Clinton Is Moving to Fill Senior Posts at State Dept. (NYT 1/7/09 - including Burns)

[Muttocracy]

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/08/us/politics/08diplo.html

By MARK LANDLER
Published: January 7, 2009

WASHINGTON — As she awaits Senate confirmation as secretary of state, Hillary Rodham Clinton is filling out the senior echelon of the State Department, and keeping a respected career diplomat in one of the agency’s most influential posts.

The diplomat, William J. Burns, is to stay on as the under secretary for political affairs, according to people informed of the decision. The unusual move has been popular within the diplomatic ranks, where Mr. Burns, a former ambassador to Russia and Jordan, is close to a revered figure.

Mrs. Clinton is also expected to name Kurt M. Campbell as assistant secretary for East Asian affairs — a challenging post that has involved negotiating with North Korea on its nuclear program, though that task will now shift to other officials. Wendy R. Sherman, another incoming official, has long experience with North Korea, but it is unclear whether she will be involved this time.

...

While Mr. Obama has not signed off on these positions, according to officials, Mrs. Clinton is likely to name Richard C. Holbrooke, a longtime diplomat who brokered the Dayton accord that brought peace to Bosnia, as a special envoy to Pakistan and India, said people who have been told of the decision.

Dennis B. Ross, a veteran of Middle East peace negotiations in the Clinton and the first Bush administrations, is set to take over a portfolio focused on Iran, officials said. His job would not be called special envoy, given the lack of diplomatic ties between the United States and Iran.

...

The retention of Mr. Burns, 52, will give the department an expert on Russia and the Middle East, at a time of new conflicts between Israel and the militant Palestinian group Hamas and simmering tension with Washington and Moscow. Insiders say he has an encyclopedic knowledge of the department and has skillfully navigated Republican and Democratic administrations.

While the post is typically filled by a career diplomat, it is rare for someone to be held over by a new administration.

...

Lots more at the link

Hearings at which Burns testified recently (many have .pdfs of his opening statement, and video archive of hearing)
On India - http://foreign.senate.gov/hearings/2008/hrg080918p.html
On Russia/Georgia - http://foreign.senate.gov/hearings/2008/hrg080917a.html
On Iran - http://foreign.senate.gov/hearings/2008/hrg080709p.html
On Russia, Iran - http://foreign.senate.gov/hearings/2008/hrg080617pp.html

[Cash_thatswhatiwant]

1. Clinton is such a smart woman. I have no doubt she'll be good at whatever she does.

Just looking at her biography the other day, I was reminded of how accomplished she is.

[thunder rising]

2. It's her place to shine and apparently Obama has given her the leeway to run the shop.

Actually, so far, it's working better than I thought it would.

[Muttocracy]

3. Some of these sound like folks who did good work in spite of being under Condi

so it would be valuable to have some continuity given all the fires Obama and HRC will inherit.

[elleng]

4. They've been around

in spite of hindrances.

[Muttocracy]

5. related thread on envoys (similar to more detail in the article)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x8067572

[AtomicKitten]

6. NSC Persian Gulf Director Hillary Mann Leverett expressed concern about her advisers.

This was on Countdown yesterday.

http://video.aol.com/video-detail/fmr-nsc-official-clinton-advisors-more-neocon-than-bush/3721256980/?icid=VIDURVNWS09

She says the Clinton advisers - Dennis Ross, Ken Pollock, and Martin something (see video - at end) coming with her as SoS are worrisome: "Clinton advisers more neocon than Bush."

Needless to say, that makes people nervous.

[SoCalDem]

10. In the large scheme of things it won't matter much

Middle eastern countries have less than ZERO regard for much that a woman..any woman has to say.. they will tolerate HRC, like they tolerated Condi and before her Albright, but once they leave the room, the "men" decide what they will do...

[ruggerson]

13. Well that's a relief - we can rely on the hatred of women in the Middle East to keep her in check

praise Allah.

[EFerrari]

15. Dennis Ross is a PNAC signer and was the Executive Director at AIPAC.

lol

Oh, geeze.

[Muttocracy]

11. looked up her name and came across this piece

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/28/AR2007112802485.html

[AtomicKitten]

12. interesting article -- Leverett comes off as honest and even-handed

but no doubt some will read that differently

[wyldwolf]

16. who?

[SoCalDem]

7. Oh my...

[Muttocracy]

8. No, that's Michael Chertoff!

:shiver:

[SoCalDem]

9. No he's Skeletor

and his twin sister is Maria Shriver

[davidpdx]

14. Wendy Sherman was part of the Clinton Administration

if memory serves me right.