Trilateral Commission co-founder and top Obama advisor Zbigniew Brzezinski told CNN yesterday that Barack Obama would be faced with “imminent problems” in the context of foreign policy once he takes office, echoing prophetic warnings made recently by Joe Biden, Colin Powell and Madeleine Albright.

Appearing on CNN’s Global Public Square with host Fareed Zakaria, Brzezinski said that President Carter contacted him to ask who he should appoint to different posts after he captured the White House, perhaps a hint that Obama might do the same.

“The president at one point called me, and rather cleverly asked me who I thought ought to occupy what posts. And I gave him advice. And I finally came to the post of national security adviser,” said Brzezinski, adding that Carter offered him the position.

Zakaria asked Brzezinski if the president-elect should “start sending signals to foreign governments”.
“I think it depends on two things — one, on the nature of the president himself, and, two, on the circumstances,” Brzezinski responded.

“I think what is going on right now — which is nothing less than a global crisis of American leadership, nothing less than that — I think the president-elect, whoever he is — and I have my own preference — will have to start sending signals right away, and will have to get ready to deal with some imminent problems.”

Brzezinski’s warning that Obama will face immediate problems in the form of a foreign policy crisis echoes similar sentiments expressed by Obama’s running mate, Senator Joe Biden, who last month told an audience in Seattle “We’re gonna have an international crisis, a generated crisis, to test the mettle of this guy.”

Biden was vehement in his proclamation, stating that it was a “guarantee” and a “promise” that Obama would face an international crisis and that “tough” and “unpopular” decisions would have to be made to combat it.

Colin Powell made similar statements when he endorsed Obama on Meet the Press, saying “There’s going to be a crisis which will come along on the 21st, 22nd of January that we don’t even know about right now.”

Former Secretary of State Madeline Albright also told CNN’s John Roberts, “It’s just a statement of fact…something unexpected, you always have to be prepared for that.”

[i](Paul Joseph Watson, Monday, November 3, 2008)