According to National Security Council (NSC) chief of staff Suzy George, the NSC is “downsizing,” but not “for its own sake.” George calls it “right-sizing,” a way for the White House to “align our staffing with our strategic priorities.”
In a blog post on the White House website, George says that the NSC has consistently grown during past administrations as well as during the Obama administration. Changes are necessary, she says, to be sure that the NSC “is a lean, nimble, and policy-oriented organization,” and to that end, the agency plans to “streamline many internal processes and procedures, reduce the number of interagency meetings, and enhance NSC staff connectivity with NSC leadership.”
In spite of the need for these changes, George cited a laundry list of what the Obama administration sees as its past foreign policy successes: “responsibly ending wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and bringing the global economy back from the brink; decimating al-Qa’ida’s leadership and rebalancing to the Asia-Pacific; strengthening our alliances and forging critical new partnerships; bringing Iran to the table and transforming relations with Cuba; fighting climate change, and saving and improving countless lives.”
The changes are coming after a review ordered last year by National Security Advisor Susan Rice to “pursue the President’s priorities more effectively” and “make the most of the President’s 4th quarter.”
