Brent Budowsky : Washington Old Guard Wins on Gates

[laststeamtrain]

Washington Old Guard Wins on Gates

By Brent Budowsky
November 26, 2008

Editor’s Note: During the campaign, Barack Obama vowed to not just end the Iraq War but to end "the mindset" that led to war.

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With Bob Gates as Secretary of Defense and Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State, the incoming Obama administration is shaping up to be a reunion of strong supporters of the Iraq War.

Despite Barack Obama’s emphasis during the campaign on the importance of showing sound judgment about going to war, judgment here is not a factor. Both Defense Secretary Gates and Sen. Clinton were wrong on Iraq early and long.

As the President-elect moves to fill these and other top national security jobs, other qualities don’t appear important either, like loyalty, clarity and principle. I must dissent.

Let’s revisit the Reagan years. At the time, I was working for the House Democratic leadership and when President Ronald Reagan was meeting with Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, I and some other Democrats were working with some on the Reagan side regarding historic negotiations between Washington and Moscow.

Bob Gates, who was deputy CIA director, was against this...

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http://www.consortiumnews.com/2008/112608a.html