Robert Gates agrees to stay on at Pentagon – The Times

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: U.S. President Bush’s Defence Secretary, Robert Gates, has been asked to stay on in his post and has accepted, according to officials last night, a move that will give Barack Obama significant credibility with the US military but will dismay the liberal wing of his own party, The Times newspaper said on Wednesday. “The series of national security announcements is striking because it shows Mr Obama putting together a team of tough, pragmatic, foreign policy advisers. Although he has promised to carry out a phased withdrawal of US combat troops, the appointment shows that he views anything less than an ultra-cautious drawdown as reckless,” the newspaper said. “Supporters who believed that he would end US involvement quickly will be disappointed. Mr Gates has said that he supports a continued ground operation in Iraq.” “The move to retain Mr Gates is based on Mr Obama’s pledge to increase the US troop presence in Afghanistan. Mr Gates’s continuation as Defence Secretary will ensure that such a policy proceeds without delay,” it said. “A decorated Vietnam veteran and former Supreme Allied Commander in Europe, he is admired by Republicans and Democrats – he is a close friend of John McCain – but is also close to Hillary Clinton. He enjoys such cross-party appeal that in 2006 he was twice asked by Condoleezza Rice, President Bush’s Secretary of State, to be her deputy. He declined,” it noted. “The President-elect is also expected to announce that James Jones, the retired commander of US and Nato forces in Europe, will become his National Security Adviser – his chief foreign policy adviser in the White House. He has served both Democratic and Republican administrations,” the British newspaper said. The announcements are expected to be made after tomorrow’s Thanksgiving holiday, and will include the formal announcement of Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State. Other nominations expected to be announced next week include Susan Rice, a former foreign policy adviser in the Clinton White House as UN Ambassador. Jim Steinberg, a former deputy national security adviser under Mr Clinton, is believed to be heading to the State Department as deputy secretary of state. SH (S) 1