Robert Gates, zOMG, he's horrible!!!!!1!1111

[CTLawGuy]

http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-gates3-2008dec03,0,900244.story

By Julian E. Barnes
December 3, 2008
Reporting from Washington -- Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said he accepted President-elect Barack Obama's approach to scheduled troop reductions in Iraq, arguing Tuesday that the hotly debated subject of timelines for withdrawal largely had been settled by a new U.S.-Iraq security agreement.

"That bridge has been crossed," Gates said a day after he formally agreed to remain as Obama's Defense secretary. "And so the question is: How do we do this in a responsible way?"


The security agreement, approved last week by Iraqi officials, requires U.S. combat troops to leave Iraqi cities and towns by June 30 and to withdraw completely by the end of 2011. Obama wants combat troops out within 16 months, but has indicated he would take security considerations and advice from commanders into account.

...

Saying that his tenure would be "open-ended," Gates promised during a Pentagon news conference that he would not be merely a caretaker as secretary. He hinted that he planned to put some muscle behind his rhetorical critique of Pentagon spending priorities and to overhaul the way the military buys weapons.

He also said that closing the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, would be a high priority, but could require new legislation, such as a measure preventing former detainees from seeking asylum in the United States.

...

Although he is remaining in his job, Gates has told other political appointees that they should expect to be replaced as the Obama transition team moves to install its own team in the Pentagon.

"The truth of the matter is, when I came here two years ago every single position was filled by somebody who had been appointed by somebody else," Gates said. "And I think it's worked out OK."

...

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Agreeing that the US should start withdrawing from Iraq?
In favor of closing Guantanamo?
Critical of Pentagon spending?

WTH was Obama thinking with this guy :eyes:
We got Skrooooed I tell yaz!

[lxlxlxl]

1. yeah...most people didnt really appreciate the difference between rumsfeld and gates

bob gates was not donald rumsfeld. only progressives demanding complete withdrawal all over the world seem to hate him. i think he is o.k. with regards to what we have to do right now (get OBL and come home)

[mckara]

2. Lighten Up, Francis!

President Obama will set the agenda, not the Sec Def, regardless of who serves.

I don't think that Gates is even a Republican, even though he serves in a Republican cabinet.

[political_Dem]

3. We'll see.

Especially when these promises come from a bonafide Bush crony. Time will tell whether Gates can cut the Bush puppet strings. Right now, it's only talk.