Bye bye Rummy

[khaosworks]

Bush replaces Rumsfeld to get 'fresh perspective'

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Bush introduced Robert Gates on Wednesday afternoon as his nominee to replace Donald Rumsfeld as secretary of defense, saying the country needs a "fresh perspective" on Iraq.

Gates, a former CIA chief, was a member of the Iraq Study Group, a bipartisan panel that is making recommendations to Bush on how to proceed in Iraq.

Gates traveled with the panel to Iraq earlier this year, an experience, Bush said, that will enable Gates to come up with "new ideas on how America can achieve our goals in Iraq."

Gates, 63, said Wednesday he accepted the nomination because "the United States is at war" and the president called.

"I believe the outcome of these conflicts will shape our world for decades to come," Gates said.

Bush announced Rumsfeld's departure earlier Wednesday.

"The timing is right for new leadership at the Pentagon," Bush said in announcing the resignation.

Bush said Rumsfeld "understands that Iraq is not working well enough, fast enough."

Rumsfeld has been heavily criticized for his policies in Iraq, and exit polls taken during Tuesday's midterm election, seen by some as a referendum on Bush and his administration, showed strong voter dissatisfaction -- 57 percent -- with the Iraq war.

"I recognize that many Americans voted last night to register their displeasure with the lack of progress being made" in Iraq, Bush said.

Gates headed the CIA from 1991 until 1993, part of 40 years of public service that Bush said prepares him well for the challenges he'll face at the Pentagon.

Bush heralded Gates' time as deputy director of central intelligence in the Reagan administration, when "he helped lead America's efforts to drive Soviet forces from Afghanistan."

Gates also served as deputy national security adviser to Bush's father during the Gulf War in 1991, something the younger Bush said Wednesday helped Gates understand what needs to be done in Iraq.

Gates is president of Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas, a position he said Wednesday was the best job he's had, despite serving in six presidential administrations.

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"Fresh perspective" must be the latest code for "someone who's not a total fuckup", I suppose. People should start wearing T-shirts with "I WANT A FRESH PERSPECTIVE IN THE WHITE HOUSE" printed on them.

So, who's Robert Gates? Former Eagle Scout, Air Force, started out as an intelligence analyst at the CIA and worked his way up to Deputy Director of Intelligence and eventually Director of Central Intelligence... basically, aside from being in the Air Force and not working with Sean Connery (one thinks), he's Jack Ryan.

I'm sure we'll find out more about his dirty little secrets as the nomination process continues, but the closest thing to dirt that can stick to him right now — provided you don't find anything wrong with being a former spook and that he passed intelligence to Iraq during the Iran-Iraq War... when the US on the side of Sadaam, mind you — is that he was on the periphery of the Iran/Contra scandal.

Gates wasn't indicted because the Independent Counsel didn't find any evidence that warranted it, but there's some hints that he was kinda sorta fudging it when it came to the "what did you know and when did you know it" bit. Given the amount of paperwork and bureaucratese in Washington circles, this is probably less culpable and a bit more believable than George Senior's "I was out of the loop, man!" or Ronnie's "Say what? Who am I? What am I doing here?" positions.

However, the accusation that he was "molding intelligence reports to suit Reagan's hard-line stance" towards the then "Evil Empire" is right in line with Dubya's way of working, so I'm sure his "fresh perspective" will fit in just fine with the other kids in the playground.