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View Full Version : Obama Nominates Panetta for Defense, Petraeus for CIA.


WRoss
04-27-2011, 09:34 AM
Washington (CNN) -- President Barack Obama plans to announce Thursday he is nominating CIA Director Leon Panetta as defense secretary, Gen. David Petraeus to head the CIA and Ryan Crocker as the new U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan in what will be the most extensive reshaping of the Obama national security team to date, sources tell CNN.

Lt. Gen John Allen also will be nominated to replace Petraeus as the commander of coalition forces in Afghanistan, a senior U.S. official says.
http://www.cnn.com/2011/POLITICS/04/27/defense.panetta/index.html?hpt=C1


Nothing too shocking. Anyone know anything about Allen? I've not heard much about him.
Vector
04-27-2011, 11:34 AM
Panetta to secdef is an interesting move and one I didn't see coming. I think it's his background as a budget guy that made him a strong candidate. The US basically is stuck in a situation where they have to cut defense budgets in the near future so having a budget mind guy in the seat might ease the process.

I'm curious to see if joint chiefs shake out as planned after all this and Cartwright gets elevated to the chairman position.
ClydeR
04-27-2011, 12:00 PM
Isn't Petraeus busy with something else right now?
kookiegod
04-27-2011, 12:38 PM
http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_theticket/20110427/ts_yblog_theticket/white-house-releases-obama-birth-certificate

Obama gave a big FU to Trump this morning and scolded the people for the distraction.

I am NOT his biggest fan and want him to lose in 2012, but I think this was awesome, and his nominations of Patreaus and Panetta were genius.

He got a big win from me today, and i'm a die-hard GOPer, so I am giving credit where credit is due.
Androidpk
04-27-2011, 12:55 PM
What exactly is genius about those nominations?
Kembal
04-27-2011, 01:04 PM
Panetta to SecDef is a brilliant move. Putting possibly the best budget cutter in the Democratic Party in the place that needs it? And he's got the strategic knowledge needed from his time at CIA, so he's got the qualifications. It's a very good move.

Petraeus to CIA is interesting. I'm not exactly that comfortable with putting a military person there, but let's see.
Androidpk
04-27-2011, 02:13 PM
I'm not exactly that comfortable with putting a military person there, but let's see.

I don't have any issues with this, it's not something entirely new. Military officers have usually been at the head position of the NSA, DIA, DNI, and Geospacial-intelligence agency.

I'd be more concerned with Panetta as Sec Def.
kookiegod
04-27-2011, 02:34 PM
Panetta to SecDef is a brilliant move. Putting possibly the best budget cutter in the Democratic Party in the place that needs it? And he's got the strategic knowledge needed from his time at CIA, so he's got the qualifications. It's a very good move.

Petraeus to CIA is interesting. I'm not exactly that comfortable with putting a military person there, but let's see.

Petraeus is on of the best at OpSec (operations security) and he's used, organized and changed a great deal of Military Intellegence.

Its really a lateral move for him, just puts on a suit instead of a uniform.

And I agree with Kembal on Panetta on all points.
Androidpk
04-27-2011, 02:38 PM
Wait, would Petraeus be retiring from the military first or is he assuming command while still a General?
Kembal
04-27-2011, 09:02 PM
Wait, would Petraeus be retiring from the military first or is he assuming command while still a General?

Yeah, that's what I want to know. I've not seen a news report that clarifies that.
ZeP
04-27-2011, 10:12 PM
Wait, would Petraeus be retiring from the military first or is he assuming command while still a General?


Yeah, that's what I want to know. I've not seen a news report that clarifies that.

Seems like he is doing a damn good job already.
Androidpk
04-27-2011, 10:38 PM
Seems like he is doing a damn good job already.

Oh I have no doubt he is the right person for the job, I'm just interested in how it's going to work out.
Kembal
04-28-2011, 05:25 PM
Read in a blog post that he'll be retiring from the military before going to CIA.
~Rocktar~
05-01-2011, 10:49 PM
Putting possibly the best budget cutter in the Democratic Party in the place that needs it?

If that were the best reason to put him there, why not go for real budget cuts like various entitlement programs, oh, wait, he is a Democrat, he is allergic to cutting off the hand that he paid to vote him in.