Politics. On Point.

In a statement in the East Room of the White House Monday, President Obama announced key changes to the U.S. National Security team. President Obama with Gates, Panetta, and Patreus. Photo/CD Brown.  The president pegged CIA director, Leon Panetta   to be Secretary of Defense, replacing Robert Gates.  Gates served 26 years in the CIA and the National Security Council. Under President George H.W. Bush Gates served as Director of Centeral Intelligence.  "I am confident Bob Gates will be remembered as one of the finest Defense Secretaries in American history.  And I will always be grateful for his service", said President Obama. Panetta - a former Republican turned Democrat - has more than 40 years of public service.  His career began in the Army as an intelligence officer in the 1960s.  Speaking of Gates Panetta said, "He’s a public servant without equal whose tenure as Secretary of Defense will go down as one of the m...

Vice President Biden joined General David Petraeus and Mrs. Holly Petraeus for dinner at their home in Tampa, Florida. General Petraeus replaced Stanley McChrystal earlier this month as lead commander in Afghanistan when McChrystal's  disparaging remarks about the Obama Administration became public. "I am extremely grateful to the Senate for acting so quickly to confirm General Petraeus to lead our military effort in Afghanistan. General Petraeus is a pivotal part of our effort to succeed in Afghanistan - and in our broader effort to disrupt, dismantle, and defeat al Qaeda – and he has my full confidence. The Senate’s quick action and General Petraeus’s unrivaled experience will ensure we do not miss a beat in our strategy to break the Taliban’s momentum and build Afghan capacity", said President Obama. General Patraeus is expected to take up his new post as commander of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan in July.

President Obama Praises General Who Scouffed At His Administration As we reported last evening U.S. military bad boy, Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, the former top U.S. commander in Afghanistan resigned over his remarks made about the Obama administration and civilian officials. In an address today in the Rose Garden President Obama stated, "Mr. McChrystal's conduct does not meet the standard that should be set by a commanding general. It undermines the civilian control of the military that is at the core of our democratic system. And it erodes the trust that’s necessary for our team to work together to achieve our objectives in Afghanistan." As such, President Obama accepted McChrystal's resignation earlier today, replacing the loose-lipped military top-brass with General David H. Petraeus .   The decision to accept the resignation was not an easy one for the president and he commended Petraeus on making a great personal sacrifice to himself and to his family...