"A view from behind the President's chair during a Cabinet meeting in the Cabinet Room." (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
Analysts: New Policies Not Likely From Obama’s 2nd-Term National Security Team -- McClatchy News
WASHINGTON — The three men President Barack Obama has nominated to foreign and national security policy posts in his second term share a demonstrated independent streak – each has challenged his own institution or party in wartime – but analysts say that doesn’t necessarily portend any big changes to U.S. diplomacy or defense strategy.
Indeed, while Obama portrayed his nominees – Sen. John Kerry to head the State Department, former Sen. Chuck Hagel to lead the Department of Defense, and counterterrorism adviser John Brennan to direct the Central Intelligence Agency – as patriotic trailblazers, some analysts doubt whether the trio will bring any real shakeups to U.S. policy.
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My Comment: I concur with this assessment .... nothing new will be coming out from this team. Secretary of Defense Hagels' priorities will be to get US troops out of Afghanistan as fast as possible, to focus on Asia, and to slash the U.S. defense budget to pre-9/11 levels. CIA Director John Brennan's priorities will be to continue America's war against Islamic radicals via through drones and CIA hit teams, and to be on guard to new threats. Secretary of State Kerry's responsibilities will be to avoid war with Iran, keep the Syrian civil war boxed in, and to focus on Asia.
Update: The Obama Nominations -- Victor Davis Hanson, NRO