Pioneer Press picked up my OpEd on The Obama-Biden National Security and International Relations team. Here is the link to the full piece. Also here are links to some of the background information:President-elect Barack Obama, left, stands with Secretary of State-designate Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., center, and National Security Adviser-designate Ret. Marine Gen. James Jones, right, at a news conference in Chicago, Dec. 1, 2008. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) (AP)
- Gen. James Jones to be National Security Advisor.
- Dr. Susan Rice (Rice and former Marine Officer Rand Beers were key advisors in the Kerry-Edwards plan to double the size of U.S. Special Forces and add siginificant numbers of light-infantry to a standing, active-duty military structure).
- Secretary Gates to remain as Secretary of Defense.
- Retiring Republican Rep. and personal hero, Jim Ramstad slated as possible drug czar.
- Also, the Dean of the Humphrey Institute (and thus my boss) J. Brian Atwood recently wrote a piece on the importance of development policy for Foreign Affairs magazine.
Semper Fidelis,
AB
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>A Strong Defense
Obama's security team should give U.S. enemies pause
By Andrew M. Borene
Dec 03, 2008
President-elect Obama is assembling an all-star defense and security team to shape American diplomacy and development policy. This new team will give second thoughts to enemies who might think we will not vigorously defend our interests overseas.
Obama has chosen former Marine Commandant and Supreme Allied Commander Gen. James Jones to be his National Security Advisor. Hillary Rodham Clinton, an initial supporter of the authorizing vote to invade Iraq, will be his secretary of state. Susan Rice will be America's ambassador to the United Nations. Rice is not weak-kneed (Rice and former Marine Officer Rand Beers were key advisers in the Kerry-Edwards plan to double the size of U.S. Special Forces and add significant numbers to our standing, active-duty military).
Working with Secretary Robert Gates to keep him in his post at the Pentagon was no small feat for the Obama-Biden people. There were rumors of significant hesitation from Gates. He reportedly made some demands on the administration to stay, and the Obama people were smart enough to allow Gates to shepherd the Defense Department through the transition and possibly beyond. While there may have been concerns about the decision to not retain Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell and Director of Central Intelligence Michael Hayden during the transition between administrations, Gates is himself a former Central Intelligence director and a career CIA man. That should allay concerns about undue encroachment from the Department of Defense into an ongoing intelligence reform turf fight.
Minnesota will likely figure heavily into the new administration's international plans for the future, with retiring Republican Rep. Jim Ramstad slated as a possible drug czar. Also, the dean of the Humphrey Institute, J. Brian Atwood, recently wrote a piece on the importance of development policy for Foreign Affairs magazine. Perhaps it is an over-the-horizon forecast, but Atwood is likely being eyed by the administration for a key development post, perhaps even at the U.S Agency for International Development, where he served as administrator under former President Bill Clinton from 1993 to 1999.
This set of key appointments may initially confuse or disappoint a vocal anti-war constituency that bore Barack Obama through his early primary victories by fueling his campaign with volunteers and money, but should greatly encourage others who believe the national security apparatus and a strong national defense are integral pieces of any workable U.S. foreign policy.
We should all be encouraged by these recent announcements and pray for the success of our incoming administration in securing a new peace around the world through an integrated and muscular plan for defense, diplomacy and international development.
Andrew M. Borene is an attorney and a lecturer in the Global Policy Area at the University of Minnesota's Humphrey Institute. A U.S. Marine veteran, he was a national leader of Veterans for Kerry in 2004.
AB
----------------------------------------------------------
>A Strong Defense
Obama's security team should give U.S. enemies pause
By Andrew M. Borene
Dec 03, 2008
President-elect Obama is assembling an all-star defense and security team to shape American diplomacy and development policy. This new team will give second thoughts to enemies who might think we will not vigorously defend our interests overseas.
Obama has chosen former Marine Commandant and Supreme Allied Commander Gen. James Jones to be his National Security Advisor. Hillary Rodham Clinton, an initial supporter of the authorizing vote to invade Iraq, will be his secretary of state. Susan Rice will be America's ambassador to the United Nations. Rice is not weak-kneed (Rice and former Marine Officer Rand Beers were key advisers in the Kerry-Edwards plan to double the size of U.S. Special Forces and add significant numbers to our standing, active-duty military).
Working with Secretary Robert Gates to keep him in his post at the Pentagon was no small feat for the Obama-Biden people. There were rumors of significant hesitation from Gates. He reportedly made some demands on the administration to stay, and the Obama people were smart enough to allow Gates to shepherd the Defense Department through the transition and possibly beyond. While there may have been concerns about the decision to not retain Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell and Director of Central Intelligence Michael Hayden during the transition between administrations, Gates is himself a former Central Intelligence director and a career CIA man. That should allay concerns about undue encroachment from the Department of Defense into an ongoing intelligence reform turf fight.
Minnesota will likely figure heavily into the new administration's international plans for the future, with retiring Republican Rep. Jim Ramstad slated as a possible drug czar. Also, the dean of the Humphrey Institute, J. Brian Atwood, recently wrote a piece on the importance of development policy for Foreign Affairs magazine. Perhaps it is an over-the-horizon forecast, but Atwood is likely being eyed by the administration for a key development post, perhaps even at the U.S Agency for International Development, where he served as administrator under former President Bill Clinton from 1993 to 1999.
This set of key appointments may initially confuse or disappoint a vocal anti-war constituency that bore Barack Obama through his early primary victories by fueling his campaign with volunteers and money, but should greatly encourage others who believe the national security apparatus and a strong national defense are integral pieces of any workable U.S. foreign policy.
We should all be encouraged by these recent announcements and pray for the success of our incoming administration in securing a new peace around the world through an integrated and muscular plan for defense, diplomacy and international development.
Andrew M. Borene is an attorney and a lecturer in the Global Policy Area at the University of Minnesota's Humphrey Institute. A U.S. Marine veteran, he was a national leader of Veterans for Kerry in 2004.
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