Counterterrorism adviser John Brennan to replace David Betray-us...an excellent pick.

For the Pentagon, I prefer Michele Flournoy is a better choice to be the first female as Defense Secretary.

From Wikipedia: Flournoy is the former Under Secretary of Defense for Policy of the United States. She was confirmed in the position by the U.S. Senate on February 9, 2009 and was at the time the highest-ranking woman to hold a post at the Pentagon in the facility's history. Flournoy founded and was named President of the Center for a New American Security (CNAS) in 2007. Prior to co-founding CNAS with Kurt Campbell,^[2] she was a Senior Adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, where she worked on a broad range of defense policy and international security issues.

For more, please visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mich%C3%A8le_Flournoy

I suppose for the sake of being against everything and everyone that Obama nominates and works for the republican'ts ( repug. nuts) will be against this appointment as well. What do the republican'ts support beside cuts in spending that they originally voted for? That and starting another war so the military can have a bigger budget and less cuts while protecting the rich!

And now time for GOP to find something wrong with every pick Obama has chosen.

Pigotry...you must be insane. The LAST thing we need is anyone like Flournoy heading the DoD from the Center for a New American Century. They're nothing but a bunch of neocons who love starting pre-emptive wars like Dick Cheney, Paul Wolfowitz, and Donald Rumsfeld. Do you want another 100,000 American soldiers dead in unwinnable Middle Eastern conflicts? How about another $2 Trillion flushed down the toilet? Thank god you don't have nominating power to the DoD....we'd be in a perpetual state of war if we had it your way.

Another appointment named by Obama??

NOPE.

Sincerely,

The republicon party

Hey, Sir Kit (comment #1.4)

it's Center for a New American Security Michele Flournoy helped found; not the pigorant Center for a New American Century (the birthplace of crazy neo-cons).

Usually the Senate will not have problem with a nominee like Hagel - one of their own. But from the rhetoric so far, there can be problems, at least sharp questioning, from Senate RepubliCONs during Hagel's confirmation process.

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) is already crying wolf, saying that by nominating Hagel, Obama has started his second term with an 'in-your-face' attitude toward the RepubliCONs.

There will be plenty of Democrats that have a problem with Hagel. They will most likely be afforded cover rather then having to cast a no vote once it is known he can be confirmed without them. If not they can expect some huge offers to buy their votes. I wonder if liberals will treat them the same as the Republicans that do not support the Hagel nomination? Or will this just be another example in the endless parade of liberal hypocrisy?

The Return of the White Male Cabinet. All this tells me is that Hope and Change is out the window.

President Obama always looks at who is best for the position, He has a few Rep's in his cabinet now. Hagel is a good match and President Obama Trust this man. That is all that matters. What the Rep's think don't matter one little bit. I predict we sill see Chris Christy will become a Dem. Like Charlie Chist. Charlie will be In Obama's Cabinet her.

Also from Wikipedia:

John O. Brennan (born September 22, 1955) is chief counterterrorism advisor to U.S. President Barack Obama; officially his title is Deputy National Security Advisor for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism, and Assistant to the President.^[1][2][3] His responsibilities include overseeing plans to protect the country from terrorism and respond to natural disasters, and he meets with the President daily.^[4][5] Previously, he advised Obama on foreign policy and intelligence issues during the 2008 presidential campaign and transition.^[6] Brennan withdrew his name from consideration for Director of the CIA in the new Obama administration over concerns about his support for the use of "enhanced interrogation" techniques by the CIA under President George W. Bush.^[2][4]Instead, Brennan was appointed Deputy National Security Advisor, a position which did not require Senate confirmation."

Oh yeah, we really want this guy. His track record is swell. And ofcourse, we already know about John Kerry, the scum who went to Nam for the metals. Wow. So this is the democratic party. Voice no desention, Obama can do no wrong. QE4 millions on food stamps, taxes sky high and not likely to go down; we all know once a government program always a government program but what the heck? Once again, this guy stays in government as an appointee. Nothing wrong here, look away, look away.

