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On the Transition
Topic Started: Dec 16 2008, 09:29 PM (87 Views)
George K
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Finally
Bush Prepares Crisis Briefings to Aid Obama

WASHINGTON — The White House has prepared more than a dozen contingency plans to help guide President-elect Barack Obama if an international crisis erupts in the opening days of his administration, part of an elaborate operation devised to smooth the first transition of power since Sept. 11, 2001.

(er, what transition of power occurred on Sept. 11, 2001? :shrug: )

The memorandums envision a variety of volatile possibilities, like a North Korean nuclear explosion, a cyberattack on American computer systems, a terrorist strike on United States facilities overseas or a fresh outbreak of instability in the Middle East, according to people briefed on them. Each then outlines options for Mr. Obama to consider.

The contingency planning goes beyond what other administrations have done, with President Bush and Mr. Obama vowing to work in tandem to ensure a more efficient transition in a time of war and terrorist threat. The commission that investigated the Sept. 11 attacks, noting problems during the handover from President Bill Clinton to Mr. Bush, called for a better process “since a catastrophic attack could occur with little or no notice,” as its report put it.

“This is very unusual,” said Roger Cressey, a former Clinton White House counterterrorism official who was held over under Mr. Bush. “We certainly did not do that. When the transition happened from Clinton to Bush, remember it was a totally different world. You had some documents given that gave them a flavor of where things were at. But now you’ve got two wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and a hot war against Al Qaeda.”

In addition to the White House contingency memorandums, the Department of Homeland Security said it had given crisis training to nearly 100 career officials who may fill in while Mr. Obama’s appointees await Senate confirmation. Starting before the election, those career workers have conducted exercises alongside departing political appointees to test their responses.

...

And there are things that cannot be put in a briefing or memorandum. James Jay Carafano, a national security expert at the Heritage Foundation, said much of the apparatus of government would know what to do in the event of a crisis. The real test for Mr. Obama will be projecting leadership.

“For a president thinking about crisis management,” Mr. Carafano said, “the most important thing is not decision making, it’s public relations.”
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Jack Frost
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Bull-Carp
George K
Dec 16 2008, 09:29 PM
The White House has prepared more than a dozen contingency plans to help guide President-elect Barack Obama if an international crisis erupts in the opening days of his administration, part of an elaborate operation devised to smooth the first transition of power since Sept. 11, 2001.

(er, what transition of power occurred on Sept. 11, 2001? :shrug: )
I guess that would be the transition from W the uniter to W the decider?

jf
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Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.
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jon-nyc
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Cheers
This is good to hear. One wonders why it wasn't like this already.
In my defense, I was left unsupervised.
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QuirtEvans
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I Owe It All To John D'Oh
Quote:
 
The White House has prepared more than a dozen contingency plans to help guide President-elect Barack Obama if an international crisis erupts in the opening days of his administration, part of an elaborate operation devised to smooth the first transition of power since Sept. 11, 2001.

(er, what transition of power occurred on Sept. 11, 2001? :shrug: )


Read it again, George. I could also say the first transition of power since the Soviet Empire fell, the first transition of power since World War II, etc. They're saying that it's the first transition since an EVENT, they're not saying that the event itself was a transition of power. And it makes perfect sense, because 9/11 created the need for an "elaborate operation ... to smooth" transitions of power.
It would be unwise to underestimate what large groups of ill-informed people acting together can achieve. -- John D'Oh, January 14, 2010.
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Mikhailoh
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If you want trouble, find yourself a redhead
jon-nyc
Dec 17 2008, 03:24 AM
This is good to hear. One wonders why it wasn't like this already.
Agreed.
Once in his life, every man is entitled to fall madly in love with a gorgeous redhead - Lucille Ball
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QuirtEvans
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I Owe It All To John D'Oh
Yeah, the Clinton hand-off to Bush was nothing to be proud of, even if the Clintonistas were pissed that Bush stole the election with the Supreme Court's help.
It would be unwise to underestimate what large groups of ill-informed people acting together can achieve. -- John D'Oh, January 14, 2010.
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ivorythumper
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I am so adjective that I verb nouns!
QuirtEvans
Dec 17 2008, 03:55 AM
Quote:
 
The White House has prepared more than a dozen contingency plans to help guide President-elect Barack Obama if an international crisis erupts in the opening days of his administration, part of an elaborate operation devised to smooth the first transition of power since Sept. 11, 2001.

(er, what transition of power occurred on Sept. 11, 2001? :shrug: )


Read it again, George. I could also say the first transition of power since the Soviet Empire fell, the first transition of power since World War II, etc. They're saying that it's the first transition since an EVENT, they're not saying that the event itself was a transition of power. And it makes perfect sense, because 9/11 created the need for an "elaborate operation ... to smooth" transitions of power.
I see you are making a lot of improvement lately. Just a week or so ago you weren't able to figure out that "November 4" referred to Election Day.
The dogma lives loudly within me.
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