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UNITED STATES: DEFENSE SECRETARY CANDID ON IRAQ ERRORS December 6, 2006
Zainab Osman
(SomaliNet) The incoming U.S. defense secretary, Robert Gates, conceded yesterday Americans are not winning the war in Iraq, acknowledged mistakes had been made and said he would consider any option to start bringing soldiers home.
Robert Gates addressed U.S. senators with brevity that lacked to the man he will succeed, Donald Rumsfeld, signaling a new era in the Pentagon and foreshadowing changes in U.S. policy in Iraq.
Gate's testimony is important; it is a turning point in the U.S. mission in Iraq, which has now lasted longer than American involvement in World War II.
There are 140,000 Americans in Iraq, where more than 2,900 U.S. troops have been killed and 50,000 to 70,000 Iraqis have lost their lives, including more than 100 yesterday alone.
Gates said he could foresee a radically smaller U.S. presence in Iraq, but added he expected some American presence there for "a long time."
Despite the expected swift thumbs-up from the outgoing Senate, there is speculation here Bush will not officially swear him into the job until the new year as a gift to Rumsfeld who, if he remains in his post past Dec. 29, would become the longest-serving defense secretary in U.S. history. Bush ousted Rumsfeld last month, one day after his Republicans were defeated in mid-term elections.
Bush has maintained the U.S. is winning in Iraq, but it took his defense nominee a matter of minutes to contradict the president.