Hey PIG

You sort-a forgot to add a few democrats to your list:

Schumer isn’t the only Democrat to watch as the confirmation battle begins. New Jersey Sen. Robert Menendez, the expected chair of the Foreign Relations Committee in the next Congress, is a leading Democratic hawk on Iran whose views on the subject are at odds with Hagel’s. Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey, representing a swing state where Jewish voters are a key constituency, is another stalwart ally of Israel who is likely to be under pressure to oppose Hagel. And the minyan of Jewish Democratic senators, particularly Maryland Sen. Ben Cardin, New Jersey Sen. Frank Lautenberg, Michigan Sen. Carl Levin and California Sen. Dianne Feinstein, will be worth watching closely.

Don't ya just hate it when you are Found-Out. Keep up the good work tho, maybe someday someone will believe you.

Thank you Times.

I don't think that you know what you claim that Kerry did wrong. He testified before Congress for what many of us knew to be true. The war policies of the day was turning us (your soldiers) into war criminals. He did a great thing for the American Soldiers. He did not condem the War only the way the soldiers were being used. What the heck would you know you have been nowhere and done nothing. Your just a Troll that does nothing but repeat what other Trolls say. Can you spell Fact Check?

there is nothing left in American pride. the President qualification is community organizers, his church hates America, he has bombers as friends. Hilary is queen of cover up. Kerry shoots himself in ass to get a medal and leave Vietnam. The sen the sponsored him drowned a girl that he knocked up. and now Hagel. America should be proud. or is it there no pride left. only losers

Michele Flournoy is way to academic for the DOD. Theory is great, but the DOD is about operations and needs someone that trully knows about ops from experience. Not from textbooks. And she left the DOD just before the re-election when it looked like Obama would not win the election; it seems that her [dis]loyality has been re-paid in kind since she at the top of the short-list.

Miss Piggy, why would it be necessary to pick a woman? Shouldn't it be the BEST qualified candidate? I don't mind if it is a woman, it just shouldn't be a reason to pick her. Just list her qualifications and let it go at that, none of this..."First woman Sec. of Def.". Sheesh.

And last time I checked, no where near 100,000 soldiers were killed in Iraq and Afghanistan. Just the facts Sir Kit. Like Viet Nam was a Democratic war (First Kennedy and then Johnson) where there were 58K killed.

Remember that one 6dogs? It was two Democratic Presidents who threw those lives away. Yet we never hear about that on these boards, do we. I wonder why?

Brennan is not a good choice, he is unwilling to approve of interrogation techniques that would keep America safe.

Brennen is head of the Drone program that kills innocent people and yet the Democrats are in favor of him, very strange. He has increased the use of drones in Yemen a country that we have no declared war with.

I personally do not have a problem with the drones as an evil Republican but to Democrats who thought that water boarding is torture why is indiscriminate bombing an thing you are OK with.

This Brennan guy sounds like a good pick on the face of it. He sounds like he is an experienced CIA person, which would be the logical choice for that institution. Unlike Patreaus, perhaps he will know how to be a spy. I do not know anything about him so it is hard to say what I think of him yet. I always wished Fred Rustmann would be chosen, and I even thought of writing a letter to Obama to suggest he choose him; but I was not sure if Fred Rustmann would be comfortable under Obama. Fred Rustmann would want to restore the CIA to its cold war glory.

Sometimes I think Republicans are better at national security (in general) but lousy when it comes to economics. If it were up to me (if I were president), I'd assign national security posts to mostly Republicans and assign Democrats to positions that have to do with the home, especially anything economic.

Note: I do not know which party Rustmann is in, although it seems Republicans like him.

Empress, Ditto. I too would LOVE Fred Rustmann to be CIA director but like you I did not think he would want to serve under Obama so I did not write the President either. I know nothing of this man. I hope he will be good. On the surface he sounds promising. I sure wish it were Mr. Rustmann because I know beyond All doubt that Mr. Rustmann would fix the CIA to it's "Old Guard" levels like in say 1966 or so. Then the CIA was second to none! The "Ground Floor" people were still there. I would be so happy to hear Mr. Rustmann say to some press person; "No Comment". then with dignity walk away. I can easily visualize Mr. Rustmann doing that. He does carry himself well. I can only hope in 2016 that the next President will be more CIA friendly and that Mr. Rustmann has the famous "Mathusala" gene to be CIA director then. I can dream, can't I.

Who is John Galt? Who is John Brennan? Who is who? The resume looks good on paper so probably he will be appointed. Who can say who is better?

alan_static has a fan_tastic burning question...just look at the avatar

I nominate the Joker.

alan_static

Which one, they are all Jokers.

I for one want who is best for the job, Man or woman. We get to a place that we put someone up for a job there are not able to do , but just because they are a woman, of a person of color. We need to start to but people up that are the best person for the job. President Obama picked Chuck Hagel. I Heard John McCain's side kick winning about Hagel because he wont Kiss Israel's ass. I think we need people that will stand up to Israel. Israel thinks they can do what ever they want, when ever they want and don't care about anyone else. I have no problem with Israel defending herself, But they keep doing things to bring this on there self. So that is there doings, But leave us out of it. I can't for the life of me, understand why the powers that be decided to place Israel where they did. The World can never have peace. So I agree with Chuck Hagel. He was a US Senator not a Israel Senator. He put America first, Not Israel. That is what our Congress and Senate and white house should be doing. America first. And there Oaths of office are to the American people first and not to Big business and most certainly not to a foreign Country, Even if it is Israel.

I'm a dem and I hate this nomination. This is the worst decision he's ever made. J Brennan is the biggest fearmonger in DC right now. To nominate a parinoid, torture-advocating freak to ANYTHING national security related is simply foolish. He couldn't be in a nominated position during O's first administration because of his stance on pro-torture, so O put him in his cabinet where no nomination was needed. He's a fearmongering menace there and he'll be a fearmongering menace at the CIA. Get rid of him!

This is for you Trolls that claim Obama is a communist/socialist etc. I was wondering where you got that dumb Idea from.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_czars_of_the_Obama_administration

here is something abour John Brennen.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disposition_Matrix

Chuck, try living daily with the thought your neighbors will blow you up. I'm not a huge fan of Israel as I think we spend too much money there, but I understand their position. And if you refer to the Palestine issue, look at the original map of Palestine and you'll see Jordan, Syria and Lebanon got chunks of their country, yet we don't here the Palestinians complaining about that or blowing up these countries. It's a religious war.

Whoa....6dogs, that Disposition Matrix makes this Brennan guy out to be a real Darth Vader. Thanks for sharing it.

Disposition Matrix is a kill list for bad guys. I wish we could add a few CEO's to that list. They would be "economic terrorists."

OK it looks like this Brennan is a tough guy. Well we will need one. I hope he thinks like Fred Rustmann about CIA policy matters. Does anyone know if this Mr. Brennan likes or agrees with Mr. Rustmann? I found out by reading CIA Case Officer stuff that they can see things very differently than one another. At present time the CIA has excepted Foreign born people right in HQ in Langley since 1999 so it is now more international than it used to be. In short it is not your daddy's CIA, rats. I liked it better when the CIA prioritized American interests over all else. Even though I disagree with the policy change I did love the book he(this man wrote and respect his CIA job he did. He still did his duty well. I just prefer the Rustmann view on policy. Rustmann wrote another book which I also read. But I would still gladly "go to tea" with either man since I still respect both. I agree with one over the other but I can still learn from both and be polite and have respect for both. I never want disagreement to be confused with how I would treat a man or have respect for a man. Only if malicious intent was found would I loose respect and that I trust my judgement especially my instincts when eyes meet. Eyes are windows to the soul and tell very much.

Well said @ Bad bob!

Not well said, BadBob. Its important to get the right person for the job; you belittle the mere questioning. You sound like a control freak. You sound like you worship the President and that neither he or the people he places into UNELECTED positions can do no wrong. President Obama isn't even advised to tell the truth when he makes a mistake. So much for transparancy. John Kerry is a known Viet Nam metal collector and Brennon probably did more than just "favor" torture techniques during the Bush administration. Brennon had to decline a position what would have to have been approved by congress because he could never have made it, not because he was tired of political life. Since then he's been "assigned" a government position and its going to happen again today.

