Robert Gates

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Gates: US Lacks Cohesive Strategy in Iran

White House downplays defense secretary's missive to Jones

(Newser) - The US lacks a viable long-term plan for dealing with Iran's nuclear program, Defense Secretary Robert Gates wrote in a January memo that one anonymous White House official called a "wake-up call." As the New York Times reports, the missive came amid an administration push to develop a...

Gates Slams Wikileaks Over Videos of Civilian Killings

Leaked military videos show war 'through a soda straw'

(Newser) - An angry Robert Gates yesterday slammed Wikileaks just as the online operation is threatening to release a new secret military video revealing the 2009 US airstrike that killed some 100 civilians in Afghanistan. "These people can put out whatever they want and are never held accountable for it,"...

GOP Won't Rule Out Filibuster on Court Nominee
GOP Won't Rule Out
Filibuster on Court Nominee
TALK SHOW ROUNDUP
Apr 11, 2010 1:22 PM CDT

GOP Won't Rule Out Filibuster on Court Nominee

Jeff Sessions warns president to pick a 'mainstream' candidate

(Newser) - President Obama can avoid a Republican filibuster over his Supreme Court pick by choosing a judge who isn't "outside the mainstream," says Sen. Jeff Sessions, the GOP's ranking member on the Judiciary Committee. Asked on Meet the Press about whether a "big fight" looms, he responded, "...

Gates Makes It Harder to Kick Out Gay Soldiers

Discharges will now require testimony, general's approval

(Newser) - Discharging a gay person for violating the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy will draw unprecedented scrutiny under new orders from Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who is already pushing to repeal the ban on gays serving openly in the US military. Guidelines to be announced today call for testimony...

Next Target Taliban Stronghold of Kandahar
Next Target Taliban Stronghold of Kandahar
Gen. McChrystal
Mar 8, 2010 5:07 AM CST

Next Target Taliban Stronghold of Kandahar

Meanwhile, Gates arrives in Afghanistan

(Newser) - Preparations have begun for a crucial campaign to assert Afghan government control over Kandahar, spiritual home of the Taliban, Gen. Stanley McChrystal said today. The NATO-led force is growing in districts around Kandahar that are under the Taliban thumb, ahead of an eventual military operation, McChrsytal said, though he added...

Iraq War Renamed 'Operation New Dawn'

'Operation Iraqi Freedom' history as most troops head home

(Newser) - The Obama administration has rebranded the Iraq War as it prepares to pull out most American troops. "Operation Iraqi Freedom" will become "Operation New Dawn" as of Sept. 1, when US troop levels are supposed to fall to around 50,000, the Washington Post reports. Defense Secretary Robert...

Pentagon: Repealing 'Don't Ask' Is About 'Integrity'

Gates, Mullen tell senators the year-long process has begun

(Newser) - Rolling back Don't Ask, Don't Tell boils down to a simple matter of "integrity," the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff told senators today. Adm. Mike Mullen and defense secretary Robert Gates took to Capitol Hill to provide details on how the Pentagon is beginning a year-long...

Military to Ease Off on 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell'

Gays outed by third parties won't be prosecuted

(Newser) - The military will no longer aggressively pursue disciplinary action against gay service members who are outed by a third party, the Pentagon will announce today. Under the new policy, gay personnel would face discharge only if they go public themselves on their sexual orientation. Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Adm....

Pentagon Starts Clock on Lifting Gay Ban

First step is review of how repeal would affect troops

(Newser) - The Defense Department will next week start the process of repealing the ban on gay people serving openly in the military—a process expected to last years, reports the AP. A special investigation into how the ban can be lifted without hurting morale or readiness of the troops is expected...

Gates Visits Pakistan, Urges Terror Crackdown

But Pakistan says it won't launch further offensives

(Newser) - Robert Gates arrived in Islamabad today for an unannounced visit, urging a crackdown on Taliban and al-Qaeda fighters headed for India or Afghanistan. Pakistan often leaves such outward-bound militants alone, concentrating on domestic foes, but “the reality is that you can’t ignore one part of this cancer and...

