Rumsfeld Stepping Down as Defense Secretary

George Bush announced the resignation of Donald Rumsfeld today. The Washington Post reports:

“WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, architect of an unpopular war in Iraq, intends to resign after six stormy years at the Pentagon, Republican officials said Wednesday.

Word came a day after the Democratic gains in the election, in which Rumsfeld was a focus of much of the criticism of the Iraq war. Officials said Robert Gates, former head of the CIA, would replace Rumsfeld.”

After a couple of google searches, I found some links that might prove useful for anyone looking for information on Robert Gates.

From NPR:
Weekend Edition Saturday, May 18, 2002
Scott Simon talks with former CIA director Robert Gates about the challenge of interpreting and acting on vague terrorist threats.
Wikipedia:

and from DePauw University News:

“The only career officer in the CIA’s history to rise from entry-level employee to director, and the only intelligence analyst to become director, Robert Gates headed the agency from November 6, 1991 to January 20, 1993, overseeing all foreign intelligence agencies of the United States. Dr. Gates joined the CIA in 1966 and spent nearly twenty seven years as an intelligence professional, serving six presidents. During that period, he spent nearly nine years at the National Security Council, serving for different presidents at The White House.”

5 Comments

  1. 1
    battlebob says:

    Gates shows up as part of the Iran Contra Scandal

    http://www.nndb.com/people/129/000055961/

    We need to find out what his role was other then Director of the CIA. I have a hunch he was part of the bunch that planned this. He was probably one who was saved by sacrificing Ollie North (who got a lot of folks killed in EL Salvidore?)

    What better person to ask then Kerry who brought this sordid activity to light.

  2. 2
    Ron Chusid says:

    Interesting. My initial thought was that it would make no sense for Bush to sacrifice Rumsfeld and then to nominate someone else who would be controversial. Of course Iran Contra is too old and confusing to be of interest to most people. If his role was peripheral it probably won’t matter. After pushing so hard for Rumsfeld to resign, it wouldn’t look good for Democrats either to oppose his replacement without very good reason. Having served under Clinton as well as the Republicans gives Gates a lot of political cover.

    At the moment I’m more interested in his connection to the Bush I people who were opposed to going to war. I’m hoping that Bush has learned his lesson on Iraq and plans to use the recommendations from James Baker’s group as a face-saving way to get out, and that this will be the main focus for Gates.

  3. 3
    battlebob says:

    Ron,
    Just to be a devils’ advocate…
    What a great strategy to nominate someone who was a sewer rat in daddy’s time?
    As you said…what can Dems do?
    His sevice under Clinton ended in 1993 and was replaced by Woosley.

  4. 4
    Ron Chusid says:

    battlebob,

    You missed a possible come back to my comment. “My initial thought was that it would make no sense for Bush to sacrifice Rumsfeld and then to nominate someone else who would be controversial.”

    It may be possible that there aren’t any Republicans that spent much time in government who don’t have their hands dirty somewhere.

    Even if his service under Clinton was brief, politically it does give the illusion of bipartisanship and professionalism.

  5. 5
    battlebob says:

    Ron,
    I am a happy camper today…
    The first day politically since before Clinton…

    Now to make 2008 even a better year.

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