ANALYSIS-Obama charts path far from Bush unilateralism

By Arshad Mohammed

WASHINGTON, Dec 1 (Reuters) - U.S. President-elect Barack Obama on Monday emphasized diplomacy, internationalism and alliances as he laid out a national security outlook far from President George W. Bush's more unilateral approach, analysts said.

"Our destiny is shared with the world's," Obama said before naming his former rival Sen. Hillary Clinton as his choice for secretary of state

"To succeed, we must pursue a new strategy that skillfully uses, balances, and integrates all elements of American power -- our military and diplomacy, our intelligence and law enforcement, our economy and the power of our moral example."

Obama rounded out his foreign policy team by asking Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who was appointed by President George W. Bush in 2006, to stay on at the Pentagon and naming Gen. Jim Jones to be White House national security adviser.

Carlos Pascual, director of foreign policy at the Brookings Institution think tank, said Obama's comments were an implicit rebuke to Bush and set the tone for a foreign policy that may be more inclusive of allies and partners.

Beyond the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the United States faces traditional foreign policy problems such as reining in the nuclear programs of Iran and North Korea, promoting Arab-Israeli peace and grappling with a newly assertive Russia as well as wider challenges like global warming and AIDS.

"No one country can handle this agenda alone," Pascual said, saying Obama was making clear that his foreign policy "can't be a unilateral one."

FEW DETAILS ON IRAN, NORTH KOREA, MIDEAST PEACE

Obama provided few details on how he will address Iran's suspected pursuit of nuclear arms, persuade North Korea to abandon its nuclear programs or nurture Israeli-Palestinian peace talks given the political uncertainties on both sides.

An early clue to his stance on Iran, toward which he has favored direct engagement, is whether he may establish an "interests section" in Tehran.

This would create a low-level U.S. diplomatic presence in Iran for the first time since the United States cut off diplomatic ties with Tehran during the 1979-1981 hostage crisis, in which a group of militant Iranian students held 52 U.S. diplomats hostage at the American embassy for 444 days.

Bush decided to explore opening such an office this year, a fact that may insulate Obama from U.S. conservative criticism if he chooses to go forward.

Another question is whether, and how quickly, he may take up the cause of Israeli-Palestinian peace. Critics say Bush ignored the problem for most of his presidency before launching a peace process in November 2007 that all sides agree will fail to meet its goal of a peace deal by the end of this year.

TEAM OF RIVALS?

Obama sought to tamp down speculation that in choosing as his top diplomat Clinton, whom he defeated for the Democratic Party presidential nomination, he is opening the way for more of the infighting among foreign policy advisers that has been common in Washington.

Analysts said Jones, a Marine general who served as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's top operational commander, has as good a chance as anyone of being an honest broker among U.S. military, diplomatic, intelligence and security aides.

"No doubt there will be frictions at times," said Stephen Flanagan of the Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank. "He (Jones) particularly showed in that NATO assignment that he understood how to lead by building consensus" in the 26-member Western security alliance."

Obama said he wanted to avoid being surrounded by yes men.

"I assembled this team because I am a strong believer in strong personalities and strong opinions. I think that's how the best decisions are made," he said. (Editing by David Storey)