Retired Four-Stars Leading Candidates for Obama's National Security Team

'FROM THE OLD CORPS TO THE NEW CORPS "SEMPER FI"

When is O" goimg to realize that "blackberrys are a security risk.and its getting more apparent that he may also be a security risk,he cant get a clearance himself.

I can't believe this... here we are more than 2 weeks past the election and there are a bunch of people still pouting because McCain lost.... GET OVER IT!!! Look... you pack of sore losers, Obama will be officially be president 1/20/09. Whether you agree with his appointments or not, you have to accept them for the next 4 years. He may have inspired the nation with his message of change, but politics is politics.... PERIOD!! And he is still a POLITICIAN. All this crap about former Clinton people being named to the white house staff and the cabinet... what were you all expecting? Who was he supposed to get... a bunch of people from the "hood"? I seem to remember this country having economic prosperity when CLINTON was in office!!! And if that's not enough, WE WERE ALSO NOT FIGHTING 2 WARS WHEN CLINTON WAS IN OFFICE!!!!! I voted for Obama, and I'll continue to support him... but you all have to give him a chance... he hasn't even taken the oath of office yet!

I hope he picks a Marine for at least one of the Cabinet posts. After all, the Marines were the ones who fought in our countrie's first war on foreign soil when Thomas Jefferson was president. Remember the line: 'To the shores of Tripoli'? How many know what that was about?
At least the Marines have war experience.

Paige : Clark is decidedly less partisan than all of Obama picks and Obama himself. There may be other considerations, but in what is already becoming a rabidly partisan administration I don't think Clark's political views will be anything anybody will take notice of.

Being a former Marine, my endorsement of General Jones follows from my confirmed "Semper Fidelis" mind-set.

On the other hand I would advise President-elect Obama to study the history of General Smedley Butler, Old Gimlet Eye, to see what an honorable man is capable of in the political environment.

Butler, a two time Medal of Honor awardee, is famous for putting Marines on mail trains to stop the mail robberies that were going on at the time. More important he informed Congress of a developing coup d' etat known as the Business Plot, which was intended to unseat FDR. The schemers wanted Butler to lead the insurection.

Butler's book 'War is a Racket', was one of the first to discourse on the military/industrial complex.

This is the military genus from which General Jones comes. He is a modern version of Americans in service to our nation, who learn the ins and outs at a small principality on the Potomac known as Quantico. Semper fi, General Jones. Semper fi to the max!

Paige, your argument does not make sense. Hillary Clinton is political, and so is every other nominee, so far. Hillary Clinton has also raised money for other candidates. Gen. Clark campaigned hardily for Obama. The least Obama could do is pick ONE person for his administration who truly cares about his country, and NOT just about his own ambition, e.g. Hillary Clinton and Rahm Emanuel. I am aware that Obama sold out to the powers that be in order to win the so called toss up states, and now he has to appease them by filling his administration with those individuals that he is told to choose. This is why he is totally ignoring his progressive base. He is just like every other presidential candidate. When it comes to winning, all principles and values are tossed out the window. If he really wanted to solve the great problems facing this country, he would choose Clark, who is the ONLY Democrat with any vision or ideas.

KMB, Clark has become too "political". He would be a potential obstacle when we need non-partisanship. He is also head of a PAC that raises money to get Democrats elected across the country.

The best man for the position is Gen. Wesley Clark. Not only is he an expert at foreign policy, but he is also a former Economics professor with a degree in the field. National Security is NOT just about foreign policy crises. It is also about economic crises, as well. Although I am an African-American Independent, I did not vote in the election, because I did not like the choice of Joe Biden for VP, (It should have been Wes Clark.)and there was no way I could vote for McCain. However, if Obama does not do the right thing and nominate Gen. Clark for National Security Adviser or some other high post, it will be the final nail in the coffin of my political support for him. I will NEVER vote for him or any other Democrat again. And I pray with ALL my heart that he is a failure as president,and he will be. Because it is clear to me that he is much more interested in doing what it takes to get re-elected than he is in to what is right for this country.

Jones has intellectual gravitas-Georgetown School of Foreign Service and National War College. He would also be a bridge to the military which Obama and Biden, who have no military experience need. He would be an excellent reassuring choice.

Steinberg is not the insiders' choice because he's a Democrat. He's the insiders' choice because he's about the best foreign policy mind of his generation. He's done the deputy NSC job, as well as policy planning. Utterly formidable intellect, and knows how the policy process works. The irony is that by picking someone from the military, you suggest competence ... while the most competent guy of all is sitting right under Obama's nose.

This is the first time that Obama and his leftist illuminati ideals are actually inline with his campaign promises. He has done nothing but fill his cabinet with partisan cronies up to this point, despite promising otherwise.

I voted a straight Republican ticket, but I gotta tell you....so far......I'm impressed with our Pres. elect's choices!

Finally--the best person for the job, not the best party member.

Thomas Hawkins
I assume you are referring to Gen. Brent Scowcroft in your remarks about it being "dishonorable to disavow the Bush admin. policy and then continue it under his advisors." If you had read the article carefully you would have seen that Gen. Scowcroft was an advisor to H.W. Bush the 41st President.

People actually voted for bush.

Some were foolish enough to do that twice.

Umbelievable.

Isn't it a bit dishonorable to disavow the Bush admin. policy and then continue it under his advisors? Then again, who is being dishonorable would be the question?

We the people must decide whether we want a new direction in national security that does not rely on military solutions to every problem. We need to secure the economy, crush the pirates and crush Al Qaeda beyond that there is not much that can be done. Afghanistan has been declared a war that cannot be won militarily by experts, Iraq is a done deal, North Korean leader is about to kick the bucket, Libya is no longer an enemy and Iran is just posturing with not much else to do and if it does acquire nuclear weapons, Israel will take care of it. Russia will mind its own business if we mind our own business. So national security is rebuilding American infrastructure, creating jobs, retooling American industry, fighting diseases like cancer and Alzheimer's Disease. Why do we need a military general. We are not going to be more secure if we have a military general and if there is one that is needed he or she could take the position of defense secretary. More Americans noncombatants in the USA are dying from disease and self inflicted health problems and accidents than caused by incidences than events such as 911, which was once in a 100 years event that could have been avoided. No one is recommending complacency but be realistic and get to the root cause of real problems rather than constantly preparing for a perceived threat and building weapons of mass destruction. Let there be some peace dividends before starting another war.

noticeably absent? Wes Clark.

The idea that Obama's even considering Blair in the light of a possible conflict of interest is rather...alarming.

Jones is impressive but I'm a little concerned about his apparent lack of educational credentials.

I sure wish there were room for Wes Clark in there somewhere. General Clark is my kind of Democrat. American hero through and through.