Barack Obama may retain defence chief Robert Gates

[captainmorgan]

Source: The Sunday Times (UK)

June 29, 2008
Sarah Baxter in Washington

In defiance of traditional party labels, Barack Obama, the Democratic presidential nominee, may ask the defence secretary of President George W Bush to stay on if he wins the White House.

Obama’s top foreign policy and national security advisers are pressing the case for keeping Robert Gates at the Pentagon after he won widespread praise for his performance. The move would be in keeping with Obama’s desire to appoint a cabinet of all the talents.

After appealing for unity with former rival Hillary Clinton and her supporters and big donors last week, Obama, 46, is turning his attention to wooing Republicans and independent voters who may be concerned that he lacks the experience to be trusted with America’s defence.

Richard Danzig, an adviser to Obama on national security and a former navy secretary, said: “My personal position is Gates is a very good secretary of defence and would be an even better one in an Obama administration.”

Read more:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/us_elections/article4232070.ece#cid=OTC-RSS&attr=797093


Read more: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/us_elections/article4232070.ece#cid=OTC-RSS&attr=797093

[babylonsister]

1. 'May' ask? Is this an opinion of the writer's? He 'may not' ask, too. nt

[captainmorgan]

3. He quoted Richard Danzig, Obama's key foreign policy adviser

Richard Danzig, an adviser to Obama on national security and a former navy secretary, said: “My personal position is Gates is a very good secretary of defence and would be an even better one in an Obama administration.”

Plus Obama himself mentioned Danzig's name when asked by the NY Times a while ago which expert he would consult with:

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/01/us/politics/02obama-transcript.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

[babylonsister]

5. Thanks. Danzig's personal opinion 'might' count for something.

Myself, I'll wait to see how this shakes out.

[Gigaware]

11. Another Obama adviser, Ivan Daalder, agreed with Danzig

From the article:

16MY6TEIvo Daalder of the Brookings Institution in Washington, a foreign policy adviser to Obama, said: “Robert Gates is one of the best defence secretaries we have had in a long time and it makes a lot of sense to keep him.”

[babylonsister]

13. OK, thanks. Any word on what Susan Rice might think? nt

[saltpoint]

2. While I personally have no idea in hell if Obama would retain

Gates, I personally hope he chooses not to.

There are scores of others who would be far better choices, plus it is an important symbolic act to clear out the appointees of the Bush era, plus there's the added political benefit of strengthening your position through smart, new, strategic appointments.

[lebkuchen]

4. no goddamn chance in hell

Gates goes.

I'm stopping contributions to the Obama campaign until I start hearing something from his organization worth contributing to.

Meanwhile, there are plenty of folks that want to be US senator who share my views. They will get my direct contribution.

[natrat]

6. testimony to just how much power this junta has over the election process and the government

they are going dress our guy up in a nazi uniform by election time

[lebkuchen]

9. It's happening before my eyes, within a week's time

truly breathtaking.

Thanks for your insight.

[amandabeech]

21. I don't understand your reference to "junta."

Would you please explain?

[ohio2007]

10. So where is your top five better choice list ? As you know

you can e mail your better picks right to the Obama website. They have an open door policy and take input from many sources.

I bet Barak doesn't need your vote if your not willing to hear him out as to why he would carry over a defense pick.

As I recall, there was a Clinton holdover put into building the bushco cabinet

but


nobody wanted to hear his opinions as I recall......

jmo

[lebkuchen]

17. I work on a US army base in Europe

I would be happy to discuss with Obama why I think Gates needs to leave, not only Gates, but layer upon layer of Bush appointees that is bone-deep.

Obama's coming to Europe. I am hoping he will hold an open forum so the topic of "Bush's Political Nepotism and the Peter Principle" can be discussed.

As Markos said on Obama, "We have no other choice." We're involved in a six year invasion and "We have no other choice."

I do have the choice of contributions, however, and I choose no longer to contribute to Obama. I'll give money to senate candidates of choice while voting for Obama. I hope Obama is comfortable with that....he has my vote, not my money.

[Algorem]

7. let Bush stay in the White House too,what the hell.Obama can commute.

they can be co-unitary executive.

this two-party stuff is "just rhetoric" anyway.

[jody]

8. The more things CHANGE, the more they stay the same. n/t

[ohio2007]

15. well, there is the theory that true power is held by a select few families... Kinda puts a Mugabe

election results into a different light after all these years.

