WASHINGTON D.C. (RBN) – RBN has learned of imminent changes in key government positions as launch of a "last push phase" of the Bush administration. The moves were confirmed by two senior administration officials directly involved in the current reorientation.
Secretary of State Condolezza Rice is expected to resign within weeks to pursue a new academic position at Stanford University. Her current position will be filled by Stephen J. Hadley, currently the National Security Advisor.
Elliot Abrams, now the Deputy National Security Advisor for Global Democracy Strategy will be promoted to head the National Security Council.
As was rumored earlier, Christopher Hill, Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, will also leave the administration. His position has been offered to John R. Bolton, former Permanent US Representative to the UN and currently of counsel to the law firm Kirkland and Ellis.
As the sources explained to RBN these moves were initiated to allow a more "forceful pursuit of the President’s aim to make history."
This week a Wall Street Journal editorial attacked Rice for not taking a sufficiently militaristic stand against Iran. On the same page the Iranian exile Amir Taheri remarked how she "proffered" negotiations with "Iran’s mullahs."
In what amounted to a political obituary, a recent essay in the Weekly Standard by Vice-President Cheney’s biographer Stephen F. Hayes accused Rice of "jettisoning of the Bush Doctrine." Hayes alleged her of circumventing the political process by allowing her Assistant Secretary Christopher Hill, to negotiate with North Korea.
According to our sources additional shake ups in the cabinet are planed, but have been delayed. So far no potential successor was found for Secretary of the Treasury Paulson. Paulson had warned of severe economic consequences of further wars in the Middle East. The nomination of Paul Wolfowitz as new Secretary of Defense is held up by "hefty resistance" on Capitol Hill, the sources say.
—
h/t Jim Lobe