Two days ago, I asked for thoughts on who will be the next Secretary of State, Secretary of Defense, Under Secretary of Public Diplomacy, National Security Advisor, and Director of National Intelligence for Obama or McCain? Who do you think and who do you want?
With the author’s permission, below is response to the above question that came through email. Hopefully spark a discussion in the comments (which are now working).
In a perfect, non-partisan world, here’s who I’d pick:
SECDEF: Michael Vickers. Excellent background in Special Forces, Intelligence Community, and private sector. Not Service-centric, young enough to be the bridge between the old school Pentagon Cold Warriors and the emerging COIN/SC new school.
SECSTATE: Robert Gates. “Gates was the smartest man…in government. His tenure at DOD is genius.” He wouldn’t do it, but he would be PERFECT to renovate the ailing State Dept.
U/S PD: [the author put me down, but moving on to others...]
National Security Advisor: David Kilcullen. Don’t know the legalities of having a foreign national serve as the head of the NSC, but I love the idea of throwing DK in to shake up the traditional system of executive national security management. I also like Michèle Flournoy from CNAS based on her Beyond-Goldwater Nichols work. Richard Clarke or Bob Gates would also be great choices.
DNI: Jim Woolsey. The problem with ODNI is that there are too many senior leaders there who do not understand the professional service of the CIA or the historical significance of the OSS. Woolsey does and could help make a lot of the needed reforms to the Intelligence Community.
ULTIMATELY, however, I think some of these positions need to be rethought or done away with entirely. If McCain has his way, I foresee ODNI getting sucked up into this new OSS-like organization he’s proposing and the U/S-PD becoming second fiddle to a new USIA director. As for Obama, pick anyone from CNAS: the majority of his exec branch will probably get selected from there.
Thoughts? Have an alternative list?
Will says:
Hadn’t thought og Kilcullen, but that’s a good idea.
I’d keep Gates at defense, add Andrew Bacevich at State. Like to see TX Hammes as navy secretary and Don Vandergriff at army.
purpleslog.wordpress.com says:
“National Security Advisor: David Kilcullen”
I believe this position is considered executive personal staff, not a cabinet position. If it isn’t legal, that would be by executive order – which President X could change anyways.
I like Gates for SecState, and he may go for that.
I would keep Richard Clarke away from everything.
I like Woolsey as an analysts and commentator, but I don’t recall that he was that good as an executive.
Tony Lake won’t get anything but in a Dem administration. He should never have security clearance again.
George Schultz is too old.
Rudy Giuliani would be a good administrator. Maybe as the Woosley #2? He could also be used to shape up or break apart DHS.
How about Zinni somewhere? Maybe he becomes Woolsey #2. Giving Woolsey a strong admin #2 would make that all work.
For Public Diplomacy…when is Gov Schwatzenwhatever term-limited?
Don Inbody says:
Robert Gates has been a real breath of fresh air at Defense. He should remain there, regardless of who is president, although I would not imagine he would agree to do it, even for McCain.
For SECSTATE, we probably need to bring back one of the old hands with real statesman credentials to get over the partisanship that has poisoned the entire process recently.
People I would like to see in a new administration?
Richard Holbrooke
Tony Lake
Thomas Pickering
Richard Armitage
Richard Haas
George Schultz
Rudy Giuliani
Anonymous says:
I think there’s some missing noms in there that would be critical to a well-oiled, collaborative cabinet even when your focus is the PD/information-based disciplines:
1. SECTREAS, SECCOM, and US Trade Rep: Historically, the Treasury Secretary has taken the lead on setting U.S. economic policy. However, that usually excludes the perspectives of the two other critical economic advisors to the President: Commerce Secretary and the U.S. Trade Representative, both of whom deal extensively in foreign economic issues. As you know, economic investment or currency control can be just as strong a message as troop deployments. There is a whole host of national security issues involved in the financial pieces to these areas as well, from threat finance to export control enforcement. I’m not sure how I would divvy up the span of control between these three cabinet–level positions, but here are a few potential ideas:
a) Michael Bloomberg, current mayor of NYC, for SECTREAS.
b) Warren Buffett, billionaire philanthropist, as USTR. (This position has a lot of foreign interaction, and Buffett is well-regarded overseas. Plus, he has some pretty insightful ideas on the intersection of economic policy, trade, and foreign policy.)
c) Robert Rubin, former Clinton SECTREAS and NEC Director. He probably wouldn’t come out of retirement but I think his dynamism in finance and economy in the past would help reinvigorate Commerce as a major player in U.S. economic policy.
2. Chairman, JCS: A good SECDEF needs a good military partner in the CJCS. I like Admiral Olson, current SOCOM Commander, for this because of his understanding of COIN, SC, future warfare, and SF’s role in that. The Service Chiefs will always be looking out for their tribes, and you need a strong tribal shaman to weigh their influence against the right thing to do. Olson could be that guy. Another option would be retired Lt Gen Gregory Newbold, one of the generals who retired in protest of Rumsfeld’s running of the war. I doubt he’d come back to active duty, but he has some solid ideas about the way to run the military.
3. DNI & CIA: There are some massive problems between these organizations in the IC. While I think Woolsey wouldn’t be a bad DNI, I might rather put a career clandestine service officer in that position like Jose Rodriguez (recently retired director of the CIA’s National Clandestine Service) or Steve Kappes (current Deputy Director, CIA). Either one of those gents might make an ideal DCIA too.
4. USAID Administrator: In dire need of renovation of its own, perhaps as an arm of the Economic monsters listed above. Not sure who this ought to be, but a good pool of selectees would come from the LTC’s coming home from PRT commands in Afghanistan and Iraq.
I’m still weighing DHS, DOJ, and DOE; and I confess the domestic departments (Labor, HHS, Education) are somewhat foreign to me, but still critical pieces to an integrated executive that could feasibly conduct full-spectrum national security. Ultimately, I think some of these organizations need to be consolidated or done away with, and some new ones created, which would definitely affect nominations for these execs. But I think if you get the right execs in there for the current structure, you can get that reorg within 1-2 years of infilling the new administration.
Craig Hayden says:
I’m kind of surprised at the recommendations in the comments field. Giuliani… seriously? Managerial qualities are one thing. But come on…
Otherwise, the recommendations in the post are fine except perhaps for Woolsey. While I acknowledge his excellent experience and relationship to the IC – he’s a non-starter to me, for peddling Mylroie’s bogus Al-Qaida/Saddam connection.
Anonymous says:
If you are going to have David Kilculen in there why not add a few more from the colonies or home land.
Tony Blair is still unemployed how about him in STATE. Similarly Musharaf is also looking for work and I am sure he has a reasonable understanding of SecDEF.
Finally either David Letterman or Alastair Campbell have plenty of experience with “spin” and thus may be best serving in the PD post.