Rumsfeld is Gone - But Who is Robert Gates?

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One of the most promising aspects of yesterday's election outcome is the dismissal of Rumsfeld. But before anyone starts the going-away party take a look at who Bush has chosen to replace his old crony at the Pentagon. And if you guessed another old crony then you win the big dancing banana

That's right. And you would think that after yesterday's results, and the strong rebuke from the American people, that one person would learn something.

Should we really be surprised? Not really. A day older, a day wiser? Not really - Bush is still Bush - not a day smarter, only a day later.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15627855/site/newsweek/

 

I heard someone say that when Rumsfeld announced his resignation, November 8th was "the best day for Democrats", but how much will the change in office really make?

I guess we will see with this Gates guy. I think US citizens have every right to be skeptical of him; I can't help but wonder if he'll begin to act like Rumsfeld would, the advantage being he doesn't have Rumsfeld's reputation.

 

When Bush finishes his tenure, he can't get back in office right?? PLEASE say it is so!!

And all you Americans, vote Democrat!

 

@Faraaz You're safe no president is allowed to serve more than 2 terms now, I believe it was one of the Roosevelt's that changed that but not sure which one.

Interesting that Dubya has basically replaced one shadowy firgure at Defense with another shadowy character. Gates must have done some fancy footwork to stay out of Jail in the Iran-contra scandals.

[ November 09, 2006, 16:17: Message edited by: DarkStrider ]

 

It was FDR, which was the second Rosevelt.

Doesn't Gates have to go through a confirmation process much like what other presidential appointees go through? Also, does the current Congress have to power to do confirmation hearings? I know that between now and January when the next Congress takes over that Congress' power is limited in what they can and cannot do.

 

It was because FDR died in his fourth term. Congress choose to follow the advice of George Washington -- 'Two terms is enough for any man.'

As I said in another thread:

Chandos: Were you really expecting a change in policy with the removal of Rumsfeld? Cabinet members follow the policy of the president or they are no longer cabinet members. It's been that way in every adminstration since John Adams (with Andrew Johnson making the same mistake).

 

Thanks for the confirmation, elucidation

Less than two hundred years to act on that advice, not bad for a government

 

So a guy involved in the entire Iran/Nicaragua mess is now supposed to solve the mess in Iraq. Nice.

 

Hey, Ziad, we in America believe success breeds success. That's why we made Bob "Mutual Assurred Destruction" McNamara and Paul "Project for a New American Century" Wolfowitz Presidents of the World Bank.

 

Bloody Paul Wolfowitz! I was thinking I hadn't heard about him for a while, and you're just reminded me he heads the World Bank now! Grr.

I wonder where Rumsfeld's going to end up now. The world bank's taken, the ambassador to the UN is taken... maybe they could put him as ambassador to Iraq. Or how about Iran or North Korea?

 

It's a little low for him, but a goodwill delegate of the UN to the Middle East fits him so well...

Edit: I'm not sure they have this position, but if they don't, they should invent it for him. He's just... perfect :tears:

EDIT 2: By the way, I just checked some sites. Apparently Mr. Gates has been involved in propagating "The Bulgarian Connection" in the assassination attempt of John Paul II during the first Reagan presidency, although many in the CIA have been against that (supposedly, people in the White House thought the CIA is not cooperative enough on the issue of the Evil Empire). If it's true - thanks a lot, mister. Hope you do a better job this time.

Edit 3: in tune with the Cold War nostalgia, yesterday one of the greatest spies of that era, Marcus Wolf, "the man without a face" has died. He was among the legends of StaSi, the eastern German security agency, where he commanded the external operations. Wolf, who died at the age of 83, was believed to be among the most skillful men of his trade and was able to hide his face from all cameras for some 20 years. In the post-reunification period, he remained a rarity - a man who was not ashamed of his past and defended his colleagues.

[ November 15, 2006, 03:04: Message edited by: The Shaman ]