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NEWS ABOUT: Robert Gates

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Petraeus Hands Over Command of Iraq

Praises successor Odierno as 'perfect man for the job'

(Newser) - Citing a "long struggle" in Iraq despite his successes, Gen. David Petraeus handed over his command of the country, reports the BBC, amid a smattering of violence that served as a reminder of reversible gains. Defense Secretary Robert Gates praised security gains made on Petraeus' watch as authority was... More »

US 'Running Out of Time' in Afghanistan: Defense Chiefs

(Newser) - The top US military brass warned Congress today that America needs more troops and a better strategy in Afghanistan, the Washington Post reports. "I am not convinced that we're winning" there, said Adm. Michael Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, though he added: "I'm convinced we... More »

Pentagon Delays $35B Tanker Deal for Next President

Environment too 'highly charged' for fair process; Boeing gets time to rework plan

(Newser) - The Pentagon has put a $35 billion contract for new Air Force refueling tankers on hold, Defense Secretary Robert Gates announced today, reasoning that the White House didn’t have enough time left to “complete a competition that would be viewed as fair.” The contract was awarded to... More »

White House Forced to Rethink Russian Relationship

Georgia action prompts US to reconsider Moscow ties

(Newser) - Russia's military action in Georgia was a rude awakening for the White House, forcing the Bush administration to reconsider the relationship it thought they had, the New York Times reports. President Bush has famously touted Vladimir Putin a reliable friend and diplomatic partner, despite policy differences, but cooperation across a... More »

Gates Plans to Double Size of Afghan Army

(Newser) - Robert Gates is backing a plan to pump $20 billion into Afghanistan’s army and restructure the command of NATO and US forces, in an effort to revamp the struggling war effort there. With American troops tied up in Iraq, Gates intends to almost double the size of the Afghan... More »

Terror Will Be No. 1 Enemy for Decades, Warns Gates

New strategy focuses on 'irregular' conflict

(Newser) - Defense Secretary Robert Gates foresees terrorism remaining the leading threat to America for decades, and calls for the military to prepare for "irregular" warfare rather than conventional conflicts with other nations, reports the Washington Post. While success in Afghanistan and Iraq is crucial, it will not be enough to... More »

US Nuke Bomb Crew Caught Napping

Sleeping missile crew held secret codes

(Newser) - A three-man US missile crew fell asleep while in possession of  top secret launch codes for nuclear missiles, reports Reuters. It happened earlier this month at a Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota—the same site of a breach last year in which nuclear weapons were erroneously loaded on... More »

Israel to US: Iran Threat Bigger Than You Think

Barak talks tough, will press case in Washington next week

(Newser) - In the wake of Iranian missile tests, Israel’s defense minister will visit the US for talks next week to press the case that Tehran poses a serious nuclear threat, the Jerusalem Post reports. Yesterday, Ehud Barak suggested that Israel is ready to attack. "We have proven in the... More »

Pentagon to Re-Open $35B Air Force Tanker Bid

(Newser) - The Pentagon will re-open a $35 billion contract to build the Air Force's fleet of new refueling tankers and pick a new winner by the end of the year, congressional sources say. The Office of the Secretary of Defense—not the Air Force—will oversee the new competition between Boeing... More »

Bush Could Decide by Weekend to Close Gitmo

Supreme Court's decision has forced administration's hand

(Newser) - President Bush could decide by Saturday to close Guantanamo Bay as a prison for high-value detainees, insiders tell ABC. There is “generally wide agreement” among Bush's top advisers—Condoleezza Rice and Robert Gates among them—that Gitmo should eventually be shuttered, but the landmark recent Supreme Court decision undermines... More »

Pentagon Backtracks, Extends Afghanistan Tours

2,200 Marines will remain another 30 days despite repeated denials

(AP) - The Pentagon has extended the tour of 2,200 Marines in Afghanistan, after insisting for months the unit would come home on time. The 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, which is doing combat operations in the volatile south, will stay an extra 30 days and come home in early November rather... More »

Pakistan Routs Taliban Forces in Major Offensive

Government abandons diplomatic tack to cut militant violence

(Newser) - Pakistan blasted suspected militant hideouts today, launching its biggest offensive against Taliban forces since electing a government last March. The military cleared three militant outposts and forced the insurgents west, CNN reports. For weeks, tensions have mounted between militants and Islamabad, which abandoned its diplomatic strategy as insurgent strikes increased. More »

Army to Speed High-Tech Gear Into Combat

New weapons could hit Iraq, Afghanistan by 2011

(Newser) - The US Army has moved up the timetable for its high-tech weapons program, hoping to get new devices into the field by late 2010, 5 years ahead of its original schedule, Popular Mechanics reports. It’s also shifting focus away from conventional warfare tech like tanks and artillery and toward... More »

Bush to Ask Congress to Take N. Korea off Terror List

In return, Pyongyang will permanently disable reactor

(Newser) - President Bush will ask Congress tomorrow to remove North Korea from the “terrorist watch list,” reports Steve Clemons in the Washington Note, a move meant to build confidence with Kim Jong-Il and China in the quest to bring the North back from its nuclear pariah status. In return,... More »

Gates: Junta Aid Delays Killed Thousands

Defense Secretary slams 'deaf and dumb' Burmese rulers

(Newser) - Tens of thousands of Burmese have died because of their government's refusal to allow in foreign aid after Cyclone Nargis, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said yesterday. Gates accused the military leaders of being "deaf and dumb" to the plight of their people, Reuters reports. American ships in the region... More »

'Sorry' Gates: We Let Down Our Soldiers

He regrets poor treatment for Iraq, Afghanistan vets

(Newser) - Defense Secretary Robert Gates admitted yesterday that the US military made mistakes in taking care of soldiers back from Afghanistan and Iraq, reports Reuters. He said he regretted that veterans had received inadequate care for physical and mental problems, particularly those suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. Gates also acknowledged that... More »

New Ship a 'Reminder' to Iran: Gates

Defense sec prods Tehran as 2nd carrier arrives in Gulf

(Newser) - A second US aircraft carrier steamed into the Persian Gulf yesterday, which Robert Gates says Iran should see as a "reminder." The defense secretary denied that the deployment of another ship in the Gulf amounted to an escalation of American forces in the area, Reuters reports, but hoped... More »

US Preparing Iran War Plans

Attack isn't imminent, Joint Chiefs chair says, but US has capability

(Newser) - The US is preparing for a potential military action against Iran, the nation’s top military official said today. Such an attack would be “extremely stressing” on the military, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said, but it is on the table if a diplomatic solution can’... More »

Gates to USAF: Straighten Up and Fly Right

Defense sec criticizes service for being slow to adapt to change

(Newser) - Robert Gates chided the Air Force today for being slow to change and for not providing enough help in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Addressing American and international student officers in Alabama, the defense secretary said getting the USAF to adapt, particularly in the use of drone aircraft, has... More »

Sadr City Fight Kills 13; Insurgents Vow to Fight On

Authorities ease blockade in Iraqi slum

(Newser) - US and Iraqi forces clashed with Shiite insurgents in fierce fighting overnight near Baghdad’s Sadr City, Reuters reports, as authorities lifted a blockade in some areas that had been stifling the region. At least 13 militiamen loyal to cleric Moqtada al-Sadr were killed in the clashes in the Iraqi... More »

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