CNN: Defense Secretary nominee Gates clarifies 'not winning' comments

[DeepModem Mom]

Tuesday, December 05, 2006
Gates clarifies 'not winning' comments

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Concerned his earlier remark that the U.S. is not winning in Iraq would be misconstrued by troops on the ground, defense secretary nominee Robert Gates said he said was "concerned the troops in the field might have misunderstood what I said."

"I want to make clear that pertains to the situation in Iraq as a whole," Gates said. "Our military forces win the battles that they fight. Our soldiers have done an incredible job in Iraq, and I'm not aware of a single battle that they have lost.

"The situation is clearly much more complex than just the military action," Gates said.

http://www.cnn.com/POLITICS/blogs/politicalticker/2006/12/gates-clarifies-not-winning-comments.html

[AlCzervik]

1. hmm, i had no questions about the implication of his original statement at all.

don't start with the backpedaling already there Bob because some asshat from the WH called you.

[LSparkle]

4. Somebody musta called him while he was munchin his samich ...

"Y'all get back out there and clar-ee-fy what y'all meant ... "

[Supersedeas]

8. Darth Cheney on the line..."Time to issue a clarificatiion, Bob."

[Tempest]

2. I can think of a battle the forces lost

Fallujah.

[Fridays Child]

3. What's the definition of a "Pyrrhic victory?"

The battles may be won but at what cost? And who will be victorious, in the end?

[AlCzervik]

5. "Devastating cost to the victor" i'm * hasn't a clue and if he did i'm sure

he doesn't care a shit.

[yellowcanine]

6. Holes and digging applies here - both for Gates' comments and Iraq.

Winning battles/losing war applies also. Vietnam, anyone? That was the complaint there. "But we won every major battle!" Yes, except for the "hearts and minds" battle in Vietnam and in the United States.........

[Magleetis]

7. The guy

hasn't even started his job and he is already backtracking. He is going to be just another mouthpiece for Booosh. Same shit different asshole.

[torrentprime]

9. well

let's not pile on here.

His clarification was only to point out that we have never lost an armed battle, and there is no reason not to proudly declare, as the Secretary of Defense, that the military has never lost a battle. It IS important, from a morale standpoint, that while we acknowledge completely the political and social mess created by the civilian leadership, that the military should be proud of the success it has faced, regardless of how badly the leadership has screwed the war.

[Alexander]

10. Yes, but we are losing Iraq. He was right the first time.

Otherwise we'd be gone by now, and the country would be stable.