We have millions of people in this country. Out of those millions, there has to be at least a few good men or women who are more fit for this position then the likes of these two. I could care less if Kerry threw his metals in the face of congress so long ago. He didn't do it with a sense of personal conviction, he did it for PR. Since his run for president, he's been in the wings. Why, OH WHY, is he still in Washington? Why do we continue to vote these people in election year after election year? Why don't we just glue his ass to the walls of congress? Oh wait... he'll be representing us around the world.

Am I a republican? Am I? Can you tell? NO. Nor am I a democrat. But if I was, I'd be ashamed of the current drone police state that has become America and the "Never Ending War on Terror" that you democrats hated until a democrat was elected.

Now, it's OK to go into Libya; its OK to go into Syria. Its OK to kill people with drones. Its OK for the President to KILL anyone he wants, anywhere in the world. Corporations ARE PEOPLE and money is free speech. You have some nerve talking about Republicans, socks, and American cheese. YOU are the very sort of person I am most appalled with. Your comments scream you think our government is a game and just because you rooted for the winning team, your thoughts and feelings are echoed in Washington.

Stick with the food and the clothing.

@sygh,

Do you know the difference between "medals" and "metal"? Apparantly not from your continued missuse of "metals" for "medals". The "d" and the "t" are nowhere near each other on the keyboard so you cannot claim a simple typo here.

I agree sygh, every cabinet post needs to be questioned. Once he or she is in, only the President can fire him/her. No one should be bashing anyone from Congress (read Democrat or Republican) for asking questions.

Bob Burnham

Hear the latest? YOUR Taxes are going UP as is insurance ( by 20%)... LOL obama screwed you too...

Opppps... Sorry, you don't pay into the system, you are one of the 47%... Never Mind this post.

Bob...

Bla, bla, bla, bla, bla... same old tired meaningless drivel. NO thought behind your statement. No questioning. Questioning is BAD! I hope think about what I'm going to write instead of tossing meaningless and belittleing insults out into the public.

Republicans can't question anything because democrats aren't questioning anything!

Oh, and about that government insurance "thingy" since we seem to be talking in ga-ga terms, its a TAX. The Supreme Court calls it a TAX. What did your democratic party call it even after the Supreme Court ruled on it? OH NO, it's not a tax. Nothing to see here, look away, look away.

Last time I checked, the fiscal cliff has just been pushed down the road. The tax thing has been resolved, (unless you listened to Nancy Pelosi on Face the Nation when she said there needed to be MORE in closing loopholes, which could be a problem because what she considers a loophole, others consider vital), but the spending and debt issue is a bigger hurdle which still needs to be faced.

...an Irishman who speaks Arabic...sounds like an interesting fellow....

Irish. I guess that will be good on St. Patrick's day. He will have a good time at the pub.

kid, need to look at your numbers again, its been 7.8 for I think since Nov. By the way this isnt the forum for that discussion.

san antonio kid

Because obama got reelected and that does not matter any more... Just like ALL THE JOBS he and his Czar created... LMAO

QE4 is amazing, isn't it? Our Federal Reserve is buying our debt to the tune of 85 billion a day. Dugh? Obama just passed a huge military spending bill too. So much for the budget.

times-running-out Czar have been borking in the American Government. The first time I heard the word Czar was when the first President Bush named some guy as the drug Czar. Now I could be wrong on this but bush2 had more Czars that President Obama.

...best of luck ... to the Fighting Irish tonite against Alabama.

Why not? Since dead people vote, why can't they head the CIA?

He could bring his pro-torture stance to employee annual reviews? That might be interesting...

the tea party labeled him as too socialist

Jesus was against capitalism - criticizing money-lending.

Jesus was a gay hippy. He hung around with 12 guys who adored him, he had long hair and wore sandles without any visiable means of support. He must have been part of the 47%.

In all seriousness, I think the Teapublicans will do everything in their power to continue to be obstructionist. Maybe Obama should appoint Michele Bachmans as Defense Secretary and Herman Cain as director of the CIA.

personally, I would choose Bachman as secretary of health and human services, and Cain as department of treasury (9,9,9).

I'd nominate Mitt as diector of SETI so he could find new planets to outsource jobs to

I heard the democrats were all on scropolomine.

