Why Is Bush Waiting 12 Days To Swear In Robert Gates?
Why Is Bush Waiting 12 Days To Swear In Robert Gates?
The United States is involved in two wars — Iraq and Afghanistan — that it is not winning. If the situation is dire and deteriorating, as the Iraq Study Group concluded, why is Mr. Gates — who was confirmed by the Senate on December 6 — waiting 12 days to go to work? Why is Donald Rumsfeld, the leading architect of the failed strategy in both Iraq and Afghanistan, still on the job?
One theory is that Mr. Gates wants to preside at the fall graduation ceremonies at Texas A&M before he begins at the Pentagon. If he headed to the Middle East today, he could be back by December 15 to distribute diplomas. Given the rich tradition of the A&M Corps of Cadets, Mr. Gates presence as Secretary of Defense rather than university president would be equally fitting.
Given the severity of the situation — 30 U.S. troops died in Iraq during the first week of December — a Senate-confirmed Mr. Gates should now be in charge. There is literally not a moment to lose. Over the next 7 days, he should undertake a detailed fact-finding mission to both Iraq and Afghanistan. He should have extensive conversations with key military commanders — Generals John Abazaid, George Casey, Jim Jones, Karl Eikenberry and British General David Richards — to receive an operational update and set a new tone with the military leadership as the Iraq Study Group suggested.
Later in December, he should confer with the military chiefs and the National Security Council principals in order to make informed recommendations to the President on a new military strategy. Most significantly, he should strongly recommend that the President accept the Iraq Study Group’s judgment to end the U.S. combat mission in Iraq within 15 months. The President should be in a position to announce this change of course as soon as possible.
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So Don Rumplebrain can say he was the longest serving Sec. of Defense. Pretty effin lame.
December 8th, 2006 at 11:29 amI believe it’s because he wants to allow Rumsfeld to be the longest-serving SecDef. That milestone isn’t for another week or so.
December 8th, 2006 at 11:30 amGWB is the Decider, and he’s going to decide whatever he wants to decide — even if it’s not deciding.
December 8th, 2006 at 11:32 amFrom “Raw Story”:
Word came down from gen. Pace’s office to postpone the Pentagon’s Christmas party that was scheduled for Dec. 15, lest it be interpreted as a celebration of Rumsfeld’s departure. The new date for the party has pot been released.
WTF? There is a war in Iraq and another one in Afghanistan. And Pace is worried about saving appearances?
December 8th, 2006 at 11:33 amActually, that’s not the case. From the Army Times:
December 8th, 2006 at 11:34 amThere is no mystery here, bush is waiting for two more weeks so that Rumsfeld can claim the “honor” of being SoD longer than anyone else in history.
Beats a Medal of Freedom, I guess.
December 8th, 2006 at 11:34 amPace is the biggest sock puppet out there.
December 8th, 2006 at 11:35 amBecause Rumsfeld wants to officially retire on a certain day! 18th of December will give Rummy the title of being the longest serving Secretary of Defense in US history, which is important to him I guess!
December 8th, 2006 at 11:39 amWell, Rummy didn’t serve as long as McNamara, but he certainly has outdone him. A dubious distinction…
December 8th, 2006 at 11:39 amPost 5 Judd: Why would Rumsfeld not demand the December 29th date? So he gets screwed out of the title now? Strange stuff in DC is happening!
December 8th, 2006 at 11:41 ammeanwhile…
in all seriousness, is there ANYONE out there with a pulse who couldn’t have written this headline in her sleep…?
And, yes, I DO take it personally
December 8th, 2006 at 11:44 amJay,
Maybe it wasn’t about being the longest serving. Maybe it’s something else. Ideas?
December 8th, 2006 at 11:45 amFuture headline: “Longest Serving SecDef Rumself also Worst SecDef Ever”
December 8th, 2006 at 11:48 amIsraelis piqued by Gates nuclear “confirmation”
Some Israelis were less pleased, however, to hear Gates mention with equal frankness what U.S. administrations have long avoided uttering in public – that the Jewish state has the Middle East’s only nuclear arsenal.
December 8th, 2006 at 11:52 amComment by Judd
Why, then, why? Anyone?
December 8th, 2006 at 11:52 amMaybe Bush thinks Rummy only needs 12 more days to qualify. Don’t tell him.
December 8th, 2006 at 11:53 am“Why is Bush waiting 12 days to swear in Robert Gates?”?
Because it really doesn’t matter who holds that position;Cheney calls the shots,and they dance to his jig.
December 8th, 2006 at 11:55 amZooey > worst case scenario is that Bush intends to bomb Iran before December 18, so in that case perhaps Rumsfeld does not leave, but even I think that is too far-fetched at this time! My feeling is that the plan was for Rummy to get the December 29th retirement date, but bad blood now between Bush and Rummy, so Dubya is screwing him over! Might be bad move because Rummy could spill the beans on Bush baby in revenge!
