When Rumsfeld faced an international prison abuse scandal, he gave England the job of overseeing reviews of detainees held at the U.S. prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Following a controversy that resulted in the dismissal of an Air Force official who sought to steer an air refueling contract to Boeing in exchange for a job with the aircraft maker, Rumsfeld made England his top choice to take a lateral job, that of Air Force secretary, defense officials said privately. That changed earlier this month after Bush named Wolfowitz as his choice to head the World Bank.

England has 30 years’ experience in defense and technology industries, including four years as executive vice president of General Dynamics Corp. Defense officials say privately that Rumsfeld values the managerial skills England brings, which mirror some of the key qualities Rumsfeld valued in Wolfowitz.

England is the second person to serve twice as the leader of the Navy and is well regarded on Capitol Hill, where he has frequently testified before Congress.

“Rumsfeld thinks very highly of him,” a senior defense official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. “He’s incredibly qualified. The bipartisan support he enjoys on the Hill is expected to make the confirmation process smooth.”

Edelman announced his resignation from the Foreign Service on March 18, describing it as a personal decision. He previously served as national security advisor to Vice President Dick Cheney and as ambassador to Finland. He also served as a diplomat in Prague and Moscow.

England and Edelman are the first of several senior Pentagon officials to be named in the president’s second term.

Rumsfeld must also choose a new chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to succeed Air Force Gen. Richard B. Myers, who retires Sept. 30 from the military’s top uniformed position.

Rumsfeld’s former executive assistant, Adm. Edmund P. Giambastiani Jr., head of Joint Forces Command, is one of the two leading contenders for the post. The other is the current Joint Chiefs vice chairman, Marine Gen. Peter Pace, senior defense officials said.