Senator Clinton isn’t the only female in the hunt for a major cabinet position in the Obama administration. Word on the street is that Michelle Flournoy is under strong consideration for the Secretary of Defense post.
Ms. Flournoy, a graduate of Harvard and Oxford, made her bones as a DoD worker bee with the Clinton Administration. She went on to teach at the National Defense University and –in 2007– co-founded the respected Center for New American Security. She’s also one of the two principal defense brains assigned to President-elect Obama’s transition team.
Flournoy knows her business, has a strong background in both asymmetrical and traditional state threats, and seems to believe in a moderate approach to any withdrawal of American troops from Iraq. She’s experienced, qualified, and her centrist positions on defense issues would (seemingly) make her a safe choice to head up the DoD.
Unfortunately, Ms. Flournoy’s reasoned approach to Iraq –withdrawal that takes into consideration the efficacy of the Iraqi government and logistical realities– could lock horns with Obama’s ideological “withdraw now, regardless” plan.
Any drawdown that falls short of Obama’s campaign promise of expedited removal of US troops from theater risks upsetting the easily perturbed, zealous faction of the Democratic base. That makes Ms. Flournoy almost as politically risky as continuing the tenure of current SECDEF, Robert Gates.
–John Noonan
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the easily perturbed, zealous faction of the Democratic base
Really think so? Democrats didn’t throw a fit when Rahm Emmanuel — an enthusiastic
Iraq war hawk — got tapped to be White House chief of staff. He even pushed fellow party members around until they agreed with him. I think nominating Flournoy would actually raise fewer hackles.
I also haven’t noticed any Democrats being easily irritated zealots yet, they seem to be basking in the glow of the win still…
Pffft.
Just what the DoD needs. Another exclusive (vs. elite)Ivy League liberal arts grad. If Mr. Change is going to keep tapping Clinton retreads, he should pick Sheila Widnall. The only Clinton selection that was half worth a da**.
Color me skeptical.
That “Obama’s ideological ‘withdraw now, regardless’ plan” of which you speak–that’s the plan that the majority of the American people want. Have you heard of the American people–the people who are actually in charge? They’re convinced that they were lied to by Bush and his administration to get us into this pointless, profitless war while letting the people who actually attacked us get away.
So the American people, who want us out of Iraq as soon as possible, voted for the candidate who promised that instead of the candidate who promised to keep us there for a hundred years.
That’s the way the American system works. Since there is nothing in Iraq worth the lives of my soldiers, and i looked for two extended tours, I’m all for it.
Obama for Change. How is it change when you hire DC insiders who have been around the same corrupt processes for the past 20+ years. Bush did it too so I’m not saying either party is better. I’m just ready for something to happen that will clean this crap up. I’m tired of these career politicians.
“Another exclusive (vs. elite)Ivy League liberal arts grad.” (posted by soonergrunt at 8:03am)
So you are saying you would prefer someone with a worse education to take the post? Perhaps someone who went to community college or didn’t go at all? I don’t understand how over the past few years there has been this huge backlash against higher education. So she went to two of the best schools in the world… HANG HER!
geedeck: it is no mis-representation to say that Obama completely refuses to affirm that the Surge has worked. He refuses to admit he was dead wrong.
Hubris
No matter who the Secretary of Defense might be. I’d have the same questions…
1. Have they served in the military (Officer or Enlisted)?
2. Have they ever made decisions that placed people in harms way? If so, how?
3. What roles have they played in active military operations?
4. What experience do they have experience managing defense acquisition programs?
5. In their opinion, what is the greatest threat to the United States?
6. What is their opinion of the Posse Comitatus Act, and should it be revised?
I’m sorry, but the vid below is just funny.
“Interviews With Obama Voters“
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mm1KOBMg1Y8
I can only think “That’s a freakin’ huge chin!”
Political grandstanding from both the Iraqi and U.S. governments, it will be necessary for the U.S. to maintain at least 50,000 troops in Iraq for at least another 10 years. Anything less is too dangerous for Iraq and the region.
I used to read this blog a year or two ago, though I never got much into the comments. What strikes me now that I’ve visited a couple of times again is that the main posts are a lot more partisan than they used to me. Maybe my memory is wrong, but I don’t think things like Obama’s ideological “withdraw now, regardless” would have appeared on this site before.
It’s too bad, I can get partisan sniping on a lot of different blogs. Here, at least, I’d like to see some real news.
“Another exclusive (vs. elite)Ivy League liberal arts grad.” (posted by soonergrunt at 8:03am)
So you are saying you would prefer someone with a worse education to take the post? Perhaps someone who went to community college or didn’t go at all? I don’t understand how over the past few years there has been this huge backlash against higher education. So she went to two of the best schools in the world… HANG HER!
Posted by: marc at November 20, 2008 10:00 AM“
Marc, noone is saying education is bad. People really have different ideas of what higher education teaches a person and some people can go thru the most expensive schools and still come out morons.
In this I don’t see where she had time to go to two of the best schools in the world after she attended Harvard and Oxford.
Which schools were they?
I’m sorry, but I have a huge problem with people who have never seen combat, or even been in the military, becoming SECDEF. I’d really like to see someone who has at least some military experience, and preferably with some command experience, be tapped for the job.
