[EDINVA]

I was conflicted on this, BUT, if not Gates, then whom? It would have been someone very far to the left or someone openly and proudly anti-military.

Sometimes the better part wisdom is to ‘stay in the game’ to ameliorate the damage. Gates probably had to think long and hard before accepting the appointment.

Note that the last 3 Dem-appointed SecDefs have been either Republican (Gates/Hagel) or formerly Republican (Panetta).

[lentulusgracchus]

Sometimes the better part wisdom is to ‘stay in the game’ to ameliorate the damage.

So it was said about Gates when he reported aboard, that that was his motivation.

So, how did that insider game work out for us this time, guys?

What would have been the downside to letting Obama have his head, run wild for a while, and using the ensuing smashup and disaster to instruct the educable part of the electorate?

Right now we're getting the worst of both worlds. And FReepers are posting mordant reflections that, if the Iranians and Norks do nuke us, at least they'll take out scores of millions of reflexive and invincibly ignorant Democratic voters.