VIDEO: Gates Says U.S. Is Not Winning Iraq War
By on Dec 5th, 2006 at 10:49 am
VIDEO: Gates Says U.S. Is Not Winning Iraq War
Incoming Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin’s (D-MI) first question to Defense Secretary nominee Robert Gates: “Mr. Gates, do you believe that we are currently winning in Iraq?”
Gates’ answer: “No, sir.” Watch it:
[flv http://video.thinkprogress.org/2006/12/gates.320.240.flv]
Just weeks ago, President Bush expressed the opposite position. From 10/25/06:
REPORTER: Are we winning?
PRESIDENT BUSH: Absolutely, we’re winning.
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But, but.. you are missing the point. We were winning in Oct and now we are loosing.
December 5th, 2006 at 10:53 amFOX news reporting this???!!!
December 5th, 2006 at 10:55 amNot so loud....the reighwingnuts will start yammering again how us hippies are cheering for the deaths of American servicemen...and once they start, you know how hard it is to shut them up...
December 5th, 2006 at 10:55 amYeah...if it wasn't for the goddamn liberal media and all their negative coverage, we might be winning this war!
December 5th, 2006 at 10:56 amThese guys can never get their talkin' points right.
December 5th, 2006 at 10:56 amNot possible to win a war based on lies, so the troops must be pulled out ASAP! Bush and Cheney are war criminals who must be prosecuted now!
December 5th, 2006 at 10:57 amGates' version of speaking truth to power.
December 5th, 2006 at 11:02 amGates is not officially in his job yet so he's not part of the gov't. He will have a different answer once he's confirmed.
December 5th, 2006 at 11:04 amHow refreshing to hear what we already knew. So different from Rumsfeld's claims that the media just wasn't reporting enough on the good things in Iraq.
December 5th, 2006 at 11:06 amamerica is not winning, so they must be losing....
December 5th, 2006 at 11:08 ami like levin's question, right out of the gate... no pussyfootin' around...
December 5th, 2006 at 11:08 aminspiration to all senators - keep it up, please... for the record...
.
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December 5th, 2006 at 11:16 amDefine measures.
Measure.
Evaluate accordingly.
Victory = Stability
December 5th, 2006 at 11:17 amMeasure [Stability] = No
Evaluation: failure
Just because we're losing doesn't mean we're losing.
December 5th, 2006 at 11:30 amThe very term "win" in Iraq is an insult to intelligence. There are no winners. It's not a football game. Everyone has lost as a result of this misguided imperialist adventure - some more than others.
Even though I generally admire Senator Levin, the very use of the term "win" buys into Bush's framing.
Last night on the Daily Show, Jon Oliver explored Bush's twisted logic. The only way to win is to stay. American troops will only come home when we win. Therefore, to stay is to come home.
December 5th, 2006 at 11:36 amWho you gonna believe? The Preznit, or the spook he hired to be SecDef?
And as for YOU, Mr. Gates... this lack of team spirit on yer part is MOST distressing!
December 5th, 2006 at 11:37 amThat's what happens when you employ faith-based foreign policy.
It's long past time we stop letting superstitious crazy people run our government. Religion is evidence of insanity. Ridicule it at every opportunity, for the betterment of mankind.
December 5th, 2006 at 11:38 amlw:
I disagree there are winners and losers. the losers: Average Amercian and every Iraqi citizen.
The winners: Exxon, BP, and all the contractors making it big off govt contracts.
December 5th, 2006 at 11:45 amThe Emperor fiddles while Iraq burns.
What matters reality? He has "faith"! Perhaps he will be distressed at Gate's comment? Probably not.
Emperor Bush will think that, no, the US is not simply "winning" in Iraq, so the US must be "super winning"...
December 5th, 2006 at 11:45 amA more salient question might have been "can we win?" And if so, "what would victory look like and how can it be achieved?" This guy Gates, after all, is the prospective SecDef.
