Obama to Get New War Policy Team

[alp227]

Source: The New York Times

WASHINGTON — When President Obama assembled his first national security team, it was quickly dubbed, not always accurately, the “Team of Rivals.” Now that some of its key members are heading for the exits, the question is whether his next war council could be named the “Corps of Consensus.”

The departure this summer of Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, arguably the most powerful voice in the cabinet, leaves more than an empty seat in the Situation Room. It is a chance for President Obama, at a critical moment in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and amid the Arab uprisings, to rethink the dynamic of the group making some of the most critical decisions in his presidency.

Not long after Mr. Gates settles into his retirement house in Washington State, the term will expire for the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Mike Mullen, who, like the defense secretary, was appointed by President George W. Bush. And a week ago, Deputy Secretary of State James B. Steinberg announced that he was leaving for an academic job — removing one of the crucial players in Mr. Obama’s efforts to manage China’s rise.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/07/world/07team.html

[Mnemosyne]

1. I hear Negroponte is available. n/t

[Arkana]

3. Why would Obama choose a PNACer?

Oh, I get it. It's the tired old "OBUMMER IS A REPOOOOOOOOOBLICAN" canard. Yawn.

[Mnemosyne]

4. Have you seen those that stayed behind from *co? Do you really believe that

Obama gets to choose these positions on his own? :rofl:

I do not hate Obama in any way; I hate the BFEE and Darth Cheney keeping their hacks in.

[w4rma]

2. A Democrat would be nice. One that isn't a neo-liberal, preferably. (nt)

[SaveAmerica]

5. Play the game; Conservative team and actions in the 1st 2 years, progressive the next 2

Commercials for everyone - Priceless!!

The only good news if he does this is bringing the troops home and ending these wars. I'm just sick of our sons and daughters, mothers and fathers being used for the political game.

[bhikkhu]

6. Hopefully it leads to something better in Afghanistan

I don't honestly know what we should do there, but what we've been doing for the past few years is certainly not working.

[WheelWalker]

7. I recommend change we can believe in.

[PSPS]

8. I'm not interested in any president who has a "war council" let alone "his next war council."

[Thrill]

9. Would like to see Wes Clark somewhere on his team

.

[Scottybeamer70]

10. A Peace Council

would be nice!

[plumbob]

11. Perhaps a "get the fuck out of two wars we cannot afford or win"

team would be a better choice.

Against both from day one. Still am. Load up everybody tonight and come home.

[Rex]

12. Change you can believe in

(tm)