December 8th, 2006 at 11:57 amIt sounds like there’s incompetence a-brewing.
Maybe Robert Gates should resign.
December 8th, 2006 at 12:07 pmI’ve been wondering myself whether a “December Surprise” was coming. Being a skeptic, a bit cynical, and generally distrustful of political and business leaders (of whatever stripe), it has seemed to me that Rumsfeld’s resignation has been too convenient in its timing across the board.
Plus, for all their bullying and, let’s say, “scurrilous” tactics that the republican party and movement have been employing for the last 10 to 15 years (with considerable success, unfortunately), the relatively quiet passing into the night that they have been exhibiting is highly uncharacteristic.
Maybe they are spending their newfound time, focus, and energy building toys for children of Iraqi refugees or for the impoverished of Africa. Mathematical possibility, but sadly not probable.
December 8th, 2006 at 12:07 pmFirst these people expect Congress to work 5 days instead of 3 and now they expect the incoming Secretary of Defense to committ to the job he has accepted and get to work immediately in stead of worrying about attending a college graduation. He can’t start to immediately care about the troops that are dieing…that takes time. He’s new to this.
/sarcasm off
December 8th, 2006 at 12:11 pmIt is going to take that long to shred papers and cover tracks.
December 8th, 2006 at 12:17 pmIf there’s one definitive characteristic of the USA, it’s that we elevate egomaniacs to the highest level we can find. Why is it that we honor megalomaniacs and marginalize truly good people?
These calendar games show how important the troops really are to Dubbie & co.
December 8th, 2006 at 12:20 pmIn 1965 a Gallup poll taken showed that only 9 percent of Americans thought we could win in Vietnam. Close to ten years passed before our troops came out of that hellhole. Thousand and Thousands of troops died and over a million of the “enemy”. We won every battle in Vietnam too. For every American died, 3 of the “enemy” died.
Today, 7 percent of Americans think we can still win in Iraq. Guess what. Our troops aren’t going anywhere. Like LBJ, Bush will not admit defeat in Iraq. Dubya is going to trigger a terrible time in this country as LBJ did in the late 60’s. That’s his legacy.
If the Democrats stand idly by why Bush continues to “stay the course”, the blood of our brave troops are on their hands also. Even more blood then what is currently on their hands by voting for and supporting this immoral war.
Dennis Kusinich had it right today. The ONLY money we are going to give to the Iraqi war is the funds to start bringing our troops home immediately. And if Mr Kusinich is left twisting in the wind by his colleagues and don’t get behind the only way to force Bush’s hand on this war, they will not hold on to power for very long.
December 8th, 2006 at 12:20 pmi posted this last night… it occurred to me that i should rephrase it so as not to sound too demanding and authoritarian… so here goes…
GOOD IDEA, SUGGESTION, PLEA:
beginning jan.4 - email, phone, us mail each of your reps and senators this simple message:
GET OUT NOW.
every day… tell them what you want, EVERY DAY… start jan.4…
thank you…
December 8th, 2006 at 12:33 pm.
Just off-hand, but doesn’t this Gates look remarkably like Foley….just saying.
December 8th, 2006 at 12:36 pmOkay, I’m getting super-pissed off about ThinkProgress’s method of reporting casualties of our occupation of Iraq. Every time this site publishes a post criticizing the present administration on its handling of the occupation, it mentions only AMERICAN CASUALTIES. This perpetuates the marginalization of foreign, non-white, poor people casualties. Several studies have been conducted confirming at least 450,000, if not 600,000, Iraqis have been killed since we invaded their country. How many Americans? Less than 3000. Not only that, but nearly all the 3000 were members of the military. (The deaths of reporters and contractors are a different story.) It is my understanding that when one signs up to be in the military, one assumes the risk of being shipped to an armed conflict, inviting the possibility, even the likelihood, of death.
ThinkProgress professes to be a progressive organization (hence its name). It’s extremely disappointing that it doesn’t include the innocent Iraqi deaths vastly outnumbering those of Americans. I am in no way dismissing American deaths; rather, I am arguing that members of the military CHOOSE to be in an armed conflict. We do not have a draft; this is a voluntary military. The general Iraqi people, other than the insurgency, did not have a choice concerning the invasion of their country.
December 8th, 2006 at 12:44 pmThat is the first thing I thought.
“Why are they making Mark Foley Secretary of Defense?”
December 8th, 2006 at 12:47 pmHe is waiting 12 days because that is how long it will take Rummy to come up with his study that says the ISG Report (Baker/Hamilton) is bogus and that Shrub should stay the course in IRaq until victory is achieved. After all haven’t you heard, we are winning in Iraq
December 8th, 2006 at 12:49 pmBecause he is stupid?
