Robert Gates Wants War Advice To Obama Kept Private

The Washington Post:

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates stressed Monday that military and civilian leaders should keep their advice to President Obama on Afghanistan private, in an apparent effort to tamp down the public divide between commanders and the White House over strategy.

"In this process, it is imperative that all of us taking part in these deliberations -- civilians and military alike -- provide our best advice to the president candidly but privately," Gates said in a speech at the annual meeting of the Association of the United States Army.

Read the whole story: The Washington Post

Comments

[JFaye]

Public debate over war, particularly for a democracy such as ours, is needed. However, to weaken our position by politics is counter-productive and costly. Secretary Gates is absolutely correct in requiring his subordinates to demonstrate discernment and not publicly discuss advice provided to him and the president publicly.

To do so stirs the nut pot which is already boiling and forces decisions based on public opinion and not necessarily the facts, particularly by our Congressional leaders.

With lives at stake, no one should want such confusion for the sake of political gain. And yes, I believe there are those in Congress who will weigh their political gain over what is right for the country. (Remember the opportunistic ding bat McCain chose for his "country first" running mate?)

[Luvial]

Gates prefers that everything the Pentagon does around the world should be secret, but we are supposed to live in a democracy.

[Whinger]

Those who choose to whisper in your ear want you to listen to no one but they!

Where there is no open debate, flawed and outdated strategy cannot be corrected.

[newyorkid]

"privately"... because the peopIe has no right to know what's behind the vvar, why the pentagon is constantly kiIIing people around the world.

[WhatHaveWeBecome]

Fire Him Now!

[Dustee]

I agree with Gates.

Wasn't Gates supposed to be in a six month temporary position under Obama after Bush? He was supposed to retire...what happened?

[Icemaan]

He saw that it wasn't as bad as he thought it would be.

[Emerald1943]

Isn't it amazing how much arrogance is allowed when one has four stars on his shoulder! The President should immediately demote and fire this pompous man!

[OB08]

While the POTUS is at it - he can court martial the Congressman that said "you lie" because he is a Reservist.

[Chili4me]

Gates isn't a General, but he does carry a heavy resume unlike our President.

This was a nice way for Gates to tell McChrystal to shut his hole to the press.

[swanie]

We, and the President, are at a

TRUMAN/McARTHUR MOMENT, and the President better handle it quickly ! !
.

[Emerald1943]

Agreed! McChrystal needs to be fired and replaced with somebody who will keep their mouth shut to the press.

[OliverTwist]

I view this as an effort by the military led by Gates to take command of US foreign policy and also to undermine President Obama's authority and status in America. I see this as a political fight for power in America.

A possible counter strategy for President Obama is to take two actions:

One, give Secretary of Defense Gates and the military commanders everything they ask for and more than they ask for to fight a bloody war in Afghanistan - even if it means reinstituting the draft.

Two, tell the Attorney General to go full speed ahead on information release and investigations and prosecutions for recent war crimes by government and military officials and private contractors.

[Emerald1943]

Would that include further investigation about the cover-up of Pat Tillman's death by the military, a situation that McChrystal was involved in? Something is rotten in Denmark!

[OliverTwist]

Perhaps.

Some matters relating to the killing of Tillman could do with further review.

I am struck that Tillman is reported to have become critical of the war and that all those involved were debriefed by an unidentified chaplan and that at least one soldier who was debriefed subsequently told a reporter that Tillman's death was of no account since Tillman was an athiest and had no prospect of afterlife other than as "worm food."

An investigation could look a bit further into possible political motives and religious rationalizations for his killing.

[Carl Caroli]

McChrystal should be relieved of his responsibilities. He intentionally has tried to subvert the president of this country, and that is totally unacceptable. The president should ask for his resignation to make it clear that he, not McChrystal or anyone else is responsible for making these decisions. He knows the rules of the game and broke them. He's a pompous ass that needs to retire, asap.

[ljc]

General Odierno tried the same thing and was immediately smackdown. He changed his tune . There is a reason why civilians are in charge of Defense and Odierno and McCover-up have both proved it.

[ljc]

Here is a really good article about McCain and all his appearances on the Sunday Talk Shows and how they all lean Republican.

http://crooksandliars.com/nicole-belle/about-media-notion-balance

[THISTLE]

Now we are seeing a General openly disrespect Presdient Obama, his Commander-in-Chief.
President Obama is too frightened of the right wingers to FIRE McChrystal. But that's exactly what
he should do. And LOSER McCain trashing President Obama this morning, why is McCain given
any air time? He is a LOSER. The disrespect for President Obama is beyond outrageous.
It has to be addressed and stoped.

[HoldenLitgo]

Watching McCain trash Obama and Gates on TODAY and publicly disagree with Gates on his call to advise president privately. Discredit Obama or country first, John? The answer is clear.

[Emerald1943]

Oh, McSame is just pandering to the right-wingers out there. Pay him no mind!

[gregoriew]

Obama brings it from the " left " when it concerns social issues but in areas of economics and foreign policy he's a right-winger. His pro-war stance was exposed during the 2007 presidential debates when he expressed a willingness to extend the war into Pakistan. We were sold a fresh face but the ideology remains the same pro-Wall Street elitism, pro-war American imperialism.

[MarieNat]

It's not like he hasn't been blabbing in public as well.

[OliverTwist]

Gates is clearly pushing Gen. McChrystal's plan for Afghanistan.

He is just managing the propaganda effort directed at Americans much better.

Even as he corrects McChrystal about advocating policy outside the chain of command he is doing exactly that himself by cleverly framing the issues and the options to favor a particular decision.

Clever.

[mcantwell]

I think you are spot on.

[PAsteelers]

So you are of the opinion that he is talking out of both sides of his mouth?

You could be right, but I agree with him tell Mcchrystal to get back in line...

[anticon]

"talking out of both sides of his mouth"

That is a necessary talent in the arena of politics.