National Security Panel and Coors Field

Joe Klein is about to moderate a discussion with former Secretary of Navy Richard Zandig and former Secretary of Defense William Perry called "The Next Administration's National Security and Defense Priorities." There's an overflow room, and it's starting to fill.

First question posed by Joe Klein: We've seen counter-insurgency tactics work in an urban environment where there are lots of people. Do you think these same tactics would apply in a rural setting such as Afghanistan? Both respond in the context of broader cooperation with our allies.

Zandig talks about the trip to Afghanistan and watch Obama's schedule to Israel from 7:30 am to 1:00 am at night. He's never really seen him lose his balance. He thinks it's an extraordinary quality for a leader.

"Do you want people to disagree with you?" Zandig once asked to Obama. "I want him to disagree with me...Ive seen him talk to people in the military and they come back incredibly impressed."

Joe Klein relates a story about John McCain. The two were recalling the Cuban Missile Crisis and how Kennedy chose to ignore the first bellicose message and take the second. Klein says, "You would have taken the first message. McCain responds, "You're probably right."

Joe Klein: Define what you consider a high-value target. Zandig says that there are delicate lines that have to be drawn and there are serious emotional and political considerations.

Question: It seems like we need two armed forces: one to fight a war and another to do peace-keeping. Zandig says that the discussion has to occur between the different military leaders. Perry believes there has to be one armed force but differentiated and specialized in different ways (gives the example of Bosnia and how we had specialized training for a few weeks). "It's not a pickup team," Perry says.

Atlantic Monthly reporter: How do deal with Russia and Georgia situation? (besides the fact of showing more respect to Russia). Do we construct a new containment strategy? Zandig and Perry both think what the Russians did was appalling. The U.S. role is most appropriately to dampen the propensity for the Georgians and Russians to engage in armed conflict. The fault was in the failure to work with the Georgians close enough would not be aggressive and to work with Russians that they would understand there would be heavy costs.

On a side note, I just visited Coors Field. They are having batting practice from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm, but you need a ticket to participate. How do you get one? Contact your local Congressman (that's what the ticketperson said to me.)