December 5th, 2006 at 11:47 am“Mr. Gates, do you believe that we’re currently winning in Iraq?â€
Gates’ answer: “No, sir.â€
I dont care about Gates. He is a former CIA, so we all know what kind of sh*t these guys are capable of.
But the who´s the moron who asked that question? Are we winning? WTF is that supposed to mean? What kind of deep, insightful and meaningful question is that one? Is this a ball game, a backgammon contest? There are thousands of people dead and he asks if WE are winning? That tells a lot about what are US priorities in world affairs.
December 5th, 2006 at 11:51 amMr. Gates, were you ever the Chevron Vice Chairman?
December 5th, 2006 at 11:52 amWere you in attendence at Mr. Cheneys secret Oil conference?
just asking.
He will be flogged at next day light.
Let the beatings continue until moral improves.
Thx
December 5th, 2006 at 11:57 amNOTHING TO SEE HERE! MOVE ALONG!!!
December 5th, 2006 at 12:00 pmIf you stop cheerring we will stop yammering.
December 5th, 2006 at 12:07 pmHow do you positively spin 650,000 civilian deaths? How do you shed a positive light on 2,904 American soldiers dead?
December 5th, 2006 at 12:07 pmNobody is cheering fu*k wad.
December 5th, 2006 at 12:08 pmBut the who´s the moron who asked that question? Are we winning? WTF is that supposed to mean? What kind of deep, insightful and meaningful question is that one?
Juan, its a question meant to illict an answer that deliberately contradicts Bush. Yes, the question makes no sense, but it was asked for the benefit of the american people, who generally have an IQ just south of a warm pile of dog$hit. I commend him for asking it, because now the double digit feebs who populate this country will finally begin to see.. "uhm gee.. wait... Bush say we winning.. but Bush frend say we no winning... uhhh.. me think something wrong"...
its a dumbed down question for a dumbed down country. thats what us "thinky" folks have to remember....
December 5th, 2006 at 12:09 pmIf you stop cheerring we will stop yammering.
Comment by Kevin
You can still enlist, Kev.
December 5th, 2006 at 12:09 pmRobert Gates will issue a statement saying that he thought that the question was hypothetical and believed that Carl Levin was asking if we're currently winning in Iraq if we withdrew our troops today. The White House will issue a statement saying that Mr. Gates was misquoted and that once again the liberal media is acting irresponsibly and that Democrats are cut-and-runners.
December 5th, 2006 at 12:09 pmPhilosophically speaking, Spudge:
If an IED goes off and the so-called-librul-media does not cover it - is the US soldier still dead? Does the Iraqi boy playing nearby not lose his legs?
December 5th, 2006 at 12:15 pmGates is saying we are not winning in Iraq.
Does that make him "unpatriotic", a "Defeatocrat" and a "terrorist appeaser"? Inquiring minds want to know.
December 5th, 2006 at 12:17 pmJuan, its a question meant to illict an answer that deliberately contradicts Bush.
Comment by John Deek
My feeling is that Bush supporters have already made up (or messed up) their minds about almost every issue. Every dumb, stupid or wrong thing Bush has said, is defended blindly by some trolls here, just as an example. I wish that question along with Gates answer can change the view of people defending Bush´s doings and sayings and change the situation. If the guy who asked the question had some special authority and said: "Oh, we are not winning this war? Then I order a full deployment", that would change something. But we all know that governments decisions are not made in the WH. They are made and dicsussed in Halliburton, Northrop, GE, GM, General Dynamics and Lockheed Martin offices.
December 5th, 2006 at 12:19 pmGates isn't even sworn in yet, and he hates America.
December 5th, 2006 at 12:24 pmMy feeling is that Bush supporters have already made up (or messed up) their minds about almost every issue.
