Defeatist? Why? Because he told the truth? Are you suggesting he lie?
Seems to me the Democrats would reject out-of-hand any SecDef designate who didn't toe their rhetorical line. I think that Gates may just be telling a Dem Senator what he wants to hear.
A half-truth is the same as a lie. We can certainly win in Iraq. All we need is the WILL to win. Resources and winning strategies would follow.
I'm amazed at the people who think it's going well.
Our enemy lives and survives on being embolden by a defeatist attitude form our side. When you are at war you do not give aid and comfort to the enemy by saying we are not winning. We are not in a church confession here, we are in war and we must win because if we do not, then the consequences will be beyond our worst imaginable nightmares.