The President-elect makes it official

Obama intends to take the 'soft' road

While the Bush era approaches its conclusion, Barack Obama named his security 'team' today as promised (see this, this, this). After reviewing the dangers facing humanity and neglecting to mention that many of these dangers originate in the United States, Obama makes it clear that militarism and empire will remain key parts of his agenda:

And so, in this uncertain world, the time has come for a new beginning — a new dawn of American leadership to overcome the challenges of the 21st century, and to seize the opportunities embedded in those challenges. We will strengthen our capacity to defeat our enemies and support our friends. We will renew old alliances and forge new and enduring partnerships. We will show the world once more that America is relentless in defense of our people, steady in advancing our interests, and committed to the ideals that shine as a beacon to the world: democracy and justice; opportunity and unyielding hope — because American values are America's greatest export to the world.

Apart from the names on the doors, what, generally speaking, will change when Obama becomes the President?

To succeed, we must pursue a new strategy that skillfully uses, balances, and integrates all elements of American power: our military and diplomacy; our intelligence and law enforcement; our economy and the power of our moral example. The team that we have assembled here today is uniquely suited to do just that.

So, Obama intends to secure American hegemony and military supremacy mostly by relying on soft power (see this, this and this), which, to be sure, is much different and even better than the Bush strategy of threatening, killing, maiming, terrorizing, torturing, starving, dehydrating, freezing, baking, imprisoning and humiliating the "enemy."

Yet, the use of soft power remains a tool of empire and the military force which supports that empire.

Obama's expresses his moral scruples by selecting the following individuals to implement his imperial "vision."

Secretary of State

Hillary Clinton

Secretary of Defense

Robert Gates

National Security Advisor

Gen. James L. Jones (Ret.)

Attorney General

Eric H. Holder Jr.

Secretary of Homeland Security

Gov. Janet Napolitano

Ambassador to the United Nations

Susan Rice