Last week's terror attacks in Mumbai served as a reminder of the dangerous tension that exists between India and Pakistan. It also reminded us that, while the economy remains the most important and immediate national crisis facing President-elect Barack Obama, national security and foreign policy issues remain critical.
Obama today announces his national security team. Its lineup speaks volumes about Obama's leadership skills and promises interesting days ahead as his administration develops and executes its foreign policy.
Leading the team is Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, whom Obama will nominate for secretary of state. That Obama feels comfortable nominating Clinton, his arch rival in the Democratic Party primaries with star power to match, is further indication of the president-elect's ability to put past differences aside in the interest of putting together what he believes is the best team possible.
Clinton, no doubt, brings political baggage to the post. Obama also runs the risk of the personalities of both Sen. Clinton and her husband, former President Bill Clinton, taking focus away from policy. Clinton must be a team player. Her job is to promote Obama's foreign policies, not to set her own.
But the positives should outweigh the risk. And those are Sen. Clinton's instant credibility and name recognition with world leaders and a strong background of foreign policy experience and world travels.
Obama's foreign policy team also will include Robert Gates, who will stay on as defense secretary for at least another year. While Gates and Obama may differ in opinions on how and when to get U.S. fighting forces out of Iraq, his reappointment is a wise decision because of Gates' judgment and experience, and for the sake of continuity in the war transition.
Retired Marine Gen. James L. Jones will be Obama's national security adviser. Jones' resume and talents are respected by both Democrats and Republicans. His inclusion in Obama's administration is widely viewed as an extremely beneficial development.
Finally, Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano is Obama's nominee for Homeland Security secretary, Eric Holder for attorney general and campaign foreign policy adviser Susan Rice as U.N. ambassador.
An intriguing development during Obama's first term will be to see where Vice President-elect Joe Biden fits into the foreign policy team. Biden's foreign policy expertise largely was seen as the biggest advantage he brought to the Democratic Party ticket. Whether there's room for that expertise, and ego, on the team being announced today remains to be seen.
Clearly, Obama feels confident in his ability to manage the personalities that come along with the experience he is adding to his team. There's certainly plenty of talent there to harness.
Obama today announces his national security team. Its lineup speaks volumes about Obama's leadership skills and promises interesting days ahead as his administration develops and executes its foreign policy.
Leading the team is Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, whom Obama will nominate for secretary of state. That Obama feels comfortable nominating Clinton, his arch rival in the Democratic Party primaries with star power to match, is further indication of the president-elect's ability to put past differences aside in the interest of putting together what he believes is the best team possible.
Clinton, no doubt, brings political baggage to the post. Obama also runs the risk of the personalities of both Sen. Clinton and her husband, former President Bill Clinton, taking focus away from policy. Clinton must be a team player. Her job is to promote Obama's foreign policies, not to set her own.
But the positives should outweigh the risk. And those are Sen. Clinton's instant credibility and name recognition with world leaders and a strong background of foreign policy experience and world travels.
Obama's foreign policy team also will include Robert Gates, who will stay on as defense secretary for at least another year. While Gates and Obama may differ in opinions on how and when to get U.S. fighting forces out of Iraq, his reappointment is a wise decision because of Gates' judgment and experience, and for the sake of continuity in the war transition.
Retired Marine Gen. James L. Jones will be Obama's national security adviser. Jones' resume and talents are respected by both Democrats and Republicans. His inclusion in Obama's administration is widely viewed as an extremely beneficial development.
Finally, Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano is Obama's nominee for Homeland Security secretary, Eric Holder for attorney general and campaign foreign policy adviser Susan Rice as U.N. ambassador.
An intriguing development during Obama's first term will be to see where Vice President-elect Joe Biden fits into the foreign policy team. Biden's foreign policy expertise largely was seen as the biggest advantage he brought to the Democratic Party ticket. Whether there's room for that expertise, and ego, on the team being announced today remains to be seen.
Clearly, Obama feels confident in his ability to manage the personalities that come along with the experience he is adding to his team. There's certainly plenty of talent there to harness.
