Lieberman Issues Statement on National Security Nominations

Statement

Today, Senator Joe Lieberman (CT-ID) issued the following release in response to the national security nominations announced by President Obama:

"Today, President Obama proposed to replace one first-rate national security team with another. I strongly support President Obama's decision to nominate Leon Panetta to become the next Secretary of Defense. While Bob Gates' departure from the Pentagon is a loss for our country, he has a worthy successor in Leon Panetta, whose long career of public service, most recently as Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, makes him well-qualified to lead the Defense Department in wartime--and in particular as we approach a critical period in Afghanistan, which remains the central front of our global fight against al Qaeda and its extremist allies. Like many others in the United States and around the world, I am deeply grateful to Secretary Gates for his distinguished service to our country over many decades, culminating in his tenure at the Pentagon. He will go down in history, rightly, as among the best Secretaries of Defense we have ever had.

"I also applaud President Obama's nomination of General David Petraeus to become the next Director of the Central Intelligence Agency. Simply put, General Petraeus is the most distinguished general officer of his generation and one of the greatest wartime commanders in American history. He is a true hero who has earned the admiration, gratitude and respect of all Americans. In Iraq, General Petraeus led one of the most dramatic turnarounds in American military history, pulling us from the brink of defeat to achieve a remarkable success. His decision to return to the battlefield last year in Afghanistan is a yet another testament to his extraordinary patriotism and dedication to our country. He will depart Kabul having once again overseen a historic turnaround in a flagging war effort, which has finally begun to achieve the gains that now must be carefully consolidated and built upon by his successor. I am very grateful that General Petraeus will continue his service to our country as Director of the CIA at this critical time for our nation's security. I hope, moreover, that he will have the opportunity to return to the Pentagon when his tenure at the CIA is complete to serve in an appropriate senior position in uniform.

"I also applaud the nomination of Ambassador Ryan Crocker to be the new U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan. Ambassador Crocker is truly one of our nation's national treasures, having played a pivotal role alongside General Petraeus during the surge in Iraq, as well as serving in a succession of critical posts. I am deeply grateful to Ambassador Crocker for stepping out of a well-deserved retirement at this critical moment. Particularly as General Petraeus prepares to depart Afghanistan, there is no one more qualified to lead our diplomatic efforts in Kabul than Ambassador Crocker. I have full confidence in his ability to build a strong and enduring strategic partnership with the Afghan government, forge an effective civil-military counterinsurgency partnership necessary to maintain the momentum against the Taliban, and put the U.S. Embassy on a proper war footing.

"Finally, I am encouraged by the nomination of Lieutenant General John Allen to succeed General Petraeus as our top commander in Afghanistan. General Allen is an extremely talented and impressive officer. I look forward to hearing his views on the coming critical months in Afghanistan, and the importance of ensuring appropriate troop levels to maintain the momentum achieved against the Taliban under General Petraeus.

"I hope the Senate can move forward expeditiously on all these nominations."

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