(Defense Secretary Robert ) Gates: 'I Don't Know' If Iraq War Worth It

[sabra]

Source: ABC News

When Asked Whether Iraq War Was Right Thing to Do, Defense Secretary Said, 'I Don't Know'

It's been an article of faith for the Bush administration that the invasion of Iraq was the right thing to do.

However, the man now in charge of running that war said he is not sure.

Asked if the invasion of Iraq was worth doing, Gates first rephrased the question: "If I'd known then what I know now, would I have done the same? I think the answer is, 'I don't know.'"

Compare that to the words of President Bush, who has said consistently and forcefully that the invasion was the right thing to do.

"I strongly believe we did and are doing the right thing," Bush said May 25, 2006.



Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/WN/story?id=3626377&page=1

[Rosa Luxemburg]

1. isn't he supposed to know since he is Defense Sec.?

[rodeodance]

7. It does not matter if he knows or not--But he must tote the line. oops

[democrat2thecore]

2. Actually

There was a measure of honesty in that answer that the White House, I'm certain, didn't like.


edit: punctuation error

[partylessinOhio]

3. Goodbye, Gates! And don't let the door hit you on the way out.

[TwilightGardener]

4. The truth trickles out, from both Gates and Petraeus, on whether

this war will ever do us a damn bit of good. Sadly, it won't matter--the course is set.

[yourout]

5. Not that is would be hard to do but Gates is an upgrade over Rummy.

[rodeodance]

6. and Connect the DOT--Petraeus saying He did NOT know if Iraq war making us SAFER!!

[bleever]

8. K5R.

Homona homona homona...

woopwoopwoop...

Say Whaaaaaaa?


Has the reality-based community infiltrated the adminstration??

[autorank]

9. K*R - Great one...and you know he really means IRAN...count on it!!!

Amazing times. Who is the real opposition?


From:
UQ Wire: Brzezinski On The Path To War With Iran

Sunday, 11 February 2007, 11:07 pm

Just a week after Brzezinski outlined the modus operandi for the Bush crew, the supposed voice of reason at the Pentagon is selling a story of Iranian subversion. Trying it out on the road in Munich, Germany before the homeland premier, Gates indicated that weapons were found with Iranian serial numbers.


U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates on his European tour.

"I think there's some serial numbers, there may be some markings on some of the projectile fragments that we found" that point to Iran," he said.

Gates' remarks left unclear how the U.S. knows the serial numbers are traceable to Iran and whether such weapons would have been sent to Iraq by the Iranian government or by private arms dealers.

Compare Gates’ tentative assertion to this whopper used to justify Gulf War I: “They took the babies out of the incubators, took the incubators, and left the babies on the cold floor to die” said the Kuwaiti Ambassador’s daughter, who, by the way, had never seen anything of the sort. Gates’ tentative serial number claim is no way to whip up war fever. Even the AP reporter bluntly questioned his ability to know just what it is about those serial numbers that gives them that tell-tale Iranian look.

So it begins - the rationale for war. The political basis for this scenario explains why the tactics must, of necessity, be so completely inept.

[BlueEyedSon]

10. Saddam was a $5000 ice cream cone

Oh so yummy and nice to have..... but worth the cost?

Nah.

[Major Hogwash]

11. And General Betrayus said he didn't know if the war made America safer.

So, why are we still there?

[bluestateguy]

12. I wonder how long it will be before he issues his "clarification"

Right after getting a phone call from the West Wing.

[gratuitous]

13. Yeah, Petraeus sure got religion fast last week . . .

He briefly wasn't sure if America was safer after all this death and chaos, but after coming back from a break in his testimony, he sure as the world knew that America was safe, safer, safest, baby. I foresee a similar "come to Jesus" moment from Gates.

[DeepModem Mom]

14. Petraeus and Gates: They BOTH "know." nt

[lapfog_1]

15. How can he possibly write those letters

you know, the ones to the parents and loved ones of the troops that are dying or will die in Iraq?

If he truly does not know if it is worth it... how can he face them?

What kind of person would utter such a thought and NOT RESIGN? You can not ask more people to die for something you don't believe is "worth it" and still be a human.

I'm sorry, I have no sympathy for such a person.

[defendandprotect]

16. Wish they'd ask him some questions about warprofiteering ---