More Change: Gates to Stay On At Pentagon

Posted on November 25, 2008

I’ve been giving Obama a hard time on his administration picks being Clintonites, lobbyists, and everything but the change his mantra promised. I’m not gonna do that on this one. I think it is a smart move to keep Gates on. We are on the verge of victory in Iraq and a change in the middle of everything that is going on in the war front could damage all that success. Keeping Gates on for at least another year gives a good window of opportunity for a smoother, more effective transition.

President-elect Barack Obama will keep Defense Secretary Robert Gates in that job for at least a year, according to an official familiar the two men’s discussions.

Obama is expected to announce the selection of Gates and other members of a national security brain trust next week. Gates has served as President George W. Bush’s defense chief for two years.

Gates, a moderate with long-standing ties to Republican administrations and the Bush family, would fulfill an Obama pledge to include a Republican in his Cabinet.

Retaining Gates provides stability for a stretched military fighting two wars during the turbulent changeover in administrations. Gates once said it was inconceivable that he would stay on past the close of Bush’s term on Jan. 20.

I hope this is a sign that Obama is intelligent enough not to make drastic changes suddenly in our progress in the war. I know he promised to withdraw troops, but we have a plan to do that now while retaining stability and victory. Hopefully, this is a sign he won’t pull the rug out from under that to appease the peace-mongers.

Sister Toldjah tries to calm down the hyperventalating lefties.

Jules Crittenden:

Who better but the people who got us to this point? A Saddam-free U.S.-allied Iraq, with al-Qaeda on the run, and the same counterinsurgency artiste now free to go to work on Afghanistan. Stay the course, and try not to screw up Iran, Obama, everything will be good. Just like I told you.

Allahpundit asks:

On a scale of one to 10, how loud will the nutroots whining about this ideologically impure pick be?

Susan answers and rounds up the anti-war lