Team Infidel
Forum Spin Doctor
Philadelphia Inquirer
November 22, 2006
Senate Democrats have questions on Iraq, but many are saying they back the Pentagon nominee.
By Anne Plummer Flaherty, Associated Press
WASHINGTON - When Robert M. Gates testifies before a Senate panel in two weeks, Democrats will voice their opposition to administration war policies and gauge Gates' willingness to change them. But they probably won't stand in his way to becoming the next defense secretary.
Democrats have begun lining up behind Gates, indicating they are inclined to vote for him if he meets two general criteria: He agrees a new approach in Iraq is needed, and demonstrates he will hold sufficient political clout at the White House.
"We really do have to get a strong signal that he has been given a free hand to make whatever changes he thinks appropriate, and that within the administration he will have unimpeded access to the president," Sen. Jack Reed (D., R.I.) said in an interview yesterday. "Those things are critical to success."
The senators say they are not immediately opposing Gates largely because his confirmation would lead to the departure of Donald H. Rumsfeld, the Pentagon chief who led the U.S. invasion in Iraq and staunchly defended the war even as public approval plummeted.
The initial support of Bush's nominee comes even though Gates is the same man once accused of distorting intelligence for political reasons - a primary charge Democrats level against the Bush administration in the war in Iraq.
In 1991, 31 Democrats voted against confirming Gates as CIA director, citing allegations that he had pressured intelligence analysts to develop conclusions that fit President Ronald Reagan's policies and turned a blind eye to the Iran-contra scandal, in which arms were sold to the Iranians and the cash used to supply the Nicaraguan contra rebels.
Twelve of those Democrats who rejected Gates 15 years ago remain in the Senate, including Carl Levin of Michigan, Joseph R. Biden Jr. of Delaware, and John D. Rockefeller 4th of West Virginia.
But when Bush announced Gates' nomination Nov. 8, Democrats began extending their support. Sens. Harry Reid of Nevada, who will be majority leader next year, and Daniel K. Inouye of Hawaii, who will head the panel that oversees the Pentagon's budget, said they hoped Gates would be swiftly confirmed, while Biden said he was inclined to vote for him.
Reed and other Democrats say they will focus more of their attention on Gates' views of Iraq than his dealings in the intelligence.
"I will be watching the upcoming confirmation process very carefully to discern whether Mr. Gates has the capacity to both listen to and lead our military in a new direction," said Sen. Christopher J. Dodd (D., Conn.).
Inouye, who with Sen. Ted Stevens met with Gates on Monday, said he had known Gates for at least 30 years and that he would vote for him as he did in 1991. He said he and Stevens (R., Alaska), top members of the defense appropriations subcommittee, used the meeting to assure Gates he would not play politics with military funding.
"I expect him to be confirmed," Inouye said.
November 22, 2006
Senate Democrats have questions on Iraq, but many are saying they back the Pentagon nominee.
By Anne Plummer Flaherty, Associated Press
WASHINGTON - When Robert M. Gates testifies before a Senate panel in two weeks, Democrats will voice their opposition to administration war policies and gauge Gates' willingness to change them. But they probably won't stand in his way to becoming the next defense secretary.
Democrats have begun lining up behind Gates, indicating they are inclined to vote for him if he meets two general criteria: He agrees a new approach in Iraq is needed, and demonstrates he will hold sufficient political clout at the White House.
"We really do have to get a strong signal that he has been given a free hand to make whatever changes he thinks appropriate, and that within the administration he will have unimpeded access to the president," Sen. Jack Reed (D., R.I.) said in an interview yesterday. "Those things are critical to success."
The senators say they are not immediately opposing Gates largely because his confirmation would lead to the departure of Donald H. Rumsfeld, the Pentagon chief who led the U.S. invasion in Iraq and staunchly defended the war even as public approval plummeted.
The initial support of Bush's nominee comes even though Gates is the same man once accused of distorting intelligence for political reasons - a primary charge Democrats level against the Bush administration in the war in Iraq.
In 1991, 31 Democrats voted against confirming Gates as CIA director, citing allegations that he had pressured intelligence analysts to develop conclusions that fit President Ronald Reagan's policies and turned a blind eye to the Iran-contra scandal, in which arms were sold to the Iranians and the cash used to supply the Nicaraguan contra rebels.
Twelve of those Democrats who rejected Gates 15 years ago remain in the Senate, including Carl Levin of Michigan, Joseph R. Biden Jr. of Delaware, and John D. Rockefeller 4th of West Virginia.
But when Bush announced Gates' nomination Nov. 8, Democrats began extending their support. Sens. Harry Reid of Nevada, who will be majority leader next year, and Daniel K. Inouye of Hawaii, who will head the panel that oversees the Pentagon's budget, said they hoped Gates would be swiftly confirmed, while Biden said he was inclined to vote for him.
Reed and other Democrats say they will focus more of their attention on Gates' views of Iraq than his dealings in the intelligence.
"I will be watching the upcoming confirmation process very carefully to discern whether Mr. Gates has the capacity to both listen to and lead our military in a new direction," said Sen. Christopher J. Dodd (D., Conn.).
Inouye, who with Sen. Ted Stevens met with Gates on Monday, said he had known Gates for at least 30 years and that he would vote for him as he did in 1991. He said he and Stevens (R., Alaska), top members of the defense appropriations subcommittee, used the meeting to assure Gates he would not play politics with military funding.
"I expect him to be confirmed," Inouye said.