Cabinet Profiles examine the backgrounds and views of the most senior officials advising the next U.S. presidential administration on foreign policy.
Retired Adm. Dennis C. Blair, President Obama's director of national intelligence, is a former commander of the U.S. Pacific Command with long military experience.
See more in United States, Intelligence
James L. Jones, a retired Marine commandant, brings extensive military and diplomatic experience to his new post as national security adviser for President Barack Obama.
See more in United States, National Security and Defense, U.S. Election 2008
President Barack Obama's attorney general, Eric H. Holder Jr., has criticized some of the Bush administration's counter-terrorism moves, calling for the closure of the Guantanamo Bay detention center and bans on torture.
See more in Counterterrorism, U.S. Strategy and Politics
Robert M. Gates, a Cold War veteran selected to remain as defense secretary, has won bipartisan praise for his pragmatism and handling of the Pentagon amid two wars.
See more in United States, Defense/Homeland Security
Janet Napolitano, experienced in federal law enforcement and immigration issues, has been selected for secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.
See more in United States, Immigration, U.S. Election 2008
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, a senator and former First Lady, has offered a tough pragmatism on national security matters and called for reviving U.S. credibility in the world.
See more in International Peace and Security, Diplomacy
Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner brings experience in global financial crisis management for the Fed, expertise on Asia, and perspective from work with the International Monetary Fund.
See more in United States, International Finance
