From The Los Angeles Times, 5/6/07:
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/washingtondc/la-na-gates6may06,0,5437596.story?track=mostviewed-storylevel
On Iraq, Gates may not be following Bush's playbook
As the president pushes for more time and money for the war, the
Pentagon chief's message has seemed to run counter.
By Peter Spiegel and Julian E. Barnes, Times Staff Writers
WASHINGTON —
President Bush has mobilized his administration, including his top
general in Iraq, in a major push to win more time and money for his
war strategy.
But one crucial voice has been missing from the chorus: Defense
Secretary Robert M. Gates'.
In fact, Gates' recent comments seem to run counter to the message
from the White House.
During a recent trip to the Middle East, Gates told the Iraqi
government that time was running out and praised Democratic efforts in
the U.S. Congress to set a timetable for withdrawal, saying it would
help prod the Iraqis.
He reiterated that point during a meeting with reporters last week.
A spokesman for Gates insisted there was no distance between the
Defense secretary's thinking on the timetable for Iraq and views held
by the White House or Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander of U.S.
troops in Iraq.
But his warnings to Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki are just the
latest indications from Gates that he believes the window of
opportunity for the administration to get Iraq right is closing sooner
rather than later.
Any determination by Gates that time is running out on the current
plan could severely complicate the administration's strategy this
summer, a prospect that has begun to worry some backers of the troop
"surge."
"I believe Gates is on a completely different page than President Bush
and Gen. Petraeus," said a former senior Defense official who has
supported the buildup.
"He wants to see some results by summer, and if he doesn't see those
results, he seems willing to throw the towel in."
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Whoops
Harry
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