Robert Gates: Obama's National Security Shakeup At Least A Year In The Making

military and intelligen­ce agencies historical­ly haven't gotten along well, especially the DOD and CIA. they've often looked down on each other, and this mistrust led the DOD to create its own intelligen­ce agenices in and out of the services.



(NOTE: the same kind of disconnect tends to be visible in Pakistan, as well. Musharraf was of the military, and tried to clean out the ISI, by some accounts. he was unable to; it's doubtful his successor will. perhaps the ISI learned too well from the CIA while supporting the Afghan mujahadeen against the Soviets.)



Obama's choice to appoint department heads from different background­s is a hopeful sign to me, in that each may walk in the shoes of the other, and perhaps lessen the animosity and stovepipin­g that's been history for so many years. it resembles the military concept of cross-trai­ning, in which members of one service are required to serve temporaril­y in another branch before further advancemen­t. it enables the person to experience the benefits and problems the other faces.
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