Gates Will Stay Through 2010

Defense chief agrees to remain 'at least another year'

(Newser) - The new year won't bring a change at the top in the Defense Department. Robert Gates will stay on through on 2010, says a Pentagon spokesman. He and President Obama met before Christmas and agreed that the Bush holdover will remain for "at least another year," reports Reuters...

Iran's Nukes in Rabbit Warren of Tunnels, Bunkers

Hidden arsenal complicates nuclear standoff

(Newser) - Iran is using a network of tunnels and bunkers to shield its atomic complex, obscuring the size of its arsenal and complicating calls for military action against the rogue state. Military experts from the United States and Israel say a well-hidden nuclear program is especially hard to take down. "...

Dems Block GOP War Bill Filibuster

Gates slams tactic to delay health bill

(Newser) - Senate Democrats beat back a Republican attempt to filibuster a huge Pentagon spending bill in a post-midnight session last night. Republican success would have forced the government to seek a new stopgap way to fund the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, delaying health care legislation in the process. Three Republicans...

Cocky Karzai Calls Gates' Bluff
 Cocky Karzai Calls Gates' Bluff 
MAUREEN DOWD
Dec 13, 2009 9:01 AM CST

Cocky Karzai Calls Gates' Bluff

Defense sec gets dissed by Afghanistan, Iraq 'puppets': Dowd

(Newser) - Robert Gates may be the man "running the world's best military," a force not inconsequential to stability in Afghanistan these days, but Hamid Karzai thumbed his nose at the defense secretary on his recent visit. "Puppets just aren’t what they used to be," notes Maureen...

Gates Expects 'Significant' Sanctions on Iran

Tehran still unwilling to yield on nukes

(Newser) - Robert Gates warned Iran today in the strongest language yet from the US that it faces serious economic sanctions because of its refusal to budge on nuclear talks. "I think that you are going to see some significant additional sanctions imposed by the international community, assuming that the Iranians...

Maliki Too Busy to Meet With Gates
Maliki Too Busy
to Meet With Gates
Dec 10, 2009 5:46 PM CST

Maliki Too Busy to Meet With Gates

He promises to squeeze him in tomorrow morning

(Newser) - Robert Gates apparently doesn't rank. When the defense chief flew into Iraq today for a surprise visit with Nouri al-Maliki, he learned the prime minister was simply too busy to see him. The Pentagon is playing down all hints of a snub, explaining that Maliki had to spend hours in...

Gates Arrives in Iraq in Wake of Bombings

US officials say spate of violence won't affect withdrawal plan

(Newser) - Robert Gates flew to Baghdad today for an unannounced visit, finding a city still reeling from the bombings that killed at least 127 people on Tuesday. The defense secretary is scheduled to meet with Nouri al-Maliki and other top officials, and to offer condolences to victims of the attacks. He’...

Gates, in Kabul, Contradicts Karzai's Timetable

'We're in this thing to win,' he tells reporters

(Newser) - Robert Gates and Hamid Karzai seemed to contradict each other at a press conference in Kabul today, with Gates saying the US commitment in Afghanistan isn’t open ended, and Karzai saying it will be at least 5 years before Afghanistan is ready for a US withdrawal. Gates arrived in...

Obama's Long Road to Afghan Strategy
 Obama's 
 Long Road to 
 Afghan Strategy 
BEHIND THE SCENES
Dec 6, 2009 10:26 AM CST

Obama's Long Road to Afghan Strategy

Prez was relentless in analyzing every angle

(Newser) - Amid cries of "dithering" and the silent finality of Arlington's rows of white tombstones, President Obama calmly, analytically, and exhaustively reviewed all options in Afghanistan before finally announcing to his team on Nov. 29 that he would send in 30,000 more troops. The New York Times retraces the...

Gates: Afghan Failure Means 'Civil War'

Troop surge is necessary to transition to humanitarian role

(Newser) - Defense chief Robert Gates and other members of the Obama administration took to Capitol Hill today to sell President Obama's plan to send 30,000 additional troops. "Failure in Afghanistan would mean a Taliban takeover of much, if not most, of the country and likely a renewed civil war,...

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