Gates the only possible choice for SecDef

[Hawkowl]

Now I must say I don't like Gates because of his Iran Contra involvement and past work for rethuglican criminal administrations. I wanted him tossed out on his ignominious ass. However, I just had a bit of an epiphany.

Gates has already switched his allegiance from the president to the president elect. Gates is already talking about accelerating the Iraq troop withdrawl and implementing Obama's ideas. Obama has effectively seized some major control of the Iraq occupation and Afghanistan war. Brilliant. Contrary to Obama's blah, blah, "there's only one president at a time" rhetoric, his choice of Gates, and Gates actions after meeting with Obama, are showing otherwise.

There is a power struggle between Obama and shrub that is not being reported by the MSM. With Bush's attempts at "burrowing" political operatives into civil service jobs and his flurry of executive orders and rules changes, Obama has countered by seizing the SecDef. Obama is turning out to be a grandmaster chess player. I hope Mr. President Elect has a lot more going on behind the scenes, such as neutering the arch-thief Paulson.

Bush is going to cause as much damage as he possibly can because he desperately wants the next president to look worse than he does. Apparently Obama knows this and is employing a counter strategy.

[On the Road]

1. That Angle Hadn't Occurred to Me

but I can get behind Gates as long as he is able to competently and enthusiastically implement Obama's policies. Which he might. Good generals should not be partisan warriors.

[Voice for Peace]

2. love the chess metaphor

"Obama has countered by seizing the SecDef."

:fistbump:

[Jane Austin]

3. What a great observation

about seizing the SecDef!

[Thrill]

4. Commanders on the ground will feel free to speak now

I thought about this when Obama said he likes the 16 month timeframe, but will also listen to the commanders on the ground. Will be interesting. I wonder if they want to get out of there even quicker than Obama. My guess is these guys aren't happy with that agreement that was signed.

[Hawkowl]

5. Agree

I think the floodgates will open and commanders on the ground are going to start forwarding realistic reports up the chain of command. There is really no reason not to start pulling out troops immediately. The only reason we've kept up the occupation so long is to enrich Bush's war profiteers.

[TahitiNut]

6. The Obama "transition" will take at LEAST until Fall 2009.

Before he can actually make any progress whatsoever in areas that're predominantly in the Executive Branch's control, he has to get control over the Executive Branch. It's important, imho, to distinguish between agenda items that're predominantly a matter of legislation - and are, therefore, on Congress' plate - and agenda items that're a matter of redirection of the assets to the Executive Branch. The Cheney/Bush regime SATURATED both the Judiciary and the Executive Branches with 'True Believers' -- Reichbots. In the Executive Branch, key civil service positions down to GS15 and GS14 were populated with neocon soldiers. In the Department of Energy, the Justice Department, the State Department, and the Defense Department in particular, reichbots infested the administration visibly even as far back as early 2002. Just in the Office of the President, Cheney/Bush have wall-papered it with Executive Orders, signing statements, and all manner of toxic substances. The clean-up will take a great deal of effort.

The Budget is pretty much set in concrete through September ... and the Fiscal Year 2010 Budget has been proceeding through the three-tiered federal budget process apace. It'll take a great deal of focus to align that budget, even moderately, with the priorities of the Obama/Biden adminstration. I don't look for any ground to be covered at least until late 2009.

[Hawkowl]

7. Indeed

I fully agree with what you say. I think that is why Obama is working furiously behind the scenes to get as much control as possible. At least he can slow down the wholesale destruction of the outgoing Bush junta.

Unfortunately, as you point out, the budget is pretty much set. This means that the economy will continue to implode until it hits bottom next year at the earliest. Remedies enacted in January and February won't start until 2010 and we won't see results until probably early 2011.

In regards to staffing, I will be watching to see what kind of approach Obama takes. Will it be a Jacksonian approach with wholesale firings and new appointments of Obama loyalists? Or some other, new, Obamaian oblique approach. It is easier to fire people if Departments are broken up or re-combined in a reorganization. In any case, I think Obama has demonstrated with his Gates appointment a pragmatically brilliant approach to seizing power.

[TahitiNut]

8. I think the word "gestation" would be more apt than "transition."

It'll take at least 9 months from the inaugural/impregnation ... and lots of pre-natal care. All we're seeing right now is "foreplay" ... after the courtship.