Really? A woman for Sec Def? No military experience to speak of? I’m brimming with optimism. There is a reason women are not in combat arms. A goddamned good one. Biology has unfairly worked against women with regards to combat, both mentally and physically. Anyone who denies that fact is most likely the same type of person who thinks 9/11 wasn’t an act inspired largely by Islam.
It is truly painful how divided we as a nation seem to be sitting in safehaven when democrat and republican commanders as well as soldiers daily push aside their liberal and conservative viewpoints and pursue the mission at hand.
Politics are absolutely essential. However, we should never allow them to deterioate to the current level, which is a total embarrassment to this country.
It reminds one of two parents arguing over whose child should be on the ball team starting line up, slashing about with hurtful remarks when all along the two kids have no problem at all with the situation.
I have no problem with a woman being SEC/DEF, having said that there are plenty of RETIRED MILITARY women who cold do the job.
Also remember that Les Aspin who was a SEC/DEF and several others where not former military men either.
Also I would like to see a Senior NCO as SEC/DEF there has never been one and I thinnk a person who actually lead from the bottom of the chain would take a more “Common Sense” approach.
Her qualifications are heavy on theory, light on experience.
I would prefer a SecDef more closely tied to Obama’s withdrawal no policy agenda.
Keep Gates as Sec Def!
If you survive your 1st hour in combat, you find you have learned more than you could in 240 hours of classroom study. Forgeting that hour is almost impossible. Forgeting classroom lessons is easy. Ask someone with a silver star, if you can get him or her to talk about it.
Classroom study and simulations can condition your response, but it does not prepare your for the smell, the shock and the real finality of making a mistake.
Hey what combat experience did Rumy have???
OH, I guess some consider squash to be like war.
Ivy League education and academia do not prepare anyone for anything — other than academia. While SECDEF is a far cry from being in the trenches, I would think that some real-world experience would be a pre-requisite.
Many people, regardless of gender, have been appointed to positions that they were not really “qualified” for, and done a great job. That being said, I agree that Harvard and Oxford? Fancy names on that piece of paper that hang on the wall, and not really much to recommend qualification.
Oh…and did you notice?
“Ms. Flournoy, a graduate of Harvard and Oxford, made her bones as a DoD worker bee with the Clinton Administration.“
Where is this famous “change” that Obama promised was coming to Washington?
Did we re-elect Clinton when I was not looking?
let’s see now, Madeline albright to the UN, Hillary to state, this lady as secdef; will any jobs be left for white males?
Sounds like another Monica!
As long as the new Sec Def actually goes out on FACT finding missions with a panel of battle hardened VETERANS on their staff to IRAQ & AFGN, ANY choice should be an improvement on Rumsfeld.
The crucial issues for the next four years:
1.) Restoring quality VETERAN leadership with an emphasis on GROUND operations among the Joint Chiefs. Any general or admiral that hasn’t been directly involved with the GWOT within the last THREE years has GOT to be relieved of command !
2.) Completely overhauling the DoD Procurement System.
“Lowest Bidder” is due for the cemetery. Case in point >
battle hardening the HMV cost more than a different brand new vehicle if you through in the original cost AND the up armor process. Lets try the body armor debacle for another example.
3.) Insuring all mobilized, deployed troops get full digital medical records at their MOBE sites BEFORE leaving for a combat zone and continuing through their tour of duty.
4.) Reviewing ALL wasteful, non-productive programs to trim
the DoD budget where it is actually needed. PORK !
5.) More inter-service integration when it comes to vehicles.
The Marines have some great ones, the Army needs to look at where and when they can combine contracts to save money and lives.
Any comments against this potential Sec. of Def. sound like they can easyly apply to Condy Rice…
Oh boy.…
Hold on to your hats folks, we’re in for a serious free fall.
Has anybody noticed all of the Harvard grads???
Another poster stated Obama’s policy: “you would know he’s in favor of a phased and realistic withdrawal.“
Gee, that sounds a lot like Bush’ policy, the one that Obama has been decrying as “the failed policies of the last eight years.“
Big change.
Yet more temporary help that has never worn a uniform. No thanks.
Sorry I missed the fun. I’ve been on travel ahead of the holidays and trying to wrap up a capstone project before Christmas.
Marc,
I will bet you dollars to donuts I have been going to school longer and earning college credit from more colleges and universities than anyone you know, and that’s not including hours I CLEP’d to skip most of my freshman year, or any Air University and Marine Corps University credit (yes they are accredited schools)–Hazards of pursuing engineering/science degrees while on active duty.
My beef is with so-called elite schools that are really more exclusive these days. They trade on their previosly earned prestige while in reality they’ve degenerated into some kind of post-hippy-takeover, politically-correct, sheepskin factory with a ready-made old-boy network to help move them along. When I get a stack of resumes and job applications, the “exclusive” school guys start at the bottom of the stack and have to earn their way up in the interview. Occassionally one of these guys comes along that actually does know F=ma AND that you can’t push with a rope AND doesn’t have an overarching sense of entitlement — so he or she will get a shot.
Higher Ed? I LOVE it and will always remain true to my schools. Heck, I plan to teach grad school in my retirement.
GO Seawolveswildcatsaggieseaglesbeaverseagles!!!