Robert Gates needs to be fired

[Politics_Guy25]

I think he was the one that leaked the Mccrystal Report. Bring in a democrat. Who else would leak the report other than for he? Of course, the joint chiefs are all republican hacks as well so maybe it wasn't him. One thing is clear: there's a GOP mole in the Pentagon.

The Mccrystal report is now a GOP talking point...Geez, how could that happen other than for a GOP mole helping to plant it?

Cohen under Pres. Clinton was a true loyal soldier to his commander-in-chief and was actually even less hawkish than Secretary Albright. Gates is Papa Bush's best friend. Time for him to go.

[Thrill]

1. I don't buy that. There are plenty of people at the Pentagon

that love war who have been there throughout the Bush yrs. Gates I don't think is one of them

[Politics_Guy25]

3. Maybe it was the joint chiefs then...IDK

Joint chiefs mole is possible as well. I watched the chairman of the JSC at an obscure presser on CSPAN months back and he said in response to a question "I think it's safe to say that I share Senator Mccain's view on this." SENATOR MCCAIN???????????????? Why bring a defeated loser up at all. That turned me off of him right there. Clear republican hack.

As far as the Pentagon, yes the Bush tentacles run all through the U.S. government I agree. It's hard to say for sure.

Still, though, we have defence giants in our party. Bring one of them on as SOD.

[Thrill]

6. All I can say is the 60 minutes piece they did on Gates

changed my opinion of him. I think he wants to get the hell out of Iraq and Afghanistan. I also like that he actually WANTS to cut the defense budget. That says alot about him in my opinion. He's not one of those neo cons

[tritsofme]

2. Well I'm glad you have solved this mystery.

Congrats.

[Politics_Guy25]

4. What's with the insult?

Totally unwarranted. Sorry for wanting a democrat to be in the cabinet of a DEMOCRATIC administration.

[DrToast]

16. Is that what you want? I didn't know you got to pick Obama's cabinet

You should let him know.

[tritsofme]

17. Give me a break.

Gates serves at the pleasure of the President.

Just because you don't like the guy doesn't mean you have to make up lies about him.

[ksoze]

5. If he fires everyone he disagrees with on something, we just got Bush back for 4 more

[Politics_Guy25]

8. This is different-it is a CO-ORDINATED LEAK

Designed to force the President into an untenable public situation by a)setting up a cutting and running argument or b)forcing the President into a politically unpopular move to escalate in Afghanistan.

President Clinton hit the roof over these kinds of leaks. I hope President Obama does as well. Anyone that leaked this report deserves to be fired. It is an affront to the commander-in-chief and a clear political hatchet job. There needs to be a full internal relentless investigation until the culprit is found.

If they do this, what else are they doing? Wiretapping the oval office? Wiretapping Secretary Clinton? Rummaging through oval office computer documents? Etc.? This leak is outrageous.

In other democratic countries, when a new administration takes over, the entire bureaucracy (at the senior decision making level) is let go and the government installs new appointees. Canada is an example of this. I'm not advocating firing a secretary of course.

[ksoze]

15. I as not aware the leaker was identified or the motives made clear

[Politics_Guy25]

9. Dupe

Dupe

[MadBadger]

7. Lets fire Gates because Politics_Guy25 thinks he leaked a report

Politics_Guy25 doesnt offer up any evidence, but why on earth would that matter!

[Politics_Guy25]

11. What the hell is your problem?

Someone in the Pentagon leaked this report. It never should happened. It is an affront. I want the culprit found and punished. Again, I go back to the JSC chairman saying "I share Senator Mccain's view on this." What the hell?

But oh yes, the leaker of this report had nothing but the purest of intentions for the Obama administration in mind.

And if it wasn't Gates himself that leaked the report, fine. Then he needs to shut down the leaks at the Pentagon. He knows the people that would have had access to this report I'm sure. Go down the list one by one.

[grantcart]

13. It could have been leaked by the White House to spur dialogue

You assume facts not yet established.


And we all know what happens when you ass u me to much.

[Jennicut]

10. No, actually Gates has not indicated either way where he really stands.

Clinton and Holbrooke are on one side and Biden and Jones on the other.

From the NY times:
In the West Wing, beyond Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., who has advocated an alternative strategy to the troop buildup, other presidential advisers sound dubious about more troops, including Rahm Emanuel, the chief of staff, and Gen. James L. Jones, the national security adviser, according to people who have spoken with them. At the same time, Mr. Obama is also hearing from more hawkish figures, including Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Richard Holbrooke, the special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/27/world/asia/27military.html?em

Gates is not really expressing his views either way.

For his part, Gates is counseling patience as Obama makes a thorough evaluation of the situation in Afghanistan -- and he has yet to formally forward McChrystal's request to the White House. http://content.usatoday.com/communities/theoval/post/2009/09/68499964/1

[flpoljunkie]

12. A better choice for the leaker--Fred Kagan, neocon/AEI fellow, who helped McCrystal write it.

[Politics_Guy25]

14. I could buy that about Kagan

Then Mccrysthal needs to be fired then. What kind of gong show is this in Washington with senior military officials leaking confidential reports to their conservative friends merely to try to hurt someone that they disagree with politically? What happened to respecting the will of the people and realizing that you'll get your chance in power again in 12-16 years and to just be patient? I thought the military respected our democracy.

I'll back off on Gates then.

[Phx_Dem]

18. You have zero evidence to back that up.

:crazy:

[Phx_Dem]

19. delete dupe

[Mudoria]

20. Personally I think Gates has been doing a fine job

He's about the only thing I can think of that W didn't fuck up. He came into a total mess left by "Rummy" and has done a good job cleaning up much of it.

[ieoeja]

21. Leak? I thought the report was released ... with redactions. (nt)

[jeanpalmer]

22. I think it's just as likely that the WH leaked it

That's the way things are done. They want the people to know that if 40,000 more troops are sent, the military had requested it. Releasing it early also gets the public acclimated to accept the idea. They just repeat it over and over that 40,000 troops have been requested by the military, and pretty soon the public accepts the notion that 40,000 troops have to go to Afghanistan.

They've done the same thing with the public option. By repeatedly issuing statements over recent months that support the public option, but only weakly, they've conditioned the people to accept the possibility that PO won't be in the final bill. So that when the deed is actually done, few will complain.