The Decision to Keep Robert Gates

President-elect Obama's decision to keep Robert Gates as Secretary of Defense is both a solid military move and political move.

In the face of two wars, the transition from President Bush to President Obama is easier for the Pentagon knowing that Gates will remain on the job for one more year.

Second, knowing there will be continuity in Iraq policy and knowing that Gates shares his belief that Afghanistan should be the true focus of our war on terror, allows Obama to focus more attention on pressing domestic concerns.

Third, this is a smart move politically because it ensures there will be at least one Republican in his Cabinet. This will potentially neuter future conservative criticism of Obama's Iraq/Afghanistan policy because it will still be a Republican running these wars for the forseeable future.

The big problem, of course, is that the anti-war wing of the Democratic Party, will feel let down that Obama isn't making a more concerted effort to immediately withdraw troops from Iraq. This is a misguided belief. The United States and Iraq have reached an understanding that U.S. troops will be (mostly) gone by 2011. Obviously, this wouldn't meet Obama's 16-month timetable, but it is a reasonable compromise between the get-out-now anti-war left and the "stay as long as it takes" foreign policy hawks.

Bush Administration Stalling Causes the Deaths of At Least 650 U.S. Troops

Pentagon Refused To Provide Troops With The Armored Vehicles That They Needed

Hear Report and Interview Below



The MRAP (Mine Resistant, Ambush Protected) Armored Vehicle

Despite being aware of the MRAP vehicles and the protection that the vehicles offered, the civilian leadership in the Pentagon refused to provide U.S. troops with the units until recently. If U.S. soldiers had these vehicles a few years ago, when they were requested, hundreds of lives could have been saved. Instead, U.S. troops were sent to Iraq with Humvees that lacked basic protection.

Listen to Story and Interview with Blake Morrison (USA Today writer and author of MRAP report), Courtesy of KMOX Radio.

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USA Today Blog Commentary

U.S. Missile Defense Plan Still On

Defense Secretary Robert Gates Says U.S. Missile Defense plans are still on despite Russian objections. NATO has also announced that it accepts the Missile Shield for Europe (they are the typical lackeys for the U.S.).

But Do the People of Poland and the Czech Republic Accept it? No. Why Can't The People of Poland and the Czech Republic Vote on the matter? Why is the U.S. against allowing the people of those two countries to have their say at the ballot box?

I think the EU and the U.S. are being hypocritical. The U.S. is constantly touting Democracy in places like Albania, Georgia and the Ukraine....but then it turns around and prevents European citizens from having their say about a U.S. missile system being installed on their land. If this were allowed to go to a vote in these two countries, the plan would be soundly defeated....and European "leaders" know it.

I guess the same lack of Democracy that Americans experience here at home is being exported to Europe in this case.

Now we even have the N. Koreans responding to this missile defense plan.... Which could have a negative impact on the negotiations with that country. Negotiations have been held up by a "glitch" regarding the U.S. holding up its end of the deal.... unfreezing N. Korean funds. Everytime there is a breakthrough or near breakthrough in the N. Korea negotiations...there is always this convenient last minute "glitch" that pops up. I have written many times that the U.S. may not really want a negotiated solution regarding N. Korea. This would explain why the U.S. keeps sabotaging the "diplomacy".
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Previous Posts

Vaclav Klaus - The Newest Bush Poodle

U.S. Missile Defense Plan Damaging International Security

Russia To Target Europe