by Frank James
It's being widely reported that President-elect Barack Obama has asked Defense Secretary Robert Gates to stay on at the Pentagon and that Gates has agreed.
The move would maintain continuity at the Pentagon at a critical time since Obama has pledged to start reducing combat troops in Iraq as soon as he's inaugurated and add more U.S troops to Afghanistan where the Taliban has significantly increased its attacks.
In addition, it would leave a widely respected manager at Defense at a time when the new Obama Administration is likely to be seeking spending cuts, including discontinuing some weapons systems in order to offset the expected spending on fiscal stimulus.
Gates is widely credited with bringing accountability to the Pentagon, firing generals who failed to properly oversee Walter Read Army Medical Center or the nation's nuclear arsenal.
He also won plaudits early on from Democrats on Capitol Hill for answering their questions directly that he wouldn't recommend invading Iran, this coming at a time when others in the Bush Administration were sounding very belligerent towards the Middle Eastern theocracy.
It has been an open secret that Obama was likely to ask Gates to stay. Gates, who has served in other Republican Administrations in a series of roles, including CIA director, would give an Obama cabinet a bipartisan look.
Comments
In all honesty, which democrat could actually be a credible choice (other than Sam Nunn)?
Posted by: Terry | November 25, 2008 8:24 PM
This makes sense from a continuity standpoint.
Besides, Obama needs to find out where all the secret wars are happening, and what commitments have been made to God knows who.
Also, we don't need some kind of Bay of Pigs 'surprise' in a few months.
But, sooner than later, he must go.
I don't expect this to make it up.
Posted by: C.Morris | November 25, 2008 8:41 PM
Bob Kerrey
Lee Hamilton
Sam Nunn (mentioned)
Chuck Robb
Jim Webb
There's lots more.
Anybody else want to expand the list for Terry.
(I don't expect this to be posted)
Posted by: C.Morris | November 25, 2008 8:45 PM
CM,
Your first post gets it right - they need Gates in there to finish the heavy lifting and then bring the dem in to gut the military one more time (like Carter and Clinton)
Posted by: Terry | November 25, 2008 11:10 PM
Admiral William Fallon for Secretary of Defense would be best.
First mistake: Obama allowing the Bush/Cheney "Intelligence" briefing agency to convince Obama that he must keep Gates and PBetrayus.
Second mistake: Dominatrix Clinton as SOS.
Third mistake: Hiring the men who helped Cheney/Bush bring about the economic "meltdown" so they can lead us--7.7 trillion dollars worth--out of the "meltdown". Nothing left for our real defense.
Change we can believe in.
Posted by: Vivian | November 25, 2008 11:19 PM
All you Obama voters out there: if Obama had told you during the primaries that he'd be keeping Bush's Defense Secretary, would you still have voted for him over Clinton?
Posted by: Daily Kossack | November 26, 2008 5:32 PM
2 million inmates,
texas 158 131 thousand inmtes,
california 160 315 inmates
new york 67 131 inmates
florida 73 5553 inmates
why let them injail do nothing cause more trouble
learn the china way
u can force the man to go war fight but u can make an fight when they commit a crime
u changed their life
u can get them to appreciate us when they went for war,
iraq witdraw troop, while the remain troop cna train both us inmates and iraq troop,
some can be send to afghanistan extra help,
hy keep them in jail for doing n othing time for them to do some thing for usa to reduce their jail time after we win afghanistan
do the dirty china way
believe me those jail soldiers wil put a show to hunt down bin laden head
Posted by: jon to build more us troop for gate | February 27, 2009 2:31 PM