Simple Man Politics

Well it’s Monday and once again we all become a slave to the grind. As usual I am also here on Monday to grind out another political and informative blog just for you. Before I get started though I would like to send out my condolences to those who have lost loved ones in Mumbai, from both here and abroad.

Such tragedy is proof why we need to be vicious and tough in the world’s war on terror. That is also why I am writing about President elect Barack Obama’s decision to keep Bush appointee Bob Gates as secretary of Defense, and his decision to appoint retired General Jim Jones who supported McCain for President as his National Security Advisor. I personally think that these are both wise and sound decisions on the part of the President elect.

Let’s discuss the Current and future Secretary of Defense Robert Gates first. This gentleman has been involved in this country’s defense establishment for better than thirty years. He served twenty six years in the CIA (Central Intelligence Agency) and the NSC (National Security Council). Under Bush 41 he was appointed the Director of Central Intelligence. Prior to his service in the CIA Robert Gates was an Air Force Officer. Gates also served as a member of the Iraq Study Group. He was also the first pick for Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security but declined the position to remain President of Texas A&M. Gates accepted the Bush 43 nomination as Secretary of Defense and replaced Donald Rumsfeld in November 2006.

Forget the fact that Robert Gates would be one of the few people to hold a cabinet position under two different Presidents and different parties, which is not what is important here. What is important here is that this extremely talented, educated, and intelligent man has been asked to stay on and do a job that he is uniquely qualified to do. He has been very successful with General David Petraeus and the surge strategy in Iraq as well as in his time as the DCI. I believe he can finish the job if he is given the latitude to do so.

There are very few if any people out there with his depth of experience and understanding who could be asked to take on this task. There are certainly not any among the President elects own party. Even liberal blogger Chris Bowers of the open left says “Even Democrats agree that Democrats can’t run the military.” I can only assume that considering this choice by Barack Obama that the Chris Bowers statement is absolutely correct.

My favorite choice in this tandem of talents has to be Retired General James Logan Jones Jr. This individual has had a long and distinguished career in the Marines. He was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the Corps in 1967 and went to Vietnam as a platoon and later a company commander. In between his commissioning and his appointment as the 32nd Commandant of the Marine Corps he has held a variety of commands in the Corps including 3rd battalion 9th Marines, 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, and the 2nd Marine Division. He also served as the Supreme Allied Commander Europe and Commander United States European Command.

Since his retirement from the Marine Corps Jim Jones has served as Chairman of the Congressional Independent Commission on the Security Forces of Iraq, and was appointed Special Envoy for Middle East Security by Condoleezza Rice. He currently serves as Chairman of the Atlantic Council of the United States.

This man has more than enough experience and knowledge to serve as any Presidents National Security Advisor. You need only look at the seven rows of ribbons on his Marine Corps dress greens to see that he has been there and done that. I think that Barack Obama will be very lucky to get him if he accepts the appointment as National Security Advisor.

While I am sure that most of the lefties are going crazy with these particular picks because of their stand on the war in Iraq as well as Obama’s, I can only say that these seem to be two very well thought out choices for the President elect. I also think it tells you something about where our nation is heading with regard to our wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. I think Obama realizes that we can’t just pull out of Iraq arbitrarily and Afghanistan is still a tough fight for us before it’s all over. So I think they are great choices even if they are unpopular with the incoming administrations party.

That’s all for now my friends. I hope you all have a great day and I will see you all again soon, CIAO4NOW!!!!!