Daily Independent (Lagos)
Olusola Balogun and Michael Simire
2 December 2008
United States President-elect, Barack Obama, on Monday announced Hillary Clinton as his Secretary of State, and Robert Gates Defence Secretary, making President George Bush's Pentagon chief his own as he seeks to wind down American role in Iraq.
Obama also named retired Marine General James Jones as National Security Adviser; former Justice Department official, Eric Holder, as Attorney General; and Arizona Govovernor, Janet Napolitano, as Secretary of Homeland Security.
The announcements at a news conference in Chicago rounded up the top tier of the team that will advise him on foreign and national security issues in an era marked by wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and terrorism around the globe.
"The time has come for a new beginning, a new dawn of American leadership to overcome the challenges of the 21st century," Obama said as his cabinet picks stood behind him on a flag-draped stage.
"We will strengthen our capacity to defeat our enemies and support our friends. We will renew old alliances and forge new and enduring partnerships."
He stressed that his appointees "share my pragmatism about the use of power, and my sense of purpose about America's role as a leader in the world."
Obama, reprising a campaign vow, said he would give the military a new mission as soon as he takes office: "responsibly ending the war in Iraq through a successful transition to Iraqi control."
However, he did not mention his oft-repeated pledge to withdraw most U.S. combat troops within 16 months.
He also appointed campaign foreign policy aide, Susan Rice, as his Ambassador to the United Nations. Obama said he would make her a member of the Cabinet, an increase in stature from the Bush era.
He now has selected half the members of his cabinet, and is doing so at an unusually quick pace during his transition as he seeks to fulfill his goal of being able to "hit the ground running" when he takes the oath of office on January 20.
Obama described Clinton as "an American of tremendous stature who will have my complete confidence, who knows many of the world's leaders, who will command respect in every capital, and who will clearly have the ability to advance our interests around the world."
Clinton replied: "I am proud to join you, and may God bless you and our great country."
Gates said he is "mindful that we are engaged in two wars and face other serious challenges at home and around the world," and that he is honoured to serve Obama - who has now fulfilled a campaign promise to name a Republican to his cabinet.
Obama is also the name on the lips of a considerable number of delegates at the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) meeting which opened on Monday in the Polish city of Poznan.
With his submission some weeks ago that he would give the Kyoto Protocol climate pact a favourable consideration (contrary to Bush's stand) the whole world is already looking up to him with high expectations.
Polish Prime Minister, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, said: "I am delighted that Obama is planning ambitious energy and climate policies as part of the solutions to the economic slowdown."
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