Is It Too Early To Fire Robert Gates?

06 Dec, 2006 by John Hawkins

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Robert Gates hasn’t even settled into his office yet and he’s already overdue to be fired. From his confirmation hearings:

Gates was asked about Iran’s nuclear program and President Ahamdinejad’s threats to wipe Israel off the map.

Gates replied that the Iranian president’s threats were serious, but that there were greater forces in Iran than Ahmadinejad who are interested in nuclear ability as a power of deterrence against nuclear countries surrounding them – Pakistan in the east, Russia in the north, Israel in the west and the United States in the Persian Gulf.

The senators asked Gates whether he could guarantee that if Iran possesses nuclear weapons it would not put its threats against Israel into action.

Gates answered that he did not believe anyone could guarantee such a thing.

During the hearing, however, Gates stated that he would not recommend to the president to attack Iran, but only as an “absolute last resort” and if crucial American interests were being threatened.

…As for Syria , Gates said a US attack on that country would unleash a wave of anti-Americanism in the Middle East.

It would have “dramatic consequences for us in Middle East,” Gates said. “It would give rise to greater anti-Americanism than we have seen to date. It would immediately complicate our relations with every country in the region.”

…He admitted that in the current situation, the US was not winning the war in Iraq, but made it clear that it was not fleeing Iraq and would withdraw in an organized manner after the Iraqi government and its security forces are able to control the situation and defend themselves.

Let’s see: Gates thinks Iran should be allowed to build nuclear weapons, despite their hatred for the United States, their terrorist ties, and the fact that it’s entirely possible that they’ll nuke Israel. He’s also afraid to take on Iran and even Syria, despite the fact that their actions are destabilizing Iraq and getting American soldiers killed. And, he thinks we’re losing in Iraq. They might as well have made Jimmy Carter or Dennis Kucinich the new Secretary of Defense as this guy.

Moreover, let me add that his approach may not sound so great in let’s say 5-10 years, if Iran has gotten nukes, gotten into a nuclear war with Israel, provided nuclear weapons to terrorists, and another half dozen Middle-Eastern nations have also acquired nukes to defend themselves from Iran.

PS: If this is the mushpile that Bush wants as Secretary of Defense, you’ve got to wonder if it’s an indication that he has lost the will to keep fighting the war on terrorism.