For the most part I agree with you, but I still think there is always a percentage (growing smaller and smaller every day) of Bush supporters that really are good natured people, who are just a wee bit naive about human nature... as much as i hate the man, I have to admit he does have a "forrest gump" style charm, and If I really didnt know anything about him or wasnt very observant, I might mistake that for benvolence... so I personally still beleive theres no harm in taking the chance to point out yet another derailing car in the grotesque subway of inconsistencies that is bush's train of logic.
In my opinion about the only people still supporting bush are "dead enders"
December 5th, 2006 at 12:30 pmwho wouldnt think badly of bush if he were caught on live TV blowing Hallibortion's Board of Directors, but theres still hope for some I believe...
Now that is a fairly straightforward exchange. Only wiggle room is Levin's use of "...currently...". What could he say? Oh yeah...
(fuller link in org. post above
December 5th, 2006 at 12:36 pm
At least now we know that they know .. right Rummy ??
December 5th, 2006 at 12:52 pmFolks interesting is it not that all you hear from the Repukes on the Hill is bi-partisanship.When they had the majority just how did they treat the dems ?was bipartisanship in their vocabulary ?
December 5th, 2006 at 12:53 pmAnd by the way Gates should tell us something that we do not know already.
Can Bush accept the fact as stated today by Gates that:"we are not winning the war in Iraq" ? May be that is why Bush,Sr. and Secretary Baker thought of sending someone to tell Bush,Jr. that. May be Bush will redefine what 'Victory' meant to him,and later Gates may be can tell us what that really means.
December 5th, 2006 at 1:18 pmGates also said Iraq is a main battlefront in the War on Terror.
December 5th, 2006 at 1:27 pmGates will hopefully uncover and enforce the White House National Security Strategy that Bush has obviously forgotten about...the one that identifies reducing poverty as necessary for maintaining national security and global stability. According to the Borgen Project, poverty reduction can be accomplished through sincere dedication to the UN Millennium Development Goals.
December 5th, 2006 at 1:34 pmJust because you dont work at the Center for American Progress doesnt mean you can't see it for yourself.
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=seeprogress
Tune into SEEPROGRESS, the new YouTube video channel for the Center and catch up with Larry Korb on Good Morning America and watch exclusive videos with Center Fellows discussing issues ranging from the Iraq to Darfur to the Economy Heading into the Holiday Shopping Season
Add to the collective genius
December 5th, 2006 at 1:37 pmhttp://www.americanprogress.org
http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=newsOne&storyid=2006-12-05T170034Z_01_KAR534201_RTRUKOT_0_TEXT0.xml&src=120506_1321_DOUBLEFEATURE_international
December 5th, 2006 at 1:42 pmcorrection # 40.. iraq is the ONLY battlefront in this imaginary war, and thats because we made it one.. Al-queda is not and was never an ARMY.. ya can't fight a war without an army... at best its an idealogical franchise... now in iraq we're got various, un-unified factions of nationalists mingled with a sprinkling of jihadis who think Al-Queda is cool so they call themselves Al-Queda...their ranks are swollen by footage from this war and their aim is sharpened by the targets painted on our soldiers backs...
this idea that terrorists are grown in a vat by the evil Overqueen Osama is absurd... I've yet to see one right winger admit that pictures of dead arab women and children actually has the ability to make someone into an enemy of america who wasn't before...
one word... Georgies War of Choice = Perfect Islamic Radical Recruiting Tool
terrorism is a tumor that needs to be removed with surgery.. the only cutting tool georgie has any skill with is that redneck chainsaw he uses to cut down trees...
December 5th, 2006 at 1:51 pm#44
What is the specifice surgical procedure?
December 5th, 2006 at 1:57 pmTerrytheTurtle,
What is the sound of one gun shooting?
I am tired of hearing the whole good news bad news mantra. The media is supposed to report FACTS, not good news or bad news. News isn't supposed to make you happy or angry, it is supposed to inform you.
December 5th, 2006 at 2:03 pmHe also helped to cover-up the Iran/Contra scandal.
December 5th, 2006 at 2:05 pmHe later said he believed the U.S. was not losing either "at this point."
