President Obama has decided to nominate CIA head Leon Panetta to succeed Robert Gates as Secretary of Defense this summer.
He has also decided to name General David Petraeus, head of the war command in Afghanistan, to become head of the CIA.
Both moves can be seen as great steps forward on national security, both for the safety of the United States, and also politically, as both Panetta and Petraeus should have no opposition from Republicans when their nominations come up for consideration.
Panetta, a former Republican long ago, worked as Chief of Staff under President Bill Clinton, and is seen by almost everyone as a solid figure to run Defense.
Petraeus, a registered Republican who some thought as a possible Presidential choice in the future, has gained a great amount of respect and even awe as he has contributed to his country in the struggle against terrorism over the past decade!
The departure of Robert Gates this summer should not be accomplished without paying tribute to Gates, as one of the best Defense Secretaries in American history, and a welcome relief from Donald Rumsfeld, arguably the worst we have seen since the Defense Department was created out of the old War Department in 1947!
Gates helped both President George W. Bush and President Obama, and he has given fantastic service to his country, and is entitled to a well deserved retirement, although one can be sure that Gates will still contribute in other ways in the future, as he is the ultimate example of a great public servant!