Politico is reporting that Derek Chollet, presently deputy
director of policy planning at the State Department, is moving over to the
White House to head up the National Security Council's strategic planning shop
(my old post). He replaces Ambassador Mary Yates, who has held that job since
early in President Obama's tenure.
Chollet is a strong choice. By virtue of his State gig, he has good experience
inside, and as co-author of an important study of post-Cold War American
Grand Strategy he has done serious thinking at the broad level one would
expect of a strategic planner. Perhaps just as importantly, he has strong ties
up and out -- up with his direct boss Tom Donilon, the national security advisor,
and due to his campaign experience out, beyond the NSC into the rest of the White
House and throughout the administration and into the think-tank world.
The NSC strategic planning shop can play a constructive role as an internal
"second-guesser," helping line officers think through policy areas where the
current strategy is perhaps stuck or reaching the point of diminishing returns.
He can also help the administration look across stove-pipes to find
opportunities for a strategic investment of presidential time, energy, and
capital. As one of my colleagues put it: The administration's line officers are
busy shooting at the enemy crawling through the wire so a strategic planning
office, if sufficiently integrated into NSC operations, can help the
organization look out beyond the wire so as to attack problems gathering in the
distance.
Chollet is arriving at a critical juncture for the administration. The new
balance of power with Congress points to likely stalemate on domestic policy. At
the same time, most of the foreign policy initiatives launched by the administration
have played out, while other problems (think Iran, Sudan, Yemen, Pakistan,
Afghanistan, North Korea, and so on) are facing their own moments of truth. The
NSC strategic planning shop will have its hands full, but I am hopeful that it
can rise to the occasion.
Read More
(0)
HIDE COMMENTS LOGIN OR REGISTER REPORT ABUSE