So he did nothing but create a headline to appease some of the sheep.
Another day in our do-nothing governmental process. Yawn.
December 5th, 2006 at 2:05 pmFrom Tracy's link in #43
In other words, the Shiites haven't really started killin' yet, just give
December 5th, 2006 at 2:07 pm'em more time.
#49
Yes we should really take the word of outsiders who don't live there over those who do.
December 5th, 2006 at 2:31 pmuh, the US is not losing . . . they've lost!! Now it's just a matter of digging the hole deeper.
December 5th, 2006 at 2:53 pmWhat happened to the whole, "Why do you hate America, or the troops, or why do you love the terrorists?"
Every single effing Republican that used that rhetoric should apologize immmediatly. We've been telling you its a mess and there is no way to win for 2 years. We love America and our troops.
December 5th, 2006 at 3:31 pmWhy not publish the ENTIRE quote, he said " we are not winnig, but we are not losing either".
December 5th, 2006 at 4:16 pmWhy Gates can say now "we are NOT winning the war in Iraq" When Congressman Murtha and others said the same thing last year and were denounced as cowards who want to 'cut & run" and their love for America and patriotism were questioned by Fox and rightwingers..? this shows in fact that Congressman J. Murtha and many million Americans like him in fact were a year ahead of this administration....and lives could have been saved as a result.
December 5th, 2006 at 4:23 pm#53 - Douglas G.,
December 5th, 2006 at 5:01 pmThat sounds an awful like the standard definition for "quagmire".
We now attain a strictly defensive posture in Iraq.So in military jargon this equates to term, "bugout"
No clarification needed.
December 5th, 2006 at 7:35 pmDouglas G. That sounds SO much better. "We are not winning but we are not losing either". Yup, that is what my Packers said when they were down by 24 in the 3rd quarter. Shut up already.
December 5th, 2006 at 10:35 pmThis Is Why The Iraqis Hate Us
Another beating snuff video shames coalition of the killing, You Tube censors it
Paul Joseph Watson
Prison Planet
Friday, November 17, 2006
British troops punch, beat and kick pleading Iraqi children as a sadistic comrade films the brutal scenes of torture, laughing, screaming, growling and frothing like a serial killer filming a snuff movie. This is why the Iraqis hate us.
Iraqi children throw rocks as they flee from running British troops, are grabbed, brought inside a gate and beaten half to death. Watch the video below. The censorship spies at You Tube rejected it 2 minutes after upload so I re-named it “Fluffy Happy Poodles In Heaven,†to try and bypass their keyword filters and it was still rejected. I even renamed the actual ‘wmv’ filename but it was still blocked for “terms of use violation.†I finally managed to get it posted on Google Video. If it disappears again, here’s the Windows Media link on our server.
November 19th: Google removed the video too! So here’s an old copy the censors at You Tube missed.
They keep killing this guys video so here is the link
http://prisonplanet.com/video/171106beating.wmv
share it with all you know.burn it to cd pass them out.it will diappear for good soon I fear.
get it while it lives,as a policy changer.
Comment by prison boots — December 6, 2006 @ 5:48 am
December 6th, 2006 at 5:52 amThe media and Democrats have gone out of their way to define Iraq as a failure. Fact is we won in the battle with Iraq. Now we are fighting a war on terror.
"Mission Accomplished"
What we have here right now is a humanitarian effort for the benefit of the Iraqi people. The fact is being hidden that the other oil producing countries are strategically opposed to Iraqi competition on the oil market as a democracy. You have to look at motive them simply consider that a democratic Iraq is a threat to the current status quo. And don't give this bologna about Iran being a democracy either.
Once you have established that simple fact it becomes obvious considering that Iran and Syria are assisting the Mahidi army that they are indeed on the side of evil.
