robert gates: War critics 'embolden the enemy'. Discuss.

[Philosoraptor]

http://www.rapidcityjournal.com/articles/2007/01/26/ap/headlines/d8mt673g0.txt

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Friday that a congressional resolution opposing President Bush's troop buildup in Iraq amounts to undercutting U.S. commanders in a way that "emboldens the enemy."

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At his first Pentagon news conference since taking office Dec. 18, Gates was asked his reaction to the debate in Congress over the effect of such a nonbinding resolution. "It's pretty clear that a resolution that in effect says that the general going out to take command of the arena shouldn't have the resources he thinks he needs to be successful certainly emboldens the enemy and our adversaries," he said.

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"I think it's hard to measure that with any precision, but it seems pretty straightforward that any indication of flagging will in the United States gives encouragement to those folks," Gates said, referring to the anti-government forces in Baghdad. He added that he was certain this was not the intent of those who support the congressional resolution.

"But that's the effect," he said.

[SutaUvaca]

1. It's just Rumsfailed with a Bob Gates mask on. n/t

[liberal N proud]

2. Gates - Rumsefeld - can't quite tell the difference

[happydreams]

3. K&R. "The friend of my enemy...."

How much longer before they start calling politicians who oppose the war traitors?

[walldude]

4. Yeah sure, it's the anti-war people who are screwing this up

I just posted this in another thread:
http://www.smirkingchimp.com/thread/5072

By contrast, analysts give more weight to intercepted al-Qaeda communiqués describing the leaders' private views. Those messages reveal that – even as al-Qaeda baits the United States about leaving Iraq – the group actually worries that a sudden U.S. withdrawal could collapse its position.

Intelligence analysts estimate that al-Qaeda's forces account for only five percent or less of the armed opposition fighting U.S. and allied forces – and many of those young jihadists are not considered committed fighters.

As Zawahiri said in one captured letter, a rapid American military withdrawal could cause al-Qaeda’s new foreign jihadists, who have gone to Iraq to battle the Americans, to simply give up the fight and go home.

[Nightjock]

5. Discuss?

He's a fucking asshole.

That's all I have to say.

[Philosoraptor]

11. I tend to agree that gates is a fucking asshole, I just couldn't find the words.

[Homer12]

6. I guess the past year of killing and death...

...by the Insurgents was brought on by bored and lazy enemies whom really didn'twork that hard.

I guess Bush's incompatence didn't add to the problem, it's only the critics that inflame wars I guess.

Gates is a new ASSHAT shill.

[BuyingThyme]

7. Punchline: Gates was a member of the Iraq Study Group.

He is among the top critics of the current strategy.

:rofl:

[KG]

8. well, it didn't take him long to trot out that tired old bullshit line, did it?

[catgirl]

9. Warmongers created the enemy!

[ChairmanAgnostic]

10. how does one define "enemy"? According to Team Bush

the Democrat party folks are the enemy, a far greater risk than Osama or other terra-ists. Given the amount to air time, money and effort they directed to DEMOCRATS compared to OSAMA, clearly they were most concerned with confusing Americans, providing the basis to attack and intimidate Democrats and indies, and to control the political reins of our country, by fear, misdirection and plain lies.

So, from that perspective, Gates is absolutely honest.

[Philosoraptor]

12. John Kerry is the enemy! Max Cleland is the enemy! Nancy is the enemy!

[ChairmanAgnostic]

13. you got it, babe.

It is strange, no, seeing the truth coming out of the Admin reps' mouths?
Even if the truth is hidden by being so upfront.

[Bobbie Jo]

23. LOL...Well they look pretty emboldened to me.

:kick:

[lumpy]

14. The soldiers on the ground don't even know

who the enemy is. They are the third party in a battle between poltical/religious factions. Peace isn't easy to accomplish when sides are taken and you don't even know what side you are supposed to be on.

[fasttense]

15. That is such an old trick, does anyone believe it anymore?

Anyone who dares to criticize a bush lover is a terrorist, Come off it. If criticism is so dangerous, how come our founding fathers institutionalized it in our Constitution with freedom of speech? If it emboldens the enemy so much how come the North won the American civil war? I mean everyone criticized Lincoln and the North still won.

There certainly were many critics of Roosevelt during WWII, yet we managed to win that war too. Repukes want sheep not real American citizens.

[Philosoraptor]

16. Stupid slogans work.

Ask any compassionate conservative.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

21. ask any nazi.

and they do work.

[Kerrytravelers]

17. Are they still using this tired old line?

[teryang]

18. Unchecked unaccountable belligerent exectutive escalates war

...violence, casualties, and costs without any likely national benefit to United States. Their is no political leader in the US who has suggested a substantial likelyhood of positive outcome in Iraq. So the question arises, why are we there?

[stranger]

19. whose "enemy"? I have no dog in this fight. Read: Iraqi civil war

Any war monger president can start a war, then accuse those who question it of not
"supporting the Troops". Then other idiots will say "it doesnt matter whether it was right or wrong; we are there now..."

Unless we suffer a humiliating defeat (like in Vietnam) instead of a "victory", war monger
presidents will always continue to feel they can start a war for any reason, or for no reason whatsoever, with the full knowledge and confidence that the american people will without question rally around them. thats the propblme with supporting the troops carte blanche

Actually, it may be a blessing in disguise if we lose big time in Iraq-because then future presidents will be less likely to start wars.

RE: "The troops". The troops need to stop being lemmings, and then trying to emotionally blackmail us with the old "You are demoralizing us" business.

I know that sounds harsh, but its true.

[Cabcere]

20. Well, it's perfectly simple, really.

War critics are expressing their freedom of speech/right to dissent --> the terrorists hate us for our freedoms --> therefore, war critics are making the terrorists hate us more. :eyes:

:puke: What an ass. I wish he hadn't gone to my college...but then again, I guess maybe we need some douchebags to balance out the Jeffersons, Monroes, and Tylers. *sigh*

[porphyrian]

22. I'm pretty sure the terrorists came before the war critics.

9/11 didn't happen because of war critics emboldening terrorists. Maybe the fact that this administration was willing to ignore its own intelligence warning about the coming attack before 9/11 did, though. The war, which has cost more American lives than were taken in the terrorist attack and the lives of tens of thousands of innocent civilians, has yet to even apprehend the person responsible for the attacks, and the Iraq war is a complete failure. I think these facts may embolden the terrorists a bit more than people saying it's time to end the war.

[bobthedrummer]

24. From November 9th, 2006

"Gates is Poppy's guy...datadump"
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x2665635