THE TEAM: No longer a rival, Clinton and Obama hold similar positions on many issues. Gates, center, is admired by the Obama team despite significant differences over nuclear weapons policy. Jones has separated himself from the Obama playbook on a few issues, including troop withdrawal. Carolyn Kaster / AP; Roslan Rahman / AFP/Getty Images; Dennis Cook / APForm The L.A. Times:
With Clinton as secretary of State, retired Marine Gen. James Jones Jr. as national security advisor and Gates remaining in Defense, Obama will have a choice among often starkly differing views.
Reporting from Washington -- President-elect Barack Obama says he wants to lead an administration where strong-willed senior officials are ready to argue forcefully for differing points of view.
It appears that in two months, he'll get his wish, and then some.
Obama's new national security team is led by three veteran officials who have differed with each other -- and with the president-elect -- on the full menu of security issues, including Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, nuclear weapons and Arab-Israel conflict.
The president-elect is expected on Monday to begin introducing a team that includes Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.), whom he has chosen as secretary of State; retired Marine Gen. James L. Jones Jr., tapped to be the new national security advisor; and Robert M. Gates, who has agreed to stay on as Defense secretary.
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My Comment: Gates will be gone in less than year, Sen. Clinton has been on the wrong side of major policy issues .... with Iraq being the center piece. Marine Gen. James Jones Jr. is known .... but is also unknown (He is the wild card in this mix).