Barack Obama’s not taking any chances when it comes to our nation’s safety. The president-elect this week rounded out his intelligence team to help catch Osama bin Laden and protect the country from further terror attacks.

"As we learned on 9/11, we are not protected by the distance of an ocean or the ability to deter an enemy," Obama said today in making his announcement. "There is no margin for error … Good intelligence is not a luxury – it is a necessity."

He also took a direct swipe at the Bush administration, saying, "we have learned that to make pragmatic policy choices, we must insist on assessments grounded solely in the facts, and not seek information to suit any ideological agenda."

The president-elect today officially named former Clinton chief of staff, Leon Panetta, as CIA chief, despite opposition that surfaced after word leaked of this pick. While Panetta’s great, smart and a fantastic manager, some, including Sen. Dianne Feinstein, questioned his actual intelligence credentials - it now appears that those mountainous obstacles may be more like molehills.

Obama also picked retired Adm. Dennis Blair as national intelligence director. A former head of the U.S. Pacific Command who got kudos for battling terrorism in southeast Asia after 9/11, Blair helped our foreign partners cripple Jemaah Islamiyah in Indonesia and Abu Sayyaf in the Philippines. He’ll be responsible for giving the daily intelligence briefings to Obama.

Obama’s picks are clear signs that he’s trying to break with the Bush administration’s War on Terror policies. He passed along a "no torture allowed" message to his new team. And he means it. "Under my administration, the United States does not torture. We will abide by the Geneva Conventions. We will uphold our highest ideals," Obama said during the press conference. "It’s important to do that not just because that’s who we are, but ultimately, that will make us safe."

But Blair’s already found at least a few vocal critics. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-OR, told the AP that he plans to question Blair about his role a decade ago in U.S. efforts to rein in the Indonesian military as it cracked down on civilians in East Timor. Some human-rights groups have also said Blair’s the wrong choice.

Obama has also picked John O. Brennan as his top counterterrorism adviser. Brennan was said to be Obama’s top pick for CIA director, until Brennan withdrew his name after the blogosphere cried foul over his perceived approval of some controversial Bush administration interrogation techniques. In this position, Brennan – a CIA veteran – will likely advise Obama on issues such as the government’s use of security contractors, the Middle East and Iran.

The current director of national intelligence, Mike McConnell, will serve on Obama’s Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board. The National Counterterrorism Center will continue to be led by Michael Leiter.

The team’s not all men, of course, as Obama invited some fabulous females to help secure our nation.

Michèle Flournoy, a former principal deputy assistant defense secretary under President Clinton, has been tapped as Under Secretary of Defense for Policy. In 2007, Flournoy cofounded and was named president of the Center for a New American Security, and served as a senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, where she worked on defense policy and international security issues. She has also served as research professor at the Institute for National Strategic Studies at the National Defense University. When she worked for Clinton, she oversaw three policy offices and was awarded the Secretary of Defense Medal for Outstanding Public Service in 1996, the Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service in 1998 and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff’s Joint Distinguished Civilian Service Award in 2000.