Gates isn't the only issue for his picks.  I beleived from the day Hillary gave her support to Obama that she was told when he wins she is the Sec/State.  She and Bill weren't getting behind Obama for a bulls--t post.  They want big time exposure.  Problem is that one of the big drawbacks for Hilary was her LACK of international exposure, no real leadership experience in foreign matters.  Now, with the wave of the Obama Wand, she is magically qualified to be Sec/State.  Add that to the keeping of Gates who wants to go the Mctime route and keeps troops in Iraq until who knows when, while Obama is preaching no more American troops in Iraq within 3 years, I see a two headed turn around.  However, as badly as Dumbya has f--ked things up, I'll wait and see, for a while.  It will be extremely hard to f--k things worse than they are now.