The National Security Team of President Obama has begun to take shape, with Hillary Clinton poised to become the Secretary of State and General James L. Jones as National Security Advisor. From the Washington Post:

A friend of Clinton’s said she is ready to accept an appointment that would make the former Obama rival his point person in tackling an array of international crises and restoring the United States’ influence around the world, a frequently stated objective of the incoming administration.

Although the Obama transition team and Clinton’s Senate spokesman said nothing has been finalized, her office for the first time officially confirmed that she is talking to Obama about the job. “We’re still in discussions, which are very much on track. Any reports beyond that are premature,” said Philippe Reines, Clinton’s spokesman and senior adviser.

And on the national security front, General Jones looks to be closing in on the job.

Meanwhile, several sources said that Jones has moved to the top of the list to be Obama’s national security adviser and that the sides are in advanced talks. Sources familiar with the discussions said Obama is considering expanding the scope of the job to give the adviser the kind of authority once wielded by powerful figures such as Henry A. Kissinger.

The Jones appointment would put the onetime Marine Corps commandant and NATO commander in charge of managing an interagency process that many Democratic foreign policy experts say has been broken under the Bush administration.

The General has vast experience in key areas, and is considered to be a non partisan figure. Jones is also close to Senator John McCain, and is considered to be a strong leader.

Mathews and other officials said they expected that Jones would also help impose order in the national security bureaucracy. Over the course of the Bush administration, national security advisers Condoleezza Rice and Steven J. Hadley have been criticized by some for not resolving interagency conflicts, although some of those disputes have receded in recent years.

Jones “is certain to be viewed as a very formidable figure,” said David Rothkopf, who served in the Clinton administration and wrote a book about the NSC. “This is a general right out of central casting. He is extremely strong and forceful and thoughtful. . . . If you want a disciplined NSC process, this is your man.”

My favorite part of the Post story on Jones was a purported statement he made to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs during the tenure of Don Rumsfeld:

He is known for being low-key but blunt: Journalist Bob Woodward wrote that Jones told then-Joint Chiefs Chairman Peter Pace that he “should not be the parrot on the secretary’s shoulder,” referring to Donald H. Rumsfeld.

Obama appears to be tacking towards the center on foreign policy. What do you think? Has he made good choices?