After the Mid-Terms, I want the President to kick Gates to the curb, and nominate Wesley Clark

[Aristus]

as Secretary of Defense.

That would just fucking ROCK!



:patriot:

[mitchtv]

1. sounds too much like the right thing to do

SO YOU CAN FORGET IT

[HughMoran]

2. Sounds like a good idea

I'm surprised he's kept Gates this long, though Gates has been surprisingly progressive on some issues (considering his position).

[Sebastian Doyle]

3. I was hoping that was his ONLY reason for keeping Bozo ass Gates on in the first place

Because there's apparently a rule that a SecDef has to be at least 10 years out of the military before he or she can take that job. And General Clark retired in 2000, though I'm not sure which month it was. Perhaps that deadline has passed already. If it has, dump the Chimp flunkie already.

Of course, given the way appointments have gone in this administration, I wouldn't be surprised if EriKKK Prince of BlacKKKwater got the gig. :evilfrown:

[TheWraith]

22. It was May of 2000 that Clark retired.

So he would be eligible for SecDef within weeks, but that assumes that A) he wants the job, and B) Obama wants an immediate change in management at the DOD.

And seriously, get a grip on the Obama-bashing.

[MilesColtrane]

31. Clark was eligible to be SecDef when Obama picked his cabinet.

A candidate must have been out of active military service for seven years to take the post.

The fact that Gates continues to hold the position is inexplicable to me.

Obama must have been shown "the film" on his first day in the Oval Office.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MRykTpw1RQ

[bluestateguy]

4. I would just prefer to see a Democratic Secretary of Defense

Clark or Paul Eaton or John Spratt, etc.

[eridani]

5. In defense of Gates, he did suggest cutting the Pentagon's budget

Not to say that Clark or Eaton would not be better, though

[elias49]

7. A big 2 or 3 % !! Wow

Largely from veterans health care. Just about anyone could do better, IMO

[Mari333]

12. he wants to cut health care to the troops. fuck gates

[Scuba]

28. Nailed it....

...cut troop benefits, not Haliburton contracts.

[Bluebear]

14. By cutting veteran's health care, just sayin'.

[eridani]

27. I thought he wanted to ditch useless weapons n/t

[FrenchieCat]

6. I love me some Wes Clark and would love that, but Gates is kicking the MIC's ass

quite well.

If one didn't see his speech, one should listen to it!

[fishwax]

8. I'd like to see that

:patriot:

[Schema Thing]

9. Er, why?

No one was a more fervent Wes Clark supporter than me, but Gates is doing the job VERY well and has almost no political baggage.

[Bluebear]

10. Because he is a Republican homophobe who doesn't want DADT overturned.

[TheWraith]

23. Gates is in favor of repealing DADT.

You might want to check your facts.

[Name removed]

33. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[TheWraith]

38. When in doubt, resort to flamebait and personal attacks?

Both Gates and Obama are in favor of outright repeal. Gates has stated his position in front of Congress.

[Mari333]

11. no president will go against the huge MIC...they remember Kennedy too well

[rhett o rick]

18. Agree. Gates is close with the Bush Crime Family. nm

[onehandle]

13. That's been my wish. nt

[classysassy]

15. Republicans and defense

We have had a republican at defense for the past eighteen years.It seem to me that the MIC select the chief at defense.

[KonaKane]

16. No thanks.

I'd like to see LESS military people in policy making decisions, not more. Militarization has poisoned us.

[rhett o rick]

17. The military isnt as dangerous as the CIA. Gates is part of the Reagan/Bush conspiracy. nm

[KonaKane]

19. "One isnt as dangerous as the other" is not a good argument for me.

They both are poison and sticking a general into another position of power is not a good answer.

Forget it.

[rhett o rick]

30. I am sayin Gates is worse than Clark. Doesnt matter that one is military and one is civilian to me.

[Kalyke]

21. Not even one who was the only 2004 candidate to remind us of

the Military Industrial Complex?

I think General Eisenhower was exactly right, I think we should be concerned about the military-industrial complex. I think if you look at where the country is today you've consolidated all these defense firms into just a few large firms — like Halliburton — and with contracts and contacts at the top level of government. You've got most of the retired generals are one way or another associated with the defense firms — that's the reason that you'll find very few of them speaking out in any public way — I'm not. When I got out I determined I wasn't going to sell arms, I was going to do as little as possible with the Department of Defense because I just figured it was time to make a new start. But I think the military-industrial complex does wield a lot of influence — I'd like to see us create a different complex. And I'm going to be talking about foreign policy in a major speech tomorrow, but we need to create an agency that is not about waging war but about creating conditions for peace around the world. We need some people who will be advocates for peace, advocates for economic development abroad, not just advocates for better weapon systems. So we need to create countervailing power to the military-industrial complex.
Interview with Laura Knoy, New Hampshire Public Radio (5 November 2003)

[Kalyke]

20. As a die-hard Clarkie in 2004"

"You damn Skippy!"

He's eligible now. He couldn't be Sec. Def. until this year.

One has to let 10 years pass after military retiremenet to served in his capacity unless Congress approves it.

[Mudoria]

24. Gates is doing a fine job, I doubt Clark could do any better.

[Bluebear]

25. A fine job for a Republican homophobe.

[Art_from_Ark]

29. A fine job?

In what way?

Wesley Clark could run rings around him, I'm sure.

[PufPuf23]

26. Too good an idea for Obama to do

Clark was my first choice for POTUS and my biggest issue is anti-imperial war.

Gates was complicit in Iran-Contra. Enough said about Gates and yet he is SOD.

[Toasterlad]

32. And I Want a 1967 Mustang 289 That Runs On Dreams and Starlight.

[kentuck]

34. Gates is destroying what credibility we had after Bush left...

The drone attacks are killing innocent people and does nothing to further our goals, in my opinion. Wes Clark would be an excellent replacement.

[greencharlie]

35. good choice nt

[Doctor_J]

36. Clark could have been so valuable to the USA and the party

One of my major disappointments in the prez was ignoring him during and after the campaign.

[proteus_lives]

37. I think that would be a good choice.

:thumbsup: