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Gates not planning to stay through end of Obama first term
The Hill ^ | 9/23/2010 | Roxana Tiron

Posted on 09/23/2010 3:16:07 PM PDT by Qbert

Defense Secretary Robert Gates has no plans to stay on at the Pentagon through the end of President Obama’s first term in office.

Gates, whose service now spans one Republican and one Democratic administration, told reporters at the Pentagon on Thursday that he has already made up his mind about his departure date, but refused to disclose any more details.

Gates told Foreign Policy magazine earlier this year that the logical point for his departure would be in 2011 to give the president enough time to pick the appropriate successor before the 2012 reelection season starts in earnest.

“Having a confirmation process in the early spring of 2012 in the middle of a presidential election year is probably not the wisest thing either,” Gates said at the Pentagon press briefing.

When asked whether he would consider extending his tenure through the end of Obama’s first term in 2012, Gates said: “Not in my thinking.”

Gates has been the Pentagon chief since December 18, 2006.

Gates also dodged the question of whether he plans to stay through July 2011—a key marker in the administration’s Afghanistan strategy. July 2011 is the date when some U.S. troops will start withdrawing from Afghanistan depending on conditions on the ground at that time. 


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Government; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: afghanistan; bho44; bhodod; bhosecdef; gates; iraq; robertgates; usmilitary
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To: ken5050

I bet he doesn’t. He’s suddenly out of the loop.


21 posted on 09/23/2010 4:11:50 PM PDT by maggief
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To: Qbert

Who is he going to appoint? He doesn’t know anybody. Wait, perhaps he could appoint the starter at the Andrews AFB Golf Course. He seems to always have a an early tee time.


22 posted on 09/23/2010 4:15:15 PM PDT by Balata ( Before: Reagan- Bob Hope, Johnnie Cash : Now; Obama- No Hope, and No Cash)
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To: Balata

I’m thinking maybe Sestak? He’s going to need a job soon, so maybe Zero will just have Clinton make another phone call??


23 posted on 09/23/2010 4:34:47 PM PDT by BreitbartSentMe ((Ex-Dem since 2001 *Folding@Home for the Gipper - Join the FReeper Folders*))
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To: Balata
"Who is he going to appoint?" If Obama had his way...
24 posted on 09/23/2010 4:37:38 PM PDT by Qbert
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To: Qbert; Bush_Democrat

No, No, No, it is obvious he will appoint New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson. Afterall, Richardson fancies himself as an expert in the foreign relations field. Just look at the North Korean situation.


25 posted on 09/23/2010 4:42:11 PM PDT by Balata ( Before: Reagan- Bob Hope, Johnnie Cash : Now; Obama- No Hope, and No Cash)
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To: ken5050

That would sure as hell be a great way to pry Lindsay out of the Senate, but I’m not sure he’s ready to sacrifice his political career on the alter of Obamunism, at least not yet...


26 posted on 09/23/2010 5:41:09 PM PDT by Bean Counter (Now what kind of a geroo are you anyway?)
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To: Balata
Obama has no clue or any idea who he could get to replace Roberts Gates as Secretary of Defense. This is sad, but true.

McCain, one of his own.
27 posted on 09/23/2010 6:40:08 PM PDT by presently no screen name
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