Gates is key to Obama’s success (9/11, Congress, Iraq)
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Why Gates is key to Obama’s success
Defense secretary warns of increased casualties and costs in Afghanistan
By Tom Curry
msnbc.com
updated 4:06 p.m. ET, Tues., Jan. 27, 2009
WASHINGTON - Even as President Barack Obama visited the Capitol Tuesday to lobby Republicans to support his stimulus plan, the most prominent Republican appointee who works for Obama, Defense Secretary Robert Gates, was briefing Congress on the foreign commitments that may decide the success of Obama’s presidency.
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“Above all there must be an Afghan face on this war. The Afghan people must believe this is their war and we are there to help them, because if they think we are there for our own purposes, then we will go the way of every other foreign army that has been in Afghanistan.”
He also said he is “deeply skeptical” of sending more U.S. forces beyond the 30,000 the U.S. commander there, Gen. David McKiernan, has already asked for.
Gates also told senators that “the spigot of defense funding opened by 9/11 is closing” and therefore he will need to “ruthlessly separate appetites from real requirements” when buying new weaponry.
run out of money just in time for the more difficult war - thanks KBR!
Afghanistan is a necessary cause. Iraq was a personal issue for Bush that has led to the deaths of more Americans than died in the WTC attack. Is a former service member I believe American military lives should be placed in jeopardy only for the defense of our country, not for the profits of our companies.
Dying in war is never "okay" but if wars must be fought, soldiers will have to die as a result of it's prosecution. So if one must die in war, it damned sure ought to be for a just cause.
Is Afghanistan a good cause, that's an interesting question. I would say that killing, capturing or otherwise disrupting al Qaeda in Afghanistan is very much a good cause. The question for me is how those objectives are pursued. If it is a based upon "nation building," installing a week and ineffectual government which takes away from the principle objectives, I would say that I have severe problems with such a strategy.
I have a great deal of faith in Sec. Gates. He stood up to the Bush administration and redirected the war in Iraq. Before the election I often thought that keeping him on as Secretary of Defense would be a brilliant move. I am glad that Obama saw that in the same light.
So, I agree, that Gates is critical to a successful Obama administration, Obama seems to think so as well.
Also from most I have read we are currently fighting the Taliban not Al Qaeda...
Is the Taliban the enemy?
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run out of money just in time for the more difficult war - thanks KBR!
