Who Will Be In President Obama's Next Pentagon Team?

Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen (DoD photo)

Obama's Pentagon Team: Who's the Next Secretary of Defense When Robert Gates Leaves? -- ABC News

Gates, Adm. Mike Mullen Plan to Step Down; Replacements Unknown

Is Leon Panetta headed to the Pentagon to succeed Defense Secretary Bob Gates when he retires later this year?

Will Gen. David Petraeus leave the war in Afghanistan to take over Panetta's post at the CIA if Panetta takes over at the Pentagon?

If Petraeus doesn't go to the CIA, will he succeed Adm. Mike Mullen as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff when his term runs out? These are all questions that national security types in Washington have been discussing this week while the rest of the city has been consumed by the possibility of a government shutdown.

But the real question is: Are any of these possibilities grounded in fact?

Read more ....

More News On Who Is President Obama's Next Pentagon Team

New Posts Considered for Panetta, Petraeus -- Wall Street Journal
Obama to remake national security team -- Washington Post
Obama Is Set to Redo Team on War Policy -- New York Times
Petraeus Enjoys Bipartisan Support for CIA Job -- Newsmax
Speculation of Petraeus job change has seal of approval from lawmakers -- The Hill
National security leadership to shift -- Washington Post
How can we replace these guys? -- Military Times
Obama's Foreign Policy Shuffle -- Jacob Heilbrunn, National Interest

My Comment: Usually these appointments are thought of well in advance .... but my gut is telling me otherwise. A part of me suspects that President Obama has not even considered who will be his next Pentagon team, and while there is probably a move afoot to lobby for these posts from many individuals, the final decisions will be made over the summer (if not the fall).