Obama Picks Encouraging.

The author offers insights about the selection of Robert Gates by U.S. President-elect Barack Obama to be his Defense secretary. The implications of Obama's decision are cited. First, Gates was the first to be asked by a president to stay on in the transition from one party's administration to the other. The most important is that Gates will lead his department as Obama becomes the first newly elected president to commit himself in a way to reforming the way the military services develop and procure weapon systems.