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SecDef Gates: The Anti-Rummy

This article is for all the doomsday sayers who say that war with Iran is inevitable. When Robert Gates replaced Rummy as head of the Defense Department last year, he came to fix Iraq and not attack Iran. For Bush, or Chaney, to attack Iran, he would have to go through Gates as well as the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Both Gates and the JCS fear that attacking Iran would bring more instability to the region and mess up Iraq even more. Remember, Gates was hired to fix Iraq and not make things more complicated.
Gates is also a lot more different that Rummy in his demeanor also. His old age Republican philosophy of speaking softly with a big stick works just as well professionally as it does personally. Gates lets people know he has been around in some of the most subtle ways. If you read the article, you'll know what I mean.
What I also found surprising is that as SecDef he called for the expansion of the State Department by hiring more Junior Service Officers, or junior diplomats. That has got to be one of the first time any cabinet secretary, especially of defense, has called for expansion of another cabinet department.
However, it is important to understand that Gates doesn't want to take military action off the table against Iran. Indeed, that would be stupid. Nonetheless, he and his military top military officers have gone out of their way to bring some praise to Tehran. He has also supported more diplomatic efforts with Iran. I agree that we should talk to Iran. If we are talking, then we are not fighting. That is a very good thing. Though we should talk with the full force of the US military and economy behind us. Like I said, speak softly with a big stick.

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