A Handpicked Team for a Foreign Policy Shift
Many are surprised by Obama’s choice of bringing three veteran politicians, “cold warriors” known for their hawkish views, into his future cabinet which will take power in January. However, all three of them – Hillary Clinton, Robert Gates, and James Jones, promise to embrace Obama’s priorities and subordinate themselves to his regime. Still, many find it more doubtful now to expect the Pentagon’s funding to be reduced in favor of other projects promised by Obama’s campaign.
It has been noticed during the campaign that despite his overall soft talk and appeal to pacifism in the American electorate, Obama consistently chose politicians and intellectuals known for their hawkish views to accompany him. He has also, in brief statements, advocated unilateral strikes against Pakistan and Sudan – something which even the Republicans haven’t explicitly claimed to favor. His choice of Susan E. Rice as the UN ambassador may also indicate a tougher policy in that direction. But in any case, time will tell how these cold warriors will really behave in the new environment.