November 16, 2004 – (Jeddah) With Colin Powell stepping down, changes that were bound to happen in the second Bush administration are reaching the higher echelons of the Cabinet. Others whose resignations were confirmed yesterday included Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman, Education Secretary Rod Paige and Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham, the only Arab-American in the Bush Cabinet.
The sweep is now expected to go further to include almost all members of the Cabinet, notably Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. The only Cabinet member expected to stay on for at least another year is Treasury Secretary John Snow.
Sources in Washington say the departures come in the context of a behind-the-scenes power struggle between those who try to pull Bush toward the center and his neoconservative friends who want his second term to adopt an even more radical foreign policy.
The more traditional wing of the Republican Party — including Bush’s father, the former President George W.H. Bush, former Secretary of Sate James Baker III, and Senators Richard Lugar, Chuck Hagel and John McCain — want Bush to compose a Cabinet of national unity to strengthen his position in the current war on terror.
The neoconservatives, led by Vice President Dick Cheney, however, see this month’s presidential election as a popular endorsement of the administration’s radical policies, especially its plans to change the status quo in the Middle East.
They claim that the United States is in a state of war that may last several years. They insist that the president needs a “War Cabinet” focused on eliminating the last remaining havens of international terrorism.
The traditional Republicans want the president to name National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice secretary of state.
The neoconservatives want Zed Miller, a Democrat and a former senator but a hawk on the issue of war on terrorism. Miller’s choice could help split the Democratic Party while broadening support for the administration’s radical foreign policy.
Miller campaigned energetically for Bush’s re-election and his help is believed to have been of some importance in winning such states as Ohio, Florida and Iowa.
The traditionalists’ candidate for defense secretary is Sen. John McCain, moderate, who also campaigned strongly for Bush’s re-election.
A former prisoner of war in Vietnam, McCain’s military background is seen as an asset.
The neoconservatives claim that McCain is too soft and may not have the nerves needed if and when the US decides to go to war again in the Middle East or elsewhere.
The neoconservatives candidate for defense secretary is former CIA Director James Woolsey, also a Democrat.
Woolsey played a crucial role in 2002 and 2003 to prepare American public opinion for the war against Saddam Hussein. He has dubbed the war on terrorism as “The Fourth World War” and publicly advocated the use of military force to overthrow other regimes, including in Syria and Iran.
The traditionalists want Stephen Hadley to succeed Rice as national security adviser. But the neoconservatives are promoting Paul Wolfowitz, the current deputy secretary of defense, for the job.
Wolfowitz is the chief strategist of the neo-conservative movement and deeply disliked by the Democrats and moderate Republicans. His fans would have loved to see him become secretary of defense.
But that post requires Senate approval that may be hard to obtain. The appointment of national security adviser requires no Senate approval.
With Powell stepping down, his deputy Richard Armitage is also sure to go. Armitage angered the neoconservatives last year by saying that Iran had become “a sort of democracy” and that the United States better open a dialogue with it.
The traditionalist Republicans want L. Paul Bremer, the former civilian ruler of Iraq, to get the post. But the neoconservatives prefer John Negroponte, the current US ambassador to Baghdad.
The president, of course, may surprise everyone by ignoring both groups. He may well choose former Sen. John Danforth, the current US ambassador to the United Nations, as secretary of state.
He could also name Rice secretary of defense and tap new talent to head the NSC.
The neoconservatives already have one of their favorites, Porter Goss, in the key position of CIA director, but want him to expand his remit by heading the new and broader intelligence organization that is being mooted on the basis of recommendations from the 9/11 Congressional Commission report.
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