Bob Gates Is Not a Patient Man
In an internal 2003 memo, then-Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld famously warned that the struggle against terrorism would be a long, hard slog. His
Jul 31, 2020596.6K Shares8M Views
In an internal 2003 memo, then-Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld famously warned that the struggle against terrorism would be a “long, hard slog.” His successor, Bob Gates, viewed that as an excuse for tolerating a deteriorating situation in Afghanistan and Iraq. He tells Julian Barnes of The Los Angeles Timesthat the United States doesn’t have the luxury of patience in Afghanistan:
“„Gates said that victory was a “long-term prospect” under any scenario and that the U.S. would not win the war in a year’s time. However, U.S. forces must begin to turn the situation around in a year, he said, or face the likely loss of public support.
“„“After the Iraq experience, nobody is prepared to have a long slog where it is not apparent we are making headway,” Gates said in an interview. “The troops are tired; the American people are pretty tired.”
This represents something of a warning notice to Gen. Stanley McChrystal, who saidat his confirmation hearing that he wouldn’t know for a year whether U.S. strategy needed to be amended, a statement he reiteratedlast month. And when it comes to the debate on whether McChrystal ought to make recommendations with a mind to the Obama administration’s reluctance to further increase the troop footprint, Gates had this to say:
“„“I did not want either [McChrystal or Gen. David Petraeus] to feel constrained in making their recommendations,” Gates said. “That is not to say we will accept all of their recommendations.”
Since January, Gates has been a skeptic of adding many more U.S. troops to the Afghanistan fight than the Obama administration has already deployed.
–
Paolo Reyna
Reviewer
Paolo Reyna is a writer and storyteller with a wide range of interests. He graduated from New York University with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Media Studies.
Paolo enjoys writing about celebrity culture, gaming, visual arts, and events. He has a keen eye for trends in popular culture and an enthusiasm for exploring new ideas. Paolo's writing aims to inform and entertain while providing fresh perspectives on the topics that interest him most.
In his free time, he loves to travel, watch films, read books, and socialize with friends.
Latest Articles
Popular Articles