Obama to Boost the Authority of NSCS

[Aught Six]

Obama to revamp National Security Council: report

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Hm...

I knew he would change some things, but he's really going at it withthe national defense system. I'm worried about this largely for two reasons: 1) this will further consolidatehis power in matters of "national security"; and 2) it may have the unintended effect of clouding his decision-making by introducing (relatively) irrelevant information and opinions onvarious policy issues.

Yeah, he's the Command-in-Chief, but I feel better knowing that not only Congress, but the various career officers in federal agencies, can and often do oppose the presidenton counter-productive policy decisions. I would love to work in the NSCS because statutory and non-statutory members have cabinet-level access to the president and other partsof the executive branch, don't need Senate confirmation for membership, and in fact report directly to the president. Much of the staff, although with less legal protection, of course, can also influence the direction and implementation of security policy.

Looks like there will be more fingersin the cookie jar soon...and that may not be too good.

[James B]

I used to think that I was fearless but this guy scares me to death, I fear for my country.

[falcon]

Me thinks that this is not a big deal.General Jones is a pretty savvy guy and i believe him when he says that the NSC needs to be re-vamped.

Nearly every president re-vamps the NSC to suit his tastes. Reagan did it,Clinton did it andBush II did it.

http://www.afio.com/sections/wins/2001/2001-09.html

NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL REORGANZED -- President Bush has revamped the NSC. National Security Presidential Directive 1 was signed sometime in mid- February, replacing a host of prior presidential decisions. The Directive is unclassified but has not been officially released by the White House -- but was leaked. It is now posted on the website of the Federation of American Scientists. The document revises the structure of national security decision-making in the new administration and lays out the areas of particular importance to the president, including homeland defense and proliferation and counter-proliferation.

The NSC Principal's Committee, the senior interagency forum for national security policy discussions, is retained. This panel includes the Secretary of Defense , the DCI, and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Also maintained is the NSC deputies committee, the sub-Cabinet forum for national security. Top Pentagon military and civilian officials are among its members.

Gone, however, are the Clinton era interagency working groups. In their place are eleven policy coordination committees, which "shall provide policy analysis for consideration by the more senior committees of the NSC system and ensure timely responses to decisions made by the president."