UN 'regrets' Zimbabwe election

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7478757.stm

'Big Mugabe win' in Zimbabwe poll

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7479853.stm

[Cirque du So-What]

12. Arrgh, DU. Got a little captain in ye?

Not any longer, apparently.

[Zorra]

14. Cabinet of talents? The only things republicans are talented at is lying, corruption,

greed, and incompetence.
:puke:
Haven't we seen enough? Haven't we had enough?
:puke:
We desperately need genuine change, not the same people that have been supporting Bu*h in deliberately destroying our country.

[TwilightGardener]

16. Not a bad idea. Gates is VERY well-regarded by the military, and is seen

as competent and effective. He does what Chimpy asks him to do, but he would also accomplish what Obama asks him to do just as well--he does not seem to have an ideology or political agenda the way Rumsfeld did.

[rox63]

18. The Secretary of Defense must take orders from the President

If Gates will do that with President Obama, and do it well, he may be a good candidate to stay on. If not, he needs to be replaced.

[DumpDavisHogg]

19. Gates wanted to bomb Nicaragua

Robert Gates is the man who wanted to bomb Nicaragua, for crying out loud! All because it wouldn't elect a President to his liking.

[rox63]

30. Who was the president at the time?

Would it be more accurate to say that the President wanted to bomb Nicaragua, and Gates was working for him?

[krispos42]

20. Sweep the scum out

The fact that ANYBODY has a position in the Bush Administration means that they did something to curry Bush's favor. NOBODY gets into BushCo with competence being a significant factor.


Gates did SOMETHING to make Bush like him, and he will continue to do it under Obama. Things like, perhaps, leaking information to conserative think-tanks or politicians, or manipulating things behind the scenes for defense contractors.


Sweep the scum out.

[elocs]

22. The keyword here is "may".

I "may" win the Powerball lottery, but then I "may" not (I didn't last night). OK, so that's unlikely anyways.

I "may" mow my lawn today, but, then again, I "may" not. It might rain or more likely I just don't feel like it.

"May" is a long way from being a done deal.

[bean fidhleir]

23. "Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain" (nt)

[LeFleur1]

24. What was that line said so often?

Change? So much for that.

[DallasNE]

25. Why Would Gates Want The Job

Perhaps to become a real Secretary of Defense? Dick Cheney is the current functioning Secretary of Defense.

Such a move would set up a huge conflict of interest for Gates. It would be unethical for him to disclose personal converations with President Bush. Would Gates be onboard for a fairly rapid withdrawal of American forces from Iraq. He did, after all, support the surge.

A still bigger conflict will exist at CentCom where Gen. Petraeus will be stationed when Barack Obama call for a reversal of his policy. This could set up a Truman/MacArthur type of Commander in Chief battle with the politically active Gen. Petraeus. The top command of the military has been loaded with Bush loyalists. Obama will have his hands full dealing with this group where being a yes man was all important to survival.

[skyounkin]

26. LOL

I'll believe it when I see it.

[defendandprotect]

27. Robt. Gates of "The October Surprise" . . . maybe Obama will ask Bush to stay on????

[Mudoria]

28. Gates is the only part of administration

that can seemingly find his ass with both hands. I don't have a problem with him continuing on as SoD since he appears to be highly competent and is well respected by the military, unlike the buffoon that preceded him. Of course an untrained monkey would appear to be a genius compared to old "Rummy".

[Magleetis]

29. I hope not

I draw no distinction between the evil shrub and the people who support and/or work for him. They have no regard for human life or the rule of law. This is not what I want to hear coming from Obama. I am holding out hope that American democracy isn't a sham.

[bean fidhleir]

31. I think you've identified the key take-home concept here

They're all a clear and present danger to human life.

[balantz]

32. That would be a continuation of the same business.

Here's some info on Gates:

-snip-

"Gates was first nominated to be the director of Central Intelligence in 1987 by Ronald Reagan, who was known as the Great Delegator (which may mean that Gates was really nominated by George H. W. Bush assisted by James Baker), at the height of the controversy over the criminal sale of arms to Khomeini and transfer of money to the Contras. But Gates, facing rejection, withdrew.4 Tom Polgar, a CIA station chief and staffer on the Senate Select Committee on Iran-Contra, wrote in an op-ed piece, "My objections to Gates center on his performance during the Iran-contra affair.... Throughout it, Gates acted as if he was in a complete fog or was interested primarily in keeping the truth from being aired in public or from reaching Congress."5 During Iran-Contra Gates was CIA deputy director for intelligence, then deputy director of Central Intelligence (hence the number two man), and finally the acting director. Gates was close to Iran-Contra figures and in a strong position to know about what was going on. Although Gates was an early target of investigation, Independent Counsel Lawrence E. Walsh ultimately decided not to prosecute Gates for perjury without stronger evidence. It appears that Gates tried to protect the Agency and leave aggressive criminal activity to Col. Ollie North and company, but that Gates dissembled and suffered “recall failures” under oath before the Grand Jury."

