Wipe Them Out -- All of Them!

Leslie Gelb says President Obama needs to fire his entire national security team and replace them — and these are my words now — with people who know what the f*** they’re doing:

First, Mr. Obama will have to thank his senior National Security Council team and replace them. The must-gos include National Security Adviser Susan Rice, Chief of Staff Denis McDonough, chief speech writer/adviser Ben Rhodes, and foreign policy guru without portfolio Valerie Jarrett. They can all be replaced right away, and their successors won’t require senatorial confirmation.

Here’s who could succeed them and inspire great confidence immediately at home and abroad: first rate former top officials and proven diplomats Thomas Pickering, Winston Lord, and Frank Wisner; Republicans with sterling records like Robert Zoellick, Rich Armitage, Robert Kimmitt, and Richard Burt; or a rising young Democrat of proven ability and of demonstrated Cabinet-level quality, Michele Flournoy. Any one of them would make a huge difference from Day 1 in a top role. Others among them could be brought on to the NSC as senior advisers without portfolio to take the lead on specific problems. These are not just my personal opinions about these individuals; they are practically universal ones.

With that crew, Obama could actually salvage something out of the current wreckage — which is why the seasoned cynic in me is certain Obama will stick with his current crew of know-nothings, do-nothings, and saboteurs.

UPDATE: David Steinberg fleshed this one out so I wouldn’t have to.