Obama’s national security team is a throwback to the Clinton era. So much for a grand departure. But then again, as William Hartung reminds us, Barack Obama ran as a centrist on U.S. foreign policy, had nothing to say about reducing defense spending, and consistently advocated increasing the number of troops in Afghanistan. His National Security Advisor, James Jones, sits on the boards of Boeing and Chevron and is a big supporter of AFRICOM–the U.S. central command in Africa. Hillary Clinton is seen, at least in the Middle East, as a Democratic hawk and her aggressive remarks about Iran and vigilant support of Israel don’t suggest a new way forward. But many say give Barack a chance. It’s his vision.

Tonight on GRITtv, journalist Hooman Majd, author of The Ayatollah Begs to Differ: The Paradox of Modern Iran, and a translator and advisor to Iranian presidents Mohammad Khatami and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Human Rights Watch Counterterrorism advisor Stacy Sullivan, William Hartung, Director of the Arms and Security Initiative at the New America Foundation, and Shabnam Hashmi of Act Now for Harmony and Democracy (ANHAD) discuss whether Barack Obama’s presidency will change the course of American foreign policy.

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