OBAMA's NEW NATIONAL SECURITY TEAM--MUSICAL CHAIRS IN HIGH PLACES--This week President Obama announced a"new" national security team--If you expect positive change from this restructuring of personalities, forget it. The kindest thing that can be said is that is old sour wine in new bottles.

Leon Panneta changed his CIA Director chair for higher chair of Secretary of Defense; SECDEF Gates will try to fade away in retirement except when summoned for bad advice by those in Washington who reject official good advice.

Panetta was eaten alive by the CIA bureaucracy--increased deadly drone employment in Pakistan by over 200 percent during his tenure. And he protected the CIA Torture Club from prosecution'. On the positive side CIA analysis has improved ,albeit the decision makers do not appear to listen--take the Libyan war as the latest example.


When asked by congress why he increased drone attacks when they kill mostly non combatants. he wrapped himself in the flag and said he was defending America. This reply was nonsense. Diplomatic relations are unravelling with Pakistan over indiscriminate use of drones and as more non combatants are killed , terrorists against the US multiply.


At DEFENSE, Panetta just does not have deadly drones, he comparatively gets massive kill nuclear weapons on subs, missiles, and aircraft--he also has an Army , Navy and Air force and he can deploy paratroopers and Marines anywhere at a moments notice. Kinda makes you cringe when you think about it.

He fancies himself a man of congress-an amiable piasano, a warm fella with a shoeshine, a smile and glad hand--it remains to be see whether he ends more wars than he starts--keep your expectations low. Like Gates, he will get along with his military as long as it can keep its sacred cows,ie, wars and weapons. Like Gates he will cut the defense budget ,but spread it out over 10 years.--an extended time period when anything can happen so it can be changed by the future leadership.


General David Petraeus, aka by me as Saveus Petreaus, appointment at CIA explains the mystery of why he accepted the command US/NATO in Afghanistan stepping down from from a higher CENTCOM command--he took his sub ordinate's General Mc Crystal's job when Obama relieved him. Classic career case of step backwards and the two steps forward.


Based on hearsay ,Petraeus was washed up for biggest military jobs at the Joint Chief of staff or Chief of Staff of the Army. He had become the darling of the Neocons and high profile glory hound with his absurd counter insurgency strategy of surging more troops and more bribes for the local insurgents.--when the money and troops stop coming, like a big ponzi scheme, the strategy collapses--look at broken Iraq today or even better tomorrow. Eleven American troops died there this April.


My sense is that Petraeus and the Neocons brokered a deal with Obama to put Petraeus in CIA if he covered the President in Afghanistan after McCrystal's abrupt relief of command. Some contend that Obama put Petraeus at CIA to eliminate as a possible VEEP candidate in 2012--Patraeus is even less qualified for high political office than Sarah Palin, Donald Trump or Donald Duck. Military men traditionally are elected as president in the US only if they win wars. Petraeus just prolongs them.


Patraeus at CIA really is not a smart choice. With the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq still cooking, you do not want to hear a Patraeus warped view of situation defending his past actions now carrying a CIA portfolio. Stuff like the trajectory of the wars is good or there is progress, but gains are fragile and can be reversed is weasel word bullshit that is used to cover failure.


Obama, in Petraeus, has at best appointed an uncertain trumpet at CIA or at worst, one who undermines intelligence for his own or Neocon purposes. Remember the corruption of Slam Dunk Tenet and where it led.


The Penetta and Petraeus appointments are the most important in the recent Obama realignment as they bare the most on policy formulation

Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mullen's was replaced b Marine General Carthwright. Mullen will be remembered and not forgiven as the highest rank military officer who endorsed gays in the military. His deployment of aircraft carriers bottled up in the Persian Gulf is also questioned especially in the event of hostilities with Iran

As Petraeus assumes control of CIA he will probably bring some of his strange entourage with him. Now that General McCrystal has been rehabilitated again, do not be surprised if he does not turn up at CIA.

As you know Petraeus prides himself as a big idea man. Part of this concept apparently is an obsession for physical fitness. He jogs with his cohorts miles every day.. So under his new regime at CIA, pot- bellied gentlemen and plush-bottomed ladies need not apply. Colonel Robert E Bartos USA Ret.