-snip-

"Perhaps the most consistent trait of the Bush bunch is secrecy, although loyalty runs a close second.16 Robert M. Gates has both traits. A little-known outrage for our so-called republic happened on Nov. 1, 2001, when President George W. Bush signed Executive Order 13233, ordering that a former president's private papers can be released only with the approval of both the current and former president (or his heirs). Since the Reagan-Bush administration had a “stop the clock” granted, new Iran-Contra evidence can be withheld indefinitely, protecting Bush 41 and Gates from further revelations. Prior to Bush 43’s new secrecy order, the National Archives had controlled the release of documents under the Presidential Records Act of 1978, which stipulated that all papers, except those pertaining to national security, had to be made available 12 years after a president left office. The new Democrat-controlled Congress must contest this usurpation of law. If it succeeds, new Iran-Contra revelations will scandalize Gates, Bush 41 and many others."

http://www.nomoregames.net/index.php?page=911&subpage1=getting_to_know_gates

[MilesColtrane]

33. Obama may not be in a position to "keep him on".

Gates opposes bombing Iran, as did head of CENTCOM Admiral Fallon.

Fallon's being replaced by Petraeus.

I expect to see Gates resign soon, either willingly in protest of Bush's last hurrah, or as the result of a squeeze out.

[balantz]

34. Do you have a link that shows Gates' opposition to attacking Iran? n/t

[MilesColtrane]

36. Of course there is no official pronouncement from Gates.

There are many reports from unnamed sources.

4th paragraph

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/05/20/bush.iran/index.html

3rd paragraph

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article1426601.ece

6th paragraph

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/06/24/eveningnews/main4206201.shtml?source=RSSattr=HOME_4206201

Google "Secretary Gates opposes attacking Iran"

926,000 results

[yurbud]

35. How about Gary Hart?

[Two Americas]

37. labels?

You mean all of this was just about "labels?"

"In defiance of traditional party labels..."

Here I thought that the wealthy and powerful few were waging all out war on the people, and winning, and that the Democratic party would defend us and fight back on our behalf.

But it was just about "labels" and nothing of any substance, I guess.

Rather than defying the predatory and authoritarian people who are dismantling our country and impoverishing and terrorizing the rest of us, we will be defying "labels" now.

But won't those "labels" get angry at being defied, and might they not say bad things about us and hurt our chances of winning?

[ohio2007]

38. interesting comments left at the bottom of this "Op Ed" article

The Bush presidency taught us that there are risks of electing a person about whom we know little. At least Bush had some experience governing. Obama has no experience and has revealed only a talent for expressing nice sentiments. If I want nice sentiments, I'll buy a greeting card.

Jock Gleason, mclean, usa

Yes, his total of 2 years in government is showing, yet the Times love-fest of Obama continues. There are so many signs of this mans total lack of ability but all the neo-communists continue to love him. Hes like a Hollywood star. Smooth talking, a good actor but no substance to back it up.

William, Atlanta, USA

Can we trust him?

He has already changed horses in mid-stream when he went back on his word. In the beginning of his campaign he said he would take money from the presidential fund.

Now he is not going to take money from the presidential funds.

Can we trust anything he says?

Colleen , Hickory Creek, Texas, USA,

Obama is just smart. There's no sense trying to down play that. What I'm hoping is that we can get traditional thinking kicked out the door and try something exactly like this . You go Obama. President Obama, sounds good to me.

Luke, LA,



True Obama is no troll
where, as they say, he will drag you down to his level and beat you with experience

[smoogatz]

39. Probably a head-fake.

I doubt he'd keep Gates on board.

[indepat]

40. We must have a 'puke Secretary of Defense in a Democratic administration, someone who is tough

on the commie threat, terra, and crime at home considering the military's present role in domestic matters. No softie libral in this job, no siree. :D