The problem is the Democrats have been given total freedom to play armchair quarter back with impunity by the media. They are the spoilers in the War against Terrorism" once again look at who benefits and you have motive. The problem is with this strategy we all loose. I disagree with Bush caving in to their game in hopes that he will gain an ally in the war instead they will only take the knife that they have imbedded into Bush's back and twist and slash for better effect.
The only way to level the playing field is if the media properly informs the public a properly informed public will do the right thing. This idea of posturing for a Vietnam scenario in order to wreak the benefit of preaching a false story of failure instead of the real story of betrayal does no one any good.
Consider this if we only went after Al Qaeda in Afghanistan. Our troops get hit with WMD's Shall I remind you of the 50 or so quotes by high level Democrats touting the thread that Saddam poses to National security? These going back into the 90's? If it had happened we would sure be hearing about how Bush screwed up by not covering our flank side and addressing the Iraq problem.
When the world can see that Iraq is a problem that deserves to be looked at as a humanitarian issue and sees the true picture of what the problem is. Instead of a Bush vs. the world and the Democrats on the side of the world issue as it has been framed. There never will be a good ending to this story.
December 6th, 2006 at 5:51 pmAnyone who thinks that President Bush is a war Crinminal is an AS#$OLE!!!!!!! This is the United States of America, if you don't like it leave!!! I will gladly buy you a ticket out of here!!!!!!!!!!!!!
December 9th, 2006 at 2:29 am#60, Glen -- take a breather, pal. While you're clearly frustrated, it might be nice if you used some logic in there, like "President Bush is NOT a war criminal for the following reasons:".
Here are some good reasons why Bush might be considered a war criminal: he knowingly and with intent to defraud the citizens of the United States and the world engaged in a war that ultimately in no way met any criteria established for the engagement.
The war perpetrated by his government has lead to over a half of a million civilian deaths. For perspective, that number would be like having September the 11th, every single day. For seven months. Oh, and only in civilian lives.
The interrogation policies initiated by his regime led directly to war crimes that, quite literally, should be prosecuted as international war crimes. See: Abu Ghraib, and certainly thousands of other cases you'll never hear about, and never want to hear about.
He has blatantly denied adherence to international treaties establishing the laws of war, claiming that this "new war" needs new rules. This very denial is itself a crime of war. You want to know the first thing that Hitler did when he first officially declared war? He forsook all treaties pertaining to war crimes previously agreed upon. That's just a little anecdotal evidence, certainly not direct.
But to the point: aside from the outrage, and all the media coverage, the question was: do you think we're winning in Iraq? Sure, we're winning in Iraq. Or no, we're not, it doesn't matter. What's to WIN? We've already guaranteed that generations of Iraqis will hate america, increased tensions in the region, convinced every other country in the world that we really are as egocentric and power-hungry as the gloomiest doomsayers claimed, and lost the incredible balance of political capital earned through the 90s, and further bolstered after September 11th.
And answer me this: name one thing that the government has done that has bettered America's position or Americans' welfare during Bush's presidency. On the day that Bush took office, that day, what is better today than then? I can think of very few things. I personally believe our federal reserve and open market policy is better (though you'd not know it due to the economy), I believe our accountability for corporate entities is better, and what else? Maybe taxes (but not by much, statistically, except if you're making $300k or more).
Social programs are worse. Health coverage has gone down. Obviously, we are in a tenuous situation at best in international politics (thanks, John Bolton). Our economy is still struggling, despite desperate attempts to adjust economic policy. Unemployment is up, illegal immigration is up, the number of well-educated US citizens moving abroad is up. The dollar is down. Costs of education are way up, costs of living are way up, housing costs are way up. Manufacturing is on the brink of disintegration.
So, my challenge to Bush supporters is this. Forget what he's done wrong, what has Bush possibly changed for the better?
And no, "gettin' them demie-krat pigs out of the whyte house" is not an acceptable answer.
December 9th, 2006 at 4:59 am[...] On October 25th, when asked whether the United States was winning in Iraq, President Bush replied: “Absolutely. We’re winning.“ [...]
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