Slade Gorton and Jamie Gorelick, both members of the exalted 9/11 commission, tackle one of the executive branch’s BIG issues in yesterday’s New York Times: the transition from the Bush administration’s national security officials to tne new administration’s national security officials. Gorton and Gorelick argue that terrorists may take advantage of America’s vulnerability during a time of transition.

With that in mind, John McCain and Barack Obama should be getting daily intelligence briefings now. They should also be already vetting candidates for elemental jobs like Secretary of Defense and Homeland Security Secretary. And the Senate should be prepared to confirm or reject all these nominees by inauguration day.

Followers of the federal government will find much to like and dislike in the piece. It does talk about the anxiety felt by defense officials when a presidential candidate promises to change everything,  But the piece goes overboard in its privileging of national security. It might also be nice for the federal government, and American public, to know a candidate’s choice to head the Environmental Protection Agency or Dept. of Labor. Those task are vital too.-MB

Like any red-blooded American, I’m deeply concerned that Iran or another Middle East nation will develop long-range missile capability and then immediately launch an attack on the Czech Republic. In such an event, it will be crucial that the Czech Republic has a ballistic missile defense system from the U.S. Navy. While such a system has never been proven to work, it could deter Iran, which, again, is likely hellbent on attacking the Czech Republic.

With these concerns in mind, I was relieved this morning to find out that, yes, the U.S. Navy will now supply the Czech Republic with ballistic missile defense. Further, as the Washington Post’s Walter Pincus reports, other NATO countries could also acquire U.S. missile defense. The Bush administration won’t go to the Senate for approval on this one. After all, the threat is too urgent.-MB

In less than two years as Secretary of Defense, Robert Gates has at the very least distinguished himself from predecessor Donald Rumsfeld. The Washington Post’s Ann Scott Tyson reports that yesterday Gates warned against the "militarization" of U.S. foreign policy. He called for more money in the budget of the State Dept., especially for USAID. It is these diplomatic and humanitarian channels, Gates said, that will take the lead in rescuing failing states.

Gates is still arguing for heavy U.S. involvement around the world. But unlike Rumsfeld, notorious for sneering at State, he realizes the world may not welcome U.S. troops with open arms.-MB