Obama opts for continuity as well as change in foreign policy appointments

AmericaInTheWorld's Tim Montgomerie has written for The Guardian's website about Barack Obama's foreign policy appointments, confirmed today (including the reappointment of Defence Secretary Gates, pictured above):

"In adopting hawkish positions on Afghanistan, Iraq and supporting General Petraeus' cross-border raids into Pakistan, it is clear that the era of American exceptionalism is far from over. Barack Obama's America will remain a nation that is inclined to intervention, is willing to use military force when necessary and is supportive of Israel. All those who fear a world without American involvement can rejoice at that."

Read the full piece here.

Comments

[Malcolm Dunn]

I think it's a bit early to say how an Obama administration will behave in foreign policy terms.
Yes Gates is a good decision in my opinion. Whilst American forces are heavily engaged Generals would I expect prefer to deal with people they know and trust.
We'll see with Hilary. Personally I thought appointing her was awful. However it may be that Obama will run foreign policy personally (and he is hardly hawkish on Iraq) and keep the State Dept.in the background as Bush did with Powell.
If Hilary still has ambitions to be President and she is given free reign to do as she wishes we can expect American foreign policy to be determined by the need to garner votes rather than by any principles which Hilary has always lacked. It was ever thus with the Clintons.

[Tim Montgomerie]

I agree Malcolm. It is too early. But these early signs at least point away from isolationism.

[grumpy old man]

The US voted for Obama mainly because:
1) He wasn't a Republican.
2) He wasn't Hilary.
3) He broke the Bush-Clinton-Bush Clinton? Hegemony
Before BHO has sat in the Chair, he's handed HRC a Launchpad for Hillary 2012, as well as using his surplus Campaign funding to pay off HRC's debt. Does the US REALLY want a Secretary of State who is a proven disaster as a leader when under pressure and publically halucinated about being shot at?

[grumpy old man]

Sorry, finger trouble. should read "hallucinated"