GATES: GOP Hypocrite of the Week (Buzzflash)

[babylonsister]

http://www.gophypocrites.com/2006/12/hyp06052.html

December 29, 2006
Robert M. Gates


Welcome back to the BuzzFlash GOP Hypocrite of the Week.

Wouldn't it be hypocrisy for the Secretary of Defense to protect the President of the United States from embarrassment for his grievous and deadly mistakes rather than to do what's best for America?

Yes it would, and so Robert M. Gates is our BuzzFlash GOP Hypocrite of the Week.

Gates, who conventional wisdom had pegged as Poppy Bush's man, has turned out to be worse than Rumsfeld. Rummy, as megalomaniacal as he was, was against increasing troop levels in Iraq.

But Gates, who it turns out is being "handled" by Dick Cheney's office, flew -- with Cheney's staff in charge -- to Iraq for a little public relations time. They had him meet with pre-selected GIs for the cameras, guys who knew to tout the party line and support expansion of U.S. involvement in the civil war.

More significantly, Gates' PR jaunt provided the pretext for "turning the generals around." Prior to the Gates Iraq charade, the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff unanimously opposed sending more Gis to Iraq. The general who oversaw Iraq operations and knew the most about the situation on the ground was against the euphemistic "surge." Reportedly, most of the military leadership in Iraq didn't think an increase in troops would help.

But all that dramatically changed after Cheney's people took Gates to Iraq on a leash. They basically fired the dissenting general who knew the most about Iraq. They got Gates to read the riot act to the Joint Chiefs -- and Cheney's people apparently worked over the military commanders in Baghdad.

Presto-change-o, Gates returns and suddenly the Pentagon brass are behind Bush's decision that will only lead to more GI deaths.

Of course, it's all a Soviet-style charade. Gates just helped make sure that the guys who really know about war got the message that they better stand behind the personal interests of Godfather Bush or their military careers would be ruined.

That's not protecting America. That's protecting Bush's ass.

And that's why Robert M. Gates is this week's BuzzFlash GOP Hypocrite of the Week.

Until next week, remember our motto: So many Republican hypocrites, so little time.

Catch up with you soon.

[illinoisprogressive]

1. Great choice

People were really hoping this guy was a 41 plant. someone who would shake out the neocons and outlaw the koolaid. And make Jr. see reality for a change.
Instead he was a plant of Cheney's. As usual. Cheney controls this administration with his spies in every dept. and runs the war.
It's not just to protect Jr. but, to make sure Cheney and the neocons carry on the same path and look to Iran

[Lowell]

2. Rumors on the internets say Gates went to quell mutiny

in the US military. Someday maybe we'll hear about it.
http://www.uruknet.info/?p=29267

[babylonsister]

3. Wow, this is the first I've heard of mutiny. Did you post this

in GD/P? I wonder if Gates would have the power/authority/respect to accomplish this.

[Lowell]

4. This is the first time I've posted it

I was waiting to see it show up in another source before I did anything.

A mutiny in the ranks does not surprise me.

[babylonsister]

5. It seems Global Research believes it:

http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=viewArticle&code=20061225&articleId=4261

[Wild Bill PlainTalk]

6. GATES

When will the American people realize that not all generals are worth the powder to blow their ass away? Supporting troop increase? Most of the Pentagon's current crop of troop handlers are incompetent and should be held accountable for shoring up the Chimp-in-Chief!