Defense Secretary Gates Could Stay Through Obama's 4 Years
By Paul Bedard, Washington Whispers
Initial speculation that Defense Secretary Robert Gates would remain at the Pentagon for about a year and a half, or until the Iraq troop withdrawal was well under way, is yielding to new expectations that he will be there for years, possibly to the end of President Obama's first term in office. Gates, former President Bush's defense secretary, was asked to stay on by Obama, in part for continuity and because Congress and the military respect him. Gates had broadcast his strong desire to return to the Seattle area, but he bowed to Obama's wishes. Now, insiders say that Gates has cut a broad agenda to redo the military, review the budget, and shift the war focus from Iraq to Afghanistan, and he'd like to stay long enough to see it through. "He could be here the full four years," says an associate. "He and the president have really hit it off."
Tags: Department of Defense | Robert Gates | Obama administration
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Reader Comments
Maybe Good News?
It is hard to believe there are so few previous thoughts to mine on this one. I do not know Robert Gates, and was not a supporter of Mr. President Obama.. but as an official birdwatcher, I have noticed a few characteristics of the man Gates that caught my attention... most notably "character". Somehow it is reassuring that Mr. President Obama and Mr. Gates are working well together. God knows the country needs a good bit of this sort of stuff, and better yet .. placed at the top and and the critical points. I am never enthusiastic about politics... and even less about politicians... These will (unfortunately) be critical times, in which we must set aside prejudices and pray that those who can do the the right thing, will do so. Also while we recognize than anyone can fail (what else should we expect?) we should see that those who do not care about those they "serve" are bad shepherds. At this point I would have nothing to say but to hope you are correct on this one. God knows... we it may be true that we have a few good men... need it. Lets put the mission of the country on the correct foundation. Maybe this is IDEED a good stepping stone; may it please God. So I pray.
More important
is that President Obama will NOT have to appoint someone. His track record on appointments is less than spectacular.
Good
Having Gates stay on is only a good thing, not a bad thing. We should wish that Bush had put him in originally instead of Rummy.
There would be much less to retroactively fix if that had been the case.
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