Gates will stay

If he is asked, Bush administration Secretary of Defense Robert Gates will stay on as the Obama administration Secretary of Defense, according to the Washington Times.  The Times also reported that Obama has made the decision to ask.

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates has agreed to remain at his post if asked by President-elect Barack Obama, sources close to the defense chief told The Washington Times.

Mr. Obama has also settled on the Republican defense secretary as his choice for the post, the Associated Press reported.

Mr. Gates has won bipartisan praise on Capitol Hill for the reduction of violence in Iraq and for his overall management of the Pentagon.

He would be in a position to help lead a smooth transition between administrations at a time when the United States is preparing to withdraw forces from Iraq and send additional troops to battle a resurgent Taliban in Afghanistan.

His selection would also allow the incoming president to concentrate on the financial crisis without having to worry about upheaval at the Pentagon.

Mr. Obama reportedly made the decision to ask Mr. Gates to stay for at least the first year. The announcement was expected after the Thanksgiving holiday.

"It's a done deal," ABC reported Tuesday, citing a source close to the decision-making process.

Comments

[Flug New York]

I find the president Obama's decision to keep Robert Gates as defense secretary quite reasonable because changing the leadership in the pentagon at this time is not one of the priorities of the Amercian people.
Gates would certainly help lead a smooth transition between administrations.Obama has decided to concentrate on finding issues to the economic crisis, what is without any doubt in the best interests of the Nation and the American People.
thank u

[Tom Bowler]

I agree. Gates was the reasonable choice. But isn't it entertaining how Obama's choice of Gates so quickly dispelled any notion of fulfilling earlier promises of an immediate pull out from Iraq. The man can turn on a dime.

As to the economic crisis, everything he's done so far has made it worse. He sees the crisis as his opportunity to remake America in a more socialist image. That will more likely kill the economy than help it.