Bob Gates: US not winning Iraq war, etc. .
I am sitting here actively multitasking (listening to confirmation hearings for Defense Secretary designee, Robert Gates, etc.). Dr. Gates, as he was often referred to, admitted that the U. S. was not winning the Iraqi war, that political (and not military) solutions were needed -- particularly of Iraqis controlling their own destiny -- and that Osama Bin Laden, and NOT Saddam Hussein, was directly responsible for 9/11. Refreshing, isn't it? Dr. Gates also indicated that all options were open in Iraq, including "drawing down our forces". Stay tuned for more updates as words of note are uttered by him.
Update #1 at 12:00 p. m.: The Senate confirmation hearing is on a lunch recess. Here are a few new words for Dr. Gates: Dr. Gates promised independence in his new job, if confirmed. He also warned of "regional conflagration" in the Middle East and Senator Hilary Clinton elicited from him that he would, just as Bush senior was able to do during the gulf war, "defer to the military commanders in the field" -- signaling for the first time a dramatic shift in management style from "Rummy's" "hands-on-dictate-to-the-commanders-in-the-field. And ironically, President Bush is getting a "heads up" briefing from the Iraq war study group (as James Baker's group can loosely be called) today to be followed tomorrow at 7:00 a. m. (est) by a more fuller report. The Senate committee handling Dr. Gate's confirmation hopes to send his nomination (I predict without any nay votes) to the full Senate for a vote by tomorrow. Stay tuned for more updates (I will be in a jury trial this afternoon and will update later).
Update #2 at 5:50 p. m.: I am now making it back after my jury trial and running errands and so missed the afternoon session of Robert Gates' confirmation. However, his testimony reveals that he is 180 degrees the opposite of "Rummy". Also, he was confirmed with no NAY votes as I had predicted. As Senate Armed Services Committee Chair, John Warner, gushed in announcing the panel's unanimous vote: "America got a good look at this extraordinary nominee, ... [who would make] a strong adviser to the President of the United States."
Now let's move on to the full Senate where his confirmation I predict to be unanimous, or at least 98 to 0, with 2 abstentions.
Update #1 at 12:00 p. m.: The Senate confirmation hearing is on a lunch recess. Here are a few new words for Dr. Gates: Dr. Gates promised independence in his new job, if confirmed. He also warned of "regional conflagration" in the Middle East and Senator Hilary Clinton elicited from him that he would, just as Bush senior was able to do during the gulf war, "defer to the military commanders in the field" -- signaling for the first time a dramatic shift in management style from "Rummy's" "hands-on-dictate-to-the-commanders-in-the-field. And ironically, President Bush is getting a "heads up" briefing from the Iraq war study group (as James Baker's group can loosely be called) today to be followed tomorrow at 7:00 a. m. (est) by a more fuller report. The Senate committee handling Dr. Gate's confirmation hopes to send his nomination (I predict without any nay votes) to the full Senate for a vote by tomorrow. Stay tuned for more updates (I will be in a jury trial this afternoon and will update later).
Update #2 at 5:50 p. m.: I am now making it back after my jury trial and running errands and so missed the afternoon session of Robert Gates' confirmation. However, his testimony reveals that he is 180 degrees the opposite of "Rummy". Also, he was confirmed with no NAY votes as I had predicted. As Senate Armed Services Committee Chair, John Warner, gushed in announcing the panel's unanimous vote: "America got a good look at this extraordinary nominee, ... [who would make] a strong adviser to the President of the United States."
Now let's move on to the full Senate where his confirmation I predict to be unanimous, or at least 98 to 0, with 2 abstentions.
Labels: Democratism, Middle East, Politics, Republicanism
posted by KYJurisDoctor at 10:12 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home