December 8th, 2006 at 12:55 pmComment by Clare
IMO, because US citizens are, of course, mostly affected by the deaths of their soldiers, therefore those numbers (3,000) depict a stronger statement against the actions of US government. However, I agree completely with you.
Nobody asked iraqis if they wanted to be invade…which of course it just stupid cuz as we have seen US forces are being greeted as liberators.
In every war, common people put to the dead guys while the ruling class get the cheese.
December 8th, 2006 at 1:05 pmSorry.
In every war, common people put the dead guys while the ruling class get the cheese.
December 8th, 2006 at 1:08 pmNO NO NO… you all have it wrong! Rummy is scheduled to be Santa at the Bushco “Holiday party” And his “sack” has many K-Y Street expensive gifts in it, just no balls, like the rest of this chickenhawk bunch of scumbags.
December 8th, 2006 at 1:10 pmIt would probably be a good idea to read the links provided by TP before making misinformed comments, i.e., delay is being done so Rummy can be the longest serviing SecDef. So once that fact is pointed out by Jude, then it becomes a conspiracy issue. Gates was confirmed only yesterday (12/7). There is to be a “farewell” event for him on Dec. 15, which is why the Pentagon cancelled their Christmas party, scheduled for that same date. (I would imagine the Christmas party date was set up a number of months ago). Gates has to finalize his previous responsiblities as well. Hence, a week to pass on the baton. Any of you ever work for a large corporation? Believe me, this is FAST. I worry about some of the knee-jerk responses I see on this board, because I really hate to see progressives look dumb.
December 8th, 2006 at 1:11 pmimpeachcheneythenbush,
I work at a large corporation and none of the VPs that have done poorly are given a going away party. Especially not with company money. Donald Rumsfeld is a failure. You don’t throw a party for somebody that has completely screwed the company for years to come. And you don’t ruin the rest of the employees Christmas party to do it either.
December 8th, 2006 at 1:22 pmLet’s see, all but one repub voted for the war authorization in the house and all repub senators voted for it. About half the Democrats voted against it in both chambers….and Jerry the Angel is super pissed of at the….. Democrats! Ooooookaaaay.
December 8th, 2006 at 1:32 pmDuring the War in Viet Nam, people on the left would say that over 1 million Southeast Asians had been killed. Conservatives howled at the moon when any such talk emerged. Just another of the many similarities between the two wars.
December 8th, 2006 at 1:35 pmmpeachcheneythenbush,
I work at a large corporation and none of the VPs that have done poorly are given a going away party. Especially not with company money. Donald Rumsfeld is a failure. You don’t throw a party for somebody that has completely screwed the company for years to come. And you don’t ruin the rest of the employees Christmas party to do it either.
Comment by SpudgeBoy — December 8, 2006 @ 1:22 pm
Yes, but we are also talking about an administration that has awarded the Medal of Freedom to Franks, Tenet and Bremer. They don’t publically consider Rumsfeld someone who failed, because to do so would be an admission on their part of culpability as well. Hence the time spent preparing a farewell event. I worked for one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies. I saw VP’s practically frog-marched out of their offices. However, I also saw several division presidents, company CEO’s and at least two Chairman of the Boards lauded upon their (forced) retirements, when everyone knew they were disasters for the company.
December 8th, 2006 at 1:41 pmPace is the biggest sock puppet out there.
Comment by ForTruth
Do you even know anything about Gen Pace ither than he is the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs?
December 8th, 2006 at 1:51 pm#39, that is supposed to be “other than he is the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs?”
Damn cold fingers can’t type.
December 8th, 2006 at 1:54 pm#39,
I know! Other than being the CJC, he is also a lying and incompetent bastard who kills kittens for kicks. And he also makes a horrible picante sauce.
What do I win?
December 8th, 2006 at 2:11 pmTuber, to you anyone that does not meet your personal standard is a “lying and incompetent bastard who kills kittens for kicks”. I guess we should all discount his 40 years of service to this country.
And he has nothing to do with picante sauce. Marinara, maybe.
December 8th, 2006 at 2:29 pmOh come on ,you know Rumsfield has to stay until Dec. 29th , which will make him the longest serving head of the pentagon .
December 8th, 2006 at 2:36 pmEverybody knows thats more important then getting our soldiers out of that Cluster Fu–.
#43 robert,
I don’t understand your logic. Pace is obviously incompetent because no one, and I mean not a soul on the planet, can claim that the Iraq debacle and Afghanistan failure have been executed well or been successful. You want to give him a medal because it took him 40 years to reach this level of incompetence?
Gosh, I don’t think you know what “accountability” means.
December 8th, 2006 at 2:38 pmDo you not figure that it would take about a month after the decision to make Rummy leave for Rummy to get all that money out of his bank accounts overseas without being discovered that it is he that is taking those billions of dollars?
