Obama Dream Team Has Something To Prove
"Soft" is not a word you would use to describe the people who stood behind President-elect Barack Obama Monday when he announced them as his national-security team, but "soft power" is, CBS News national security correspondent David Martin reports.
His choice for secretary of state summed up what that phrase means.
"Our security, our values and our interests cannot be protected and advanced by force alone," said Sen. Hillary Clinton.
In other words, the American military is an awesome hammer - but not every problem is a nail.
You might expect that from Clinton, the person slated to be America's top diplomat. But you also hear it from the current and future secretary of defense.
"We must focus our energies beyond the guns and steel of the military," said Defense Secretary Robert Gates.
But agreeing on soft power doesn't mean there won't be hard problems.
"There could be some tactical differences involving Clinton or Gates involving the fact that they have taken positions publically that are at odds with the presidents," said former National Security Adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski
Brzezinski cites Obama's pledge as a candidate to negotiate directly with Iran's leaders, which candidate Clinton dismissed as naïve.
And there is, as always, Iraq. The president-elect wants all combat troops out in 16 months. Secretary Gates is opposed to deadlines.
"These are all fairly significant differences, but they're not the kind of differences that need to impede genuine accommodation once it is clear what the president wants, and once the national security advisor is prepared to act as the enforcer," Brzezinski said.
That would be retired Marine Gen. Jim Jones, who, while he was still wearing stars, was one of the first to blow the whistle on the backward slide in Afghanistan.
"We're not making progress; we're losing ground," he said.
They are strong people with strong views. Remember Defense Sec. Donald Rumsfeld and Secretary of State Colin Powell? A dream team on paper, but rivals in practice.
Now, a new dream team has to prove they really are a team.
