Obama’s Pentagon-in-Waiting
Obama’s Pentagon-in-Waiting - Spencer Akerman, Washington Independent
Quote:
The rumor started to spread last week. if Sen. Barack Obama won the presidential election, Michele Flournoy would resign from the Center for a New American Security Thursday following the election. Friday at the latest.
It’s not difficult to understand why the talk circulated. Flournoy boasts an enviable resume. A veteran of the Clinton Pentagon, she worked on counter-proliferation issues before playing a large role in shaping the 2001 Quadrennial Defense Review, an overview of defense strategy and its implementation.
After leaving government service, Flournoy took a high-profile job at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a prominent Washington policy organization, before co-founding the Center for a New American Security, an increasingly influential defense think tank, in 2007.
It’s not just Flournoy. CNAS, as it’s known, is widely considered a likely feeder for the Obama Pentagon, though the organization disputes this — preferring to bill itself as nonpartisan. What CNAS does not dispute is that, over the course of the past two years — overnight, in Washington terms — it has emerged as an energetic center for studying contemporary defense issues, including Iraq, counterinsurgency and the national-security effects of climate change...
While the top tier appointments certainly are important...
key are the meat-and-potatos ASD/DASD positions. I'll be interested to see who becomes ASD(SO/LIC-IC) should Mike Vickers leave and DASD(SOC) should Gunner Sepp also depart and who will be tapped to fill in the remaining three ASD slots in that shop.
Which also begs the question, there's a DASD(SOC) but no DASD(COIN) or a DASD(LIC). I may just point that out and suggest one be created... :D
You're a master of understatment...
Quote:
Originally Posted by
John T. Fishel
of the CNAS folk. John Nagl is a friend; he is "wicked smart." He is also very knowledgeable about COIN and was a principal author of 3-24. If he were to become ASD-SO/LIC (as the article speculates) it would enhance the profile of LIC (SASO/MOOTW/Small Wars and the 100 other names).But, I'm not sure that John has the full confidence of the sOF community - it is something he would have to earn. (emphasis added /kw)
I think there's more to it than them having confidence in him. While we all decry parochiality, in the end most of us tend to be a least a little so inclined -- some are, through sad experience, a great deal inclined that way...
While smarts count, experience and a degree of anointation (< new word...) are uh, highly desirable if not borderline mandatory. There. Now we've both understated. :D
Sigh. Good news, I guess. Only half of those names
are scary. It coulda been worse... :(
Foreign Policy's The Dream Team
"... we asked 10 of the world’s top thinkers to name the unlikely team that can best guide No. 44 through the turbulent years ahead."
Surprisingly enough, not one of these thinkers agreed on who would best fill the job of Director of National Intelligence.
However, some of my personal favorites among the choices are:
Quote:
Arnold Schwarzenegger *BONUS PICK
Secretary for Energy and the Environment
The Governator has proven himself to be a get-the-job-done environmentalist who commands international respect. To address this increasingly vital area properly, the next president must view energy and the environment as two sides of the same coin.
Sarah Palin *BONUS PICK :D
U.S. Ambassador to Russia
The governor’s taste for hunting, plain-spoken talk, and foxy boots—not to mention long years of staring at Russia from Alaska—ensure a special relationship with Putin.
This pick will definitely make life more interesting at Foggy Bottom and at posts around the world :D
Quote:
Bill Clinton
Secretary of State
There is no more popular American in the world than the former president, and no one else with comparable energy, knowledge, experience, and credibility to undo the negative stereotypes that have grown out of Washington’s conduct after 9/11.
In the turn down, they also mentioned something about the firing of half
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Uboat509
I would have have liked to see Ken considered for SECDEF but I seriously doubt that the Obama administration would be comfortable initiating the rendition protocols that would be required to get him into the job.:D
SFC W
the work force at the five sided funny farm as being a non-starter; something about job losses and irate voters. They also want to save dipwad auto makers who can't read the market and try to lead it. Something about Unions...
So obviously they aren't really serious about changing the world... ;)
Hillary for Sec. of State?
Obama, Clinton meet in Chicago
Quote:
CHICAGO -- President-elect Barack Obama has met with his former rival for the Democratic nomination, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, and is considering her as a possible candidate for secretary of state, Democratic officials said.
Clinton was rumored to be a contender for the job last week, but the talk died down as party activists questioned whether she was best-suited to be the top U.S. diplomat in an Obama administration. The talk resumed Thursday, a day after Obama named several former aides to President Bill Clinton to help run his transition effort.
A Democratic official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to release the information, said the two met Thursday afternoon in Obama's Chicago office.
Clinton's motorcade -- she receives Secret Service protection as a former first lady -- was seen leaving the office complex shortly before Obama left for the day. Clinton spokesman Philippe Reines would say only "Senator Clinton had no public schedule yesterday," and referred questions to the Obama transition team, which said it had no comment.
http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/11...cretary-state/
Back-channel chatter from Chicago
is that a new cabinet-level position has been created in the Obama TOE, the Directorate of Congressional Oversight, Liaison & Development (DCOLD). The only appointee, strongly recommended by Charlie Crist, is a Floridian, Ken White.
Other'n the fact that I believe
Charlie is a slime ball and that Congress is essentially the place to pass out 535 T-Shirts with the legend "Beware of stupid people in large groups" your idea has merit. Which is more than I can say for Congress...
I'm not a Floridian; I'm a Kentuckian who lives in Florida because he can afford to escape Kentucky's mild winters. Given your winters, I'd move to Tahiti...
However, we appreciate your support. ;)
For these samll favors, Lord, we thank thee...
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Uboat509
... a fully stocked wet bar (no need to be cruel) and a big DOD symbol with with a note that says "Make it better." :D
If your 'fully' and mine are the same, no sweat-i-da; we can do that... :D
it's a good chance gates will stay
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Van
A real long shot that he'd keep SECDEF Gates, but a strong case can be made for it. I think the DNI, DCI, and National Security Advisor picks will be extremely telling. Continuity in these posts, especially keeping GEN (ret)Hayden USAF, as DCI, would be good for the country, but not so good for the perpetual election campaign of modern politics, Maybe we'll get really lucky and PRES (elect) Obama will scrap the DNI position and hold the DCI accountable for what he has, by the CIA's charter, been responsible for all along.
I've had the chance to have it confirmed by a top Democratic defense expert that Obama wants Gates to stay and will ask him to do so. It all depends if Gates accepts, and on what conditions.
1 Attachment(s)
Why just talk about it ...
you could contribute to the welfare of Dublin, Ireland, by gambling your hard-earned dollars here (no opinion on the legality thereof):
http://www.intrade.com/
Don't plan on contributing myself; but the site has the odds on Hillary, Kerry, Gates, etc. Interesting site - heard of it many times; first time there tonite (honest).
Neat charts - Gates below.
Washington Times - Obama eyes posts for Cleland, Holder
Washington Times - Obama eyes posts for Cleland, Holder
Quote:
President-elect Barack Obama is quickly shaping his White House staff and policy - considering former Sen. Max Cleland and Eric H. Holder Jr. for top administration posts and promising governors and world leaders he would pursue an aggressive global-warming plan because "denial is no longer an acceptable response."
...
A source familiar with transition planning said Mr. Cleland, a Vietnam veteran and triple amputee, is under consideration for either secretary of Veterans Affairs or secretary of the Army in an Obama administration, and liberal grass-roots support is building for his selection.