In Defense of Obama on the Gates Memoir

[babylonsister]

http://www.nationaljournal.com/white-house/in-defense-of-obama-on-the-gates-memoir-20140108

In Defense of Obama on the Gates Memoir
The president questioned the generals? Good. That's his job.

By Ron Fournier
January 8, 2014


In what Bob Woodward called a "harsh" judgment of President Obama, former Defense Secretary Robert Gates writes of the commander-in-chief adding troops to Afghanistan over the objections of his political team, second-guessing that decision, and never quite trusting his generals. "For him," Gates writes in his memoir, "it's all about getting out."

To that I say, bravo. While excerpts of Gates's books are being interpreted as embarrassing for Obama, I'm looking forward to reading the memoir in full—and expect to come away more impressed with the president than his Defense chief.

Consider first what the memoir says about Gates himself. Criticism of a sitting president from a former Cabinet member is rare and should be taken with a grain of salt. In a breach of propriety that raises questions about his integrity, the excerpts reveal Gates to be surprisingly petty at times, such as when he complains about spending cuts at the Pentagon and the lack of notice about Obama's decision to repeal the "don't ask, don't tell" policy toward gays serving in the military.

snip//

...doubts about an ally and his commanders? We need more of that. A lack of skepticism, curiosity, and reflection sunk Bush. Further back, who knows how many lives would have been saved during the Vietnam War had President Johnson acted on his private doubts, most of which didn't come to light until after he left office. Abraham Lincoln ran through a series of generals until he found one he could trust to win the Civil War, Ulysses Grant.

The president was "skeptical if not outright convinced it would fail," Gates said of Obama's surge in Afghanistan. That doesn't strike me as surprising. Like Bush's decision to add troops to Iraq late in his presidency, Obama doubled down on Afghanistan knowing there was no clear path to success. Presidents don't get to make the easy decisions, the sure winners. Franklin Roosevelt was hounded by doubts about the invasion of Europe during World War II. On the eve of D-Day, Roosevelt's commander, future President Dwight Eisenhower, prepared a statement announcing the failure of the invasion and taking full responsibility.

snip//

If military commanders were shown disrespect or given obstacles to fighting war, that would be one thing. But if they were questioned and challenged and kept in check, it is another. Isn't that the president's job?

[Skidmore]

1. I view Gates' diatribe as an attempt to flog the Neocon horse to get it out of the

gate in time for the next elections. There is noone on the right who could potentially be seen as a foreign policy person for the next presidential election since the GOP has become the party of domestic potshooters. Cheney's wing of the GOP is trying to get a message out there.

It is refreshing to hear that we this neocon flak was disgruntled because he could not get the wars he wanted.

[ProSense]

2. Ron Fournier

To that I say, bravo. While excerpts of Gates's books are being interpreted as embarrassing for Obama, I'm looking forward to reading the memoir in full—and expect to come away more impressed with the president than his Defense chief.

<...>

The president was "skeptical if not outright convinced it would fail," Gates said of Obama's surge in Afghanistan. That doesn't strike me as surprising. Like Bush's decision to add troops to Iraq late in his presidency, Obama doubled down on Afghanistan knowing there was no clear path to success. Presidents don't get to make the easy decisions, the sure winners. Franklin Roosevelt was hounded by doubts about the invasion of Europe during World War II. On the eve of D-Day, Roosevelt's commander, future President Dwight Eisenhower, prepared a statement announcing the failure of the invasion and taking full responsibility.

...is a RW tool. Everything he says and does is about absolving Bush and pushing RW talking points.

He expects "to come away more impressed" is probably going to be followed with a reason why he wasn't.

Assclown: Ron Fournier Compares Obamacare Rollout To Bush's Handling Of The Iraq War
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023907402

[babylonsister]

3. Surely doesn't negate what he is saying

here; and Gates is a rethug Fournier could have been defending.

He also wrote in this very article:

His predecessor, President George W. Bush, waged war on Iraq under false pretenses

[ProSense]

4. Maybe not, but he pushes too many false equivalencies for my taste. n/t

[global1]

5. I Think Gate's Ego Had Got The Better Of Him.....

Bush - to me - did not seem overly involved with decision making with respect to the wars he started in Iraq or Afghanistan. To me Bush seemed to be annoyed to have to make any decisions or think about these wars in depth. As such - he probably left a lot more of the decision making to his minions/advisers (Gate's included). Gates probably felt like he had more of a direct effect on any decisions - because of Bush's lack on interest.

Now - in steps President Obama (PBO) - who gets deeply involved in decision making and cares and listens to a number of advisers and then makes his own decisions.

Gates most likely expressed his opinions and gave his advice to PBO - but PBO made decisions that didn't include Gate's advice or didn't heed some of Gate's advice.

Gates probably felt slighted or his ego was hurt because he wasn't as deeply involved in the decision making and this is what has prompted him to take some shots at PBO in this book.

IMHO - Gate's tarnished his image with this book - especially because it's coming out in the middle of PBO"s second term - instead of waiting to make any comments after PBO's presidency comes to an end.

I liked Gates. Now I have a much lesser opinion of him as a man and as a patriot who served this country.

I'm glad PBO questions his own decisions. I'm glad PBO changes his mind. I'm glad that he takes such an interest and is so up on most every issue he is questioned on.

Again - IMHO - Gate's criticism - has made me feel even better about PBO and his Presidency.

Let's face it - a President - any President - is not infallible. I'm glad we have a President that challenges and sometimes even doubts himself and his questions his decisions. A person like that is always improving always striving for better. That's the kind of person I want as my President.

The MSM - like always - has focused on Gate's comments - because it makes good fodder for the so-called news. They are ready to jump on anything that they could milk for attention.

[TwilightGardener]

7. Gates was well-regarded, and the White House was publicly very respectful of him, both

during and after his tenure. He didn't do himself or his image any good with this--especially the whining about how much he detested being SecDef and how hard it was.

[TwilightGardener]

6. FOURNIER wrote this? That's a head-scratcher. But I agree with his take.