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Commander in Chief Obama… With a Little Help From His Friends
While the economy, the environment, health-care and education will all be key issues in November, the choice for president will almost certainly come down to the critical issues of the war in Iraq and all issues relating to foreign and military policy.
If you thought Hillary Clinton played the “3 AM call” card, wait til you see what John McCain has up his sleeve.
As great a candidate as Barack Obama is, he will certainly be facing an up-hill battle against McCain on these core issues.
Obama’s one and only foreign policy credential is his constant and unwavering opposition to the war in Iraq. When you consider what an unmitigated disaster the war has been, that is no small credential.
McCain, on the other hand, has been a staunch supporter of the war and has made no bones about his intentions of prolonging the war for an indefinite period of time (a time-frame, it would seem, up to 100 years).
But, the fact remains that McCain has far more military and foreign policy experience than Obama. He was educated in the military, served in the military and was a genuine military hero.
Obama can’t suddenly invent foreign policy experience. That’s why it is imperative that he surround himself with advisors with significant military and foreign policy experience.
Once he has nailed down the Democratic Party’s nomination, one of Obama’s first steps should be to secure two key Cabinet posts: Secretary of State and Secretary of Defense. While such announcements are usually made after the election, Obama needs to get these people on board immediately.
SECRETARY OF STATE
Whatever difficulties Joe Biden and Obama have had in the past, Obama should select Biden as his Secretary of State. Biden’s foreign policy experience is unmatched in the Senate. As Chairman of the Senate’s Foreign Relations Committee, and a committee member since 1975, Biden has encyclopedic knowledge of all key matters relating to foreign policy. He has been to Iraq eight times and has personal relationships with key political and military figures in the region.
As Secretary of State, Biden would serve Obama well, advising on Iraq, Iran and every other political and military hot spot in the world.
SECRETARY OF DEFENSE
While Biden would bring incredible diplomatic experience to the Obama presidency, the job of Secretary of Defense should be given to Colin Powell. This selection would be met with resistance from many in the Democratic Party, but it shouldn’t. Powell is the perfect choice.
Despite Powell’s role in the events that led us into the debacle in Iraq, the fact remains that Powell not only is the finest military mind we have, but is an experienced military commander.
While the Democratic Party has long been the party of peace, the sad fact is that we do face military threats on many fronts.
Iraq may be the wrong place for us to be deploying the bulk of our military forces, but we must be prepared to use force (along with diplomacy) on other fronts. Powell’s biggest crime was allowing Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld undermine him at every step.
Powell’s performance in front of the United Nations, a performance fueled by his loyalty to his Commander in Chief, helped to pave the way for our invasion of Iraq. This act cannot be completely forgiven.
But, for the sake of an Obama victory in November, we need to forgive and move on.
The team of Obama, Biden and Powell will not only offer America security, but the combination of strength and diplomacy gives us the best shot at peace in the coming years.
Comments (8)
With the exception of a single speech he gave in Chicago before an anti-war crowd when Obama was not yet a Senator, he can't claim to be any different than Hillary on the war. Since joining the Senate he has voted exactly the same as Hillary on all war issues. He has voted differently from Hillary only once, and that was on a non-war related issue. McCain will make you well aware of this fact.
May 6, 2008 1:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
I've never heard anyone explain why they think that is relevant? There are troops in the combat zone now. Decisions about whether or not to fund them and at what levels are fundamentally different, and more importantly, FUNDAMENTALLY SECONDARY to decisions about whether or not to send them in the first place.
I'm happy to see Obama and McCain square off on the topic of Iraq. The decision to go to war? An unmitigated disaster. The surge? A shell game and, even worse, an impotent flop without the Al-Maliki cease fire, as is now being proven. The big picture issue of whether it makes us safer, helps us capture and kill Bin Laden and other Senior Taliban and Al Qaeda leaders? A total debacle. Obama is definitely stronger than McCain on this one, just as he is stronger than Clinton on it.
If the war isn't a success, how can someone who supported it before it began even attempt to be critical of someone who opposed it? I guess she hasn't read a briefing on that logic either.
May 6, 2008 1:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
I mean really: John McCain supports the war because he thinks it is a good idea and a critical part of the war on terror. That's a fundamentally different conversation than Hillary's argument, which is that she was for the war before she was against it. When you boil it down, she got outsmarted by George W. Bush.
May 6, 2008 1:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
Glad to know that you'll be supporting McCain in the fall, then Otto!
May 6, 2008 1:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
While the idea of announcing key positions early might be a good idea this year with the Democrats being delay getting into the general, Obama first and foremost needs a great VP choice who will bring something to counter McCain's military credentials. Some one like Jim Webb would be great but we can't afford to have his Virginia seat go Republican.
Biden might be a good pick for Sec of State but only if he and Obama could be on the same page on the direction Obama wants to take foreign policy.
Powell is a terrible choice. It was his willingness to aid Bush in selling the war that insured it would happen. Too many people who were skeptical were swayed because of him. He sold his soul.
Obama could really show his unity message by tapping Chuck Hagel. His conservative social views would not matter in the Defense dept.
May 6, 2008 1:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
I agree with your thinking on this, katjam. Powell? With the force of a thousand suns, NO. And involving Biden is fine if Dems can hold his seat, but not as Secretary of State. He is captain gaffe, and doesn't really project the "strength and diplomacy" thing too well. He has the perfect seat right where he is. We will need veteran leadership in Congress. Hagel seems to have a genuine, principaled respect for the military (as opposed to the posturing that a lot of people tend to do).
Generally, I like the idea of Senator Obama assembling a team and putting that team out in front of a room full of reporters and saying "This is who I want to invite to advance America's interests in my Administration. I'm turning the page on neocons who hide behind the flag but don't make America safer. I'm turning the page on the partisan politics that have infected the Defense, Diplomatic, and Intelligence communities. I'm restoring a healthy respect for internationalism, the rule of law, and rational decision making at the highest level of government. John McCain represents the weaknesses of the past. We represent the strength of the future."
May 6, 2008 1:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
A better selection for Secretary of State would be Bill Richardson. Biden can be more useful in the Senate.
Sam Nunn would be at the top of the list of prospects for Secretary of Defense in an Obama administration. Colin Powell would not make the list.
May 6, 2008 1:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
biden should be veep
and colin powell is a war criminal. did you forget that he actually sat in on the meetings in which our govt openly discussed how to torture detainees?
May 6, 2008 2:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
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