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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2009
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Military Advice to Obama Should Be Private: Gates

Defense secretary joins criticism of McChrystal

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(Newser) – Military commanders should give their advice on Afghanistan to President Obama, not to the public, Robert Gates said today. In an implicit reprimand to Gen. Stanley McChrystal, who has commented openly on his low opinion of the administration’s Afghanistan policy, the defense secretary said such advice should be given “candidly but privately” to the president, Bloomberg reports.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates smiles as he speaks at the Association of the United States Army 2009 Annual Meeting in Washington, Monday, Oct. 5, 2009.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates smiles as he speaks at the Association of the United States Army 2009 Annual Meeting in Washington, Monday, Oct. 5, 2009.   (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
General Stanley McChrystal, Commander, US Forces Afghanistan delivers a speech in London, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2009.
General Stanley McChrystal, Commander, US Forces Afghanistan delivers a speech in London, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2009.   (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Defense Secretary Robert Gates speaks about Iraq and Afghanistan during an address before the Association of the United States Army 2009 Annual Meeting in Washington, Monday, Oct. 5, 2009.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates speaks about Iraq and Afghanistan during an address before the Association of the United States Army 2009 Annual Meeting in Washington, Monday, Oct. 5, 2009.   (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
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And speaking for the Department of Defense: Once the commander-in-chief makes his decisions, we will salute and execute those decisions faithfully and to the best of our ability.
- Robert Gates, Secretary of Defense

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17 comments
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proud_prude
Oct 5, 09 4:12 PM CDT
This general's day's are numbered. Thankfully. Reply
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+2
IN RESPONSE:
DontLikeYou
Oct 5, 09 4:24 PM CDT
Gates sure does know how to suck up to Obama. First, Gates was for the missile defense shield under Bush, but then he was against it under Obama. He was for it before he was against it. What a tool.
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-8
IN RESPONSE:
Robert_Dada
Oct 5, 09 7:08 PM CDT
Ooops, another conservative that let dontlikeyou down. How many does that make? Anyone? Anyone? I lost count keeping up with this buffoon's disappointments.
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+6
IN RESPONSE:
Lost_in_europe
Oct 6, 09 2:55 AM CDT
Somebody needs to point out that our President doesn't have a clue about what to do in Afghanistan..While Obama tries to get some on the job training, our soldiers are dying. Either let the military do it's job or bring the troops home!
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-3
RobN
Oct 5, 09 4:17 PM CDT
While I agree with Gates' comment, I have to wonder why so many administration officials are piling on. Personally I think they don't like what their hand-picked "expert" has to say so they are very quickly trying to marginalize him. Much easier to not follow his advice if you can find something entirely different to criticize him for and knock him down a peg or two in the public's estimation. Reply
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-2

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