Obama announces security team nominees

CHICAGO, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- U.S. President-elect Barack Obama Monday designated Hillary Clinton as his secretary of state and said he asked Robert Gates to continue as defense secretary.

At a news conference in Chicago, Obama praised Clinton's "extraordinary intelligence" and said Gates has earned respect on both sides of the aisle in Congress.

"The national security challenges we face are just as real and just as urgent as our economic crisis," Obama said, citing the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the threat of nuclear weapons and U.S. dependence on foreign oil.

Obama said it is clear that in the 21st century, "our destiny is shared with the world."

"Now more than ever we have a stake in what happens across the world. … Terror cannot be contained by borders," he said.

Obama said there is no place "for those who kill innocent civilians" and said he had called Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to commiserate about last week's attacks in Mumbai that left at least 172 people dead.

Clinton said leaving the Senate will be difficult but in recent weeks she has given great thought to the U.S. troops serving across the globe as well as the current economic crisis.

"America cannot solve these crises without the world and the world cannot solve these crises without America," Clinton said.

"I must do my duty as they do theirs," Gates said, speaking about members of the U.S. military.

Obama also named Eric Holder as attorney general, Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano as homeland security secretary, Susan Rice as ambassador to the United Nations and retired U.S. Marine Gen. Jim Jones as his national security adviser.

Retiring U.S. Sen. John Warner, R-Va., released a statement praising the trio of Clinton, D-N.Y.; Gates; and Jones, before Monday's announcement of their nominations.

"The triumvirate of Gates, Clinton and Jones to lead Obama's 'national security team' instills great confidence at home and abroad; and further strengthens the growing respect for the president-elect's courage and ability to exercise sound judgment in selecting the 'best and the brightest' to implement our nation's security policies," Warner said in his statement.