I expected Robert Gates to be confirmed as Rumsfeld's replacement over at the Pentagon, but I'm quite sure even he did not expect the free ride given by the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday. In 1987 Gates withdrew his nomination to the post of CIA Director because of unanswered questions about his role in the Iran-Contra scandal; chief Independent Counsel Lawrence Walsh believes that Gates lied about his role in the affair and probably was responsible for slanting intelligence. (scroll down). Gates was renominated in 1991 and was confirmed, though 31 Democrats voted No.
Today, most people believe that the Iraq fiasco occurred at least in part because of bad or intentionally distorted information gathered from intelligence sources. That a Senate Committee, and especially the Democrats on that Committee, could gush over Gates' "refreshing candor" simply because he openly admitted the obvious fact that we are not winning in Iraq, is mind boggling. If today's hearing was any indication of how "tough" the Democrats plan to be on foreign policy, then George W. Bush can rest easy for the next two years.
Meanwhile, the incoming Democratic Chair of the House Intelligence Committee says he wants to see an increase (!!!) of 20 to 30 thousand troops in Iraq. So much for lesser evilism.
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