James L Jones

I read the wiki entry and was impressed by: Following his retirement from the military, General Jones became president of the Institute for 21st Century Energy[4], an affiliate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce[4] and chair of the board of directors of the Atlantic Council of the United States.[5] The reason why I cite this is that it seems to be cognizant of leadership is to understand the commanding heights.

Institute for 21st Century Energy

You see the trend in all tactical thinking in this direction, as an example James Woolsey and his involvement who is a founding member of the Set America Free Coalition, dedicated to freeing the United States from oil dependence started September 27, 2004. It was Woolsey who said: "What we need now is a coalition of tree huggers, do-gooders, sodbusters, and cheap hawks – people like me who want to reduce the leverage of Middle East countries, and win this long war on terrorism with as little shooting as possible.”

As you can see below, I think James Woolsey can say that and get people to listen.

The signatories to the open letter include: Spencer Abraham, former Secretary of Energy and U.S. Senator (R-MI); Dr. David M. Abshire, former Ambassador to NATO and President and CEO of the Center for the Study of the Presidency; George F. Allen, former U.S. Senator (R-VA) and Governor of Virginia; Richard L. Armitage, former U.S. Deputy Secretary of State; Howard H. Baker, Jr., former U.S. Senator (R-TN), White House Chief of Staff, and U.S. Ambassador to Japan; James A. Baker, III, former White House Chief of Staff, U.S. Secretary of State, and U.S. Secretary of Treasury; Gen. Charles G. Boyd, USAF (Ret.), president and CEO of Business Executives for National Security; Frank C. Carlucci, former U.S. Secretary of Defense; William S. Cohen, former U.S. Secretary of Defense, U.S. Senator and Representative (R-ME); Thomas J. Donohue, president and CEO, U.S. Chamber of Commerce; Kenneth M. Duberstein, former White House Chief of Staff; Donald L. Evans, former U.S. Secretary of Commerce; J. Bennett Johnston, former U.S. Senator (D-LA); General James L. Jones, USMC (Ret.), president and CEO of the Institute for 21st Century Energy at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce; Dr. Henry A. Kissinger, former National Security Advisor and U.S. Secretary of State; Robert C. McFarlane, former National Security Advisor; Thomas F. "Mack" McLarty, III, former Counselor to President Clinton, Special Envoy for the Americas, and White House Chief of Staff; Sam Nunn, Co-Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Nuclear Threat Initiative and former U.S. Senator (D-GA); Dr. William J. Perry, former U.S. Secretary of Defense; Gen. Colin L. Powell, USA (Ret.), former U.S. Secretary of State, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and National Security Advisor; Charles S. Robb, former U.S. Senator (D-VA) and Governor of Virginia; Joseph E. Robert, Jr., Founder, Chairman, and CEO of J.E. Robert Companies; Dr. James R. Schlesinger, former U.S. Secretary of Energy, U.S. Secretary of Defense, and Director of the Central Intelligence Agency; Lt. Gen. Brent Scowcroft, USAF (Ret.), former National Security Advisor; Dr. George P. Shultz, former U.S. Secretary of State, Secretary of the Treasury, Director of the Office of Management and Budget, and Secretary of Labor; Admiral James D. Watkins, USN (Ret.), former U.S. Secretary of Energy and Chief of Naval Operations; and R. James Woolsey, former Director of the Central Intelligence Agency.

I think in reflection that if George Bush 43rd had done more on September 27, 2004 or before on energy, if he had really made an effort similar to what Woolsey had done for national security, that in an interview with his sister he could have cited a stronger legacy. The low point of his presidency might have been traveling to Saudia Arabia and seeking an output increase from OPEC as gas blew past $4/gallon.

I think it interesting that James L Jones choose for his retirement president of the Institute for 21st Century Energy.

I think Jones and Woolsey have it right, though it will be Woolsey who should be remembered as inviting the tree-huggers and tree-farmers to the show. I think the president elect is serious about energy and made a decision about what US national security requires.

And as an after-thought: James Woolsey is the author of a vision for a New American Century in a positive way, there has to be a mission statement and a vision. I think many historians will miss the impact Woolsey had in creating momentum and validity of a simple idea, that energy security is national security and that addressing the issue is pragmatic and constructive although a departure from the status-quo past. Strength ultimately lies with those who can equally control themselves and see themselves as the first agent of change, versus imposing a political change upon others, it is leading to the goal instead of a coercive kinetic act. Woolsey articulated the New American Century in a positive way, don't expect to see him on the cover of Time as the calendar rolls over, just remember that fact in truth is here.