December 8th, 2006 at 3:09 pmWhy Is Bush Waiting 12 Days To Swear In Robert Gates?
December 8th, 2006 at 3:19 pmRummy needs twelve days of shredding before the new year.
back to work you govt mules
December 8th, 2006 at 3:42 pmRobert,
I do know that General Pace has worked a lot of years to get where he is, and Gen. Pace is competent and professional. However, in order to keep his job, he had to become the biggest sock puppet ever. He tows the line at every opportunity, never even suggested anything contrary to what Rummy wanted to hear.
December 8th, 2006 at 5:02 pmThere was a vid on Crooks and Liars showing Pace contradicting Rummy on torture and stating strongly in the joint interview THAT IF AMERICAN TROOPS SEE A PRISONER BEING ABUSED THEY HAVE THE DUTY TO STOP IT THEN AND THERE.
December 8th, 2006 at 5:35 pmVERY Interesting thread:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/12/7/17173/4604
The “coup” go order was issued in ‘03, but it wasn’t Poppy and his pals who are the “deciders” here.
I’m sure the DIA has both groups — Bush 43 and Bush 41 — under a close suicide watch.
There’s no way the Joint Chiefs are going to let anyone push any buttons, right now.
The only buttons that are going to be answered are for the White House physician. “Another dose of anti-depressants, Mr. President? No, you can’t have another Jack Daniels to wash it down with. How about you, Mr. President? Here, this will help you with the weeping.”
Somebody’s been calling the shots ever since it became apparent that no WMDs were going to be found in Iraq. That decision was made within months after everyone realized the invasion had been premised on lies. When the FBI confirmed the CIA’s findings that espionage and treason had been committed, the brass effectively took the CIC controls away from Bush.
What evidence is there for this extraordinary assertion?
Somebody said, we’re going to let the Plame case be prosecuted.
Somebody said, we’re not going to bomb the reactor at Bushehr.
Somebody said, there’s not going to be an October Surprise.
I figure, if it wasn’t Poppy and Uncle Jim B (it hasn’t), it must have been the Pentagon brass. Who else has the power to stand down the President?
I’m open to alternative nominations or explanations for these events, and the inevitable outcome that makes it all make sense.
December 8th, 2006 at 5:36 pmJudd, thanks for the article:
From the White house press release:
Yep. It looks like they had it all planned out to put Rummy in the record books as the longest-serving…then the damn do-nothing Congress screwed up and did something!
December 8th, 2006 at 7:11 pmDr. Gates demanded that he be present for the December commencement ceremonies from the time he was asked to serve as Secretary. He loves Texas A&M and he felt that he couldn’t abandon the graduates. This is very important to note becuase he won’t abandon our soldiers in Iraq either. Dr. Gates is so dedicated to Texas A&M students that he even e-mailed a student back during a break in his confirmation hearing who was wondering whether he will be there for graduation. Here is the link to his reply to the student
December 8th, 2006 at 9:03 pmSorry here is the link
December 8th, 2006 at 9:05 pmhttp://texags.com/ main/ forum.reply.asp?topic_id=766999&forum_id=12
December 8th, 2006 at 9:07 pmIn Iraq, we don’t lose the battles. Our guys win all the time. It’s just that we lose guys (and gals).
And since this post is about Mr. Runsfeld, let me go in that direction . . .
As far as I’m concerned, he should have been fired about 3 years ago. Word is that he micro-managed troop movements to the point where 100 guys couldn’t be deployed without his approval.
If this situation had been properly managed, we’d all be celebrating on this beautiful Friday night
To me, it seems like we fought the wrong war with the wrong guy in charge. Now we must figure out what the heck to do with Iraq while Iran threatens us with nuclear weapons and Syria has terrorist traing camps going on.
And our fearless leader? After 9/11 I watched him rise to his destiny, and what did he do with it?
At this point, he has 2 years to show us, and prove to history, he made the right decisions after all.
The whole thing’s a mess. What can we do? Pray, talk about it, become activists? (Actually I have recently become an activist as to immigartion, check out “NumbersUSA”.
There’s only so much each of can do, what with working and family and all.
But if each of us does all we can in the time we have, then we can make a difference.
All right, thanks for your attention.
December 8th, 2006 at 9:22 pmComment by Marlboro — December 8, 2006 @ 5:36 pm
Well, this is as valid as any other: people practicing the ancient art of Shamanism traveled to other realms to influence events in this form of reality.
As to the ultimate outcome…in the far distant future, people will live simply, happily, and freely. Humanity will transcend the need to possess things, and will instead possess that which is most important.
December 8th, 2006 at 9:48 pmso rummy can be long serving worst of all time……..
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January 12th, 2007 at 1:25 am