I heard all democrats worship Satan. I heard the democripts all wore blue bandannas. I heard most democrats believed President Obama could read their hearts and minds. I heard all democrats think Mr. Obama walks on water. I heard all democrats fear to question President Obama because he's a man of color. I heard all democrats were poor , downtrodden, and on the government dole. I heard democrats didn't hold jobs on Wall Street and that no democrat ever headed a global corp. I heard no democrat ever did business in another country, outsourced jobs or took apart a business for the money. I heard all democrats do drugs. I heard democrats were intolerant. I heard all democrats live on a six-pack and a dream. I heard that the democratic party was at one time the most racist lynch mob around and that they'd kill black people if they didn't vote for the democratic ticket and long after the Civil War. (ABSOLUTELY TRUE which is why I am amazed at how many black people are democrats to this day.) I heard that the majority of democrats wouldn't know what the kundalini force was if it bit them on the butt. I heard all democrats spy on their neighbors.

I heard the democratic party is having a great time insulting and degrading anyone who questions political policies like bullies in the school yard. Aren't you proud of yourselves?

Uh, I see more christian values with the Republican party then the Democratic party, which couldn't even agree until the last minute to open their convention with a prayer. And let's not forget the religion of our President (no, not Musli , but rather the Reverend Wright). That's kinda out there.

And you are uninformed.

did time run out???

Lori W-2777522

Had to rewind the clock

Yhbua

Bi-Partisanship? Now that has to be the biggest Joke I have seen on this thread..

"It's My way or the highway'

Will not deal on rasing the limit...

And you call that Bi-Partisan... Now that is funny

Relentless persecution of Bill Clinton? Are you kidding me? Do you know where rich people are sticking their money so they don't have to pay taxes these days? They are putting them into non-profit foundations. You are aware of the non-profit Clinton Global Initiative, right? GEEZE! Do the leg work, PLEASE! I'm not asking you, I'm begging you, OK? You do understand you are a world apart from that sort of finance, right?

Understand what I'm trying to get across here. I am thrilled we finally have a man of color as President. Thrilled! As far as I'm concerned, that should have happened decades ago. I cherish the differences and actually seek them out in wonder and awe. The differences we have are the best part of exploring life and living it to the fullest, It's called respect, OK? That said...

This country is not divided due to race but because of policy. Our country is now known as the biggest bully there ever was around the world. We are now openly supporting Al Qaeda. Doesn't that beg the question of how long? Believe me when I say Bush was a snake in the grass who now owns 100,000 acres of land over an aqueduct in Paraguay but I won't fool myself into thinking the U.S. government has a government left that is bi-partisan. Its no longer about what the democrats want or the republicans want... it is all about how to go about Globalization, the NWO and there's the rub. The political agenda is one and the same for both parties. For years anyone who mentioned Globalization was nuts. Now, anyone who doesn't go along with it is nuts. I wish it was about the environment but its not, elsewise we would be seeing a different picture being painted.

You do know the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) does not exist within the confines of the U.S. government, right? It is a quasi-government entity at best. Ok, so taking orders from the CFR is not the same as taking orders from Congress, right? Would I be picking Hillary Clinton if I were to report the fact that she took her orders from the CFR and the U.N? She said it herself, not me! This is all about MONEY, great big heaping gobs of it to be made!! This is all about "Free Trade" (not free by any means). This is all about corporations taking over on a world government scale. This is all about dividing the U.S. up into pieces being owned by other countries. This is all about who will own blue gold. There is no such thing as "Too big to fail?" Really? Since when? Since just now.

Now, corporations are individuals on a global scale and money is free speech? Yes, this is how it is going. Our country acts like the mad dog attacking any leader of any country who doesn't go along with the agenda and you tell me this is good?

Make no mistake, the days of the dollar are numbered. We will be going plastic and RFID with a world currency. The difference between the rich and the poor will be so VAST few, if any will be able to make the transition. Don't kid yourself that, that's going to work in your favor or even be fair to anyone else in the world. We have people who want to run the entire world and that is the truth of it.

Oh, and I forgot to add... I'd much rather be at the top of this heap than on the bottom. Especially at this scale. And I'm not fear mongering... go get yourself a global currency card from the IMF. What? You don't have one yet? Anyone who is anyone has one, or didn't you know? You are behind the times. RFID chips are also available for your commercial convenience. Care for a TSA feel-up? How bout the new way the police are doing highway cavity searches? Yes, this is happening! Homeland Security... you are going to be so fricking secure, aren't you? Or, aren't you? How could it ever affect we little people?

Time, I like the part where the President wanted the power to raise the debt limit without Congress. Talk about the Fox in the hen house. I wouldn't want ANY president with that power.

He's a Bushie at heart who embraced torture. He should be rejected.

Yep, he was a Bush-era lap-dog that initiated pro-torture. He needs to go.

If he's so bad, then why did our President nominate him? (Or at least say he would nominate him. Doesn't that fly into the face of your support of the President?)

Uh, just a few facts. The KGB worked on internal security as well as foreign security, where the CIA is prohibited from doing anything internal. That's the FBI's domain. And just another fact, EVERY country has a security apparatus. Why? To protect our the country. It was the CIA who found Bin Laden. And many, many thwarted attacks against this country were because of the CIA. It has it's problems, but it is a necessary evil as long as there are people in this world who want to dominate it.

We have to have an institution like the CIA. Think about it. We would be on the wrong end of everybody else's spies. As far as CIA only dealing outside the country and the FBI inside, the lines are a bit muddy. The FBI has done stuff overseas (stuff that is more cop-like). The CIA will watch foreigners inside the US as well.

The powerful CIA ended in the early 70's after a series of witch hunts by the congress. If you think about it, from 1947 until the early 70's, the US was at the peak of its power in the world; and that was when the CIA was its strongest. When they did their job fully, we did not get stuck in as many sticky wars and overseas messes. What they did at times may have been "Dark," but the alternative was so much worse. Notice how after the early 70's, things went down hill? Notice that now these foreign countries push us around? That is because we have a diminished CIA.

This is an interview with Fred Rustmann, a CIA officer of high rank who goes back as far as the cold war.
http://www.newsmax.com//Manage/Videos/VideoGallery/Rustmann#ooid=VoaGZrMzqZkDRzSYzOM_zuaYPcSD78Kp
It is on the issue of covert operations and the need for the CIA to be strong.

I do not know much about this new choice of director, but I hope he will be better than what we have had lately. The effectiveness of the CIA is not just the CIA itself, but also the "customer," that is the politicians, etc. who tell them what they want from them. Often, the politicians want bad things.

Empress, Ditto and again Ditto. You really said it well here. I agree 100%. I might add when the CIA did do stuff in our borders they helped us be glued together more than people knew. They preformed the function of a glue. This little known activity contributed very much to American good will towards one another. This was a quiet "Ground Floor" CIA action that was one of the first things cut sadly. Because this very nice program was So Secret we have no English word for it's function. So I am stuck using a German approximate, Gau system.

Then why don't you apply for the job?

Last time I checked, cheating on one's wife was apolitical. The same goes for liars. And Petraus is a Democrat or at least a favorite of the Democrats, as he was on their team.

Whatever he did or knew he would not likely say. Isn't the CIA a SECRET organization?

If he is a good CIA person we should not know what he knew because the CIA is supposed to be secret and we should fight to keep it that way.

it led to Bin Laden getting killed

That is what should be done to Boehner and his Tea party gang before we let them cast any votes on anything to do with the budget or the debt ceiling.

C'mon Yhbua, I was willing to listen to you, but now you've gone batty. The Tea Party is based on history, unfair taxation. And while I don't agree with the TP, I do believe they have the right to have their voice heard, just as you do. But to label Senator's Cruz and Rubio as trained by Pinochet teachers is just wrong. Pinochet butchered his own people. I haven't seen anything like this from either of these Senators. And I think the Tax Bill was wrong, but don't have a problem with the compromise. It's what makes this country great. COMPROMISE! Something this country is solely lacking. But people like you, who have labels for anyone who doesn't agree with you, makes you as bad as the people you vilify.

"Deficits Don't matter Cheney" What a novel idea. Also John Boehner would solve a lot of problems for everyone and he would be a shoo-in.