Obama to name first Democratic Secretary of Defense since 1997.

[Renew Deal]

Washington (CNN) -- President Barack Obama will name CIA Director Leon Panetta as his nominee to succeed Robert Gates as defense secretary and Gen. David Petraeus to replace Panetta at the spy agency in the most extensive reshaping of the administration's national security team to date, officials said Wednesday.

Rounding out the reshuffling, Obama will nominate Lt. Gen. John Allen to replace Petraeus as the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, a senior U.S. official said, and will nominate longtime diplomat Ryan Crocker as the next U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan, sources said.

In addition to Gates retiring, the president will need replacements for Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and FBI Director Robert Mueller. Both of their terms are expiring, and they are not eligible for renomination.

Panetta, 72, took over at the CIA in February 2009. He was chief of staff to President Bill Clinton between 1994 and 1997, and was previously the director of the Office of Management and Budget. The California Democrat served in the House of Representatives from 1977 to 1993.
<snip>

http://www.cnn.com/2011/POLITICS/04/27/defense.panetta/index.html?hpt=T1

[MadHound]

1. Sorry, not enthused that a spook is becoming Sec of Defense,

And a general is becoming head of the CIA. Simply shuffling the deck, not making any real change at all.

[Renew Deal]

Panetta isn't really from the CIA

He got the CIA job even though he didn't have CIA experience.

[MadHound]

10. No, he was just head of the CIA for a couple of years

:eyes:

I think heading up the CIA certainly qualifies as being "really from the CIA".

[Renew Deal]

12. I get what you're saying

I'm not saying you're wrong. But it's not the same as nominating a career CIA guy or a military intelligence officer. Panetta really comes from politics more than defense or intelligence. Funny thing is that Panetta was criticized for not having intelligence experience when he took over the CIA. Now he will be criticized for not having defense experience and taking over DOD.

[Teaser]

7. Because the CIA should not even exist

.

[merh]

11. I'm bothered more at the notion Petraeus

will get head of the CIA - that is very disturbing to me -

[MadHound]

16. I just find this to be more rearrangment of the deck chairs on the Titanic,

Situation remains the same, but hey, it looks a weensy bit better.

[dkf]

2. Just as long as it's not Lieberman I am happy.

[Zorra]

3. I feel safer already. That's not a joke. nt

[Safetykitten]

4. Calling republicans as we type...

[Pab Sungenis]

5. What's Panetta's position on DADT?

Will he sign his certification of the repeal?

[Renew Deal]

8. Is his position better or equal to Gates?

Because Gates deserves a lot of credit for getting DADT repealed (as do many others).

[Tatiana]

6. I don't trust Petraeus and I think it's a bad idea to put him over the CIA.

I like Panetta at Defense, though.

[Renew Deal]

I feel the same way.

But it might be a way to keep Petraeus out of the media. Obama likes to do that.

[Teaser]

9. He's drawing Petraeus deeper into the administration

this is politics.

[Tatiana]

13. Yeah, the closer to stab the administration in the back.

This man is a right-wing warmonger and I wouldn't be surprised if he was a PNACer as well.

He doesn't deserve a place in this administration. It would have been a better idea to at least look at trusted Democrats who lost their 2010 races (Feingold comes to mind) or vulnerable Dems who may be re-districted out of their seats.

This is a bad, bad, idea.

[Teaser]

14. I think he's afraid of a run by Petraeus for the presidency

doing this makes him complicit with the SCARY BLACK MAN IN THE WHITE HOUSE.

The republicrazies will never vote for him now.

[NYC Liberal]

15. Good thinking...you're definitely right. nt

[TheKentuckian]

17. This isn't a throwaway ambassador posting to Timbuktu.

Petraeous doesn't need to be anywhere near the barely leashed tiger that is the CIA.

[grahamhgreen]

18. He's finally listening... A little. Why are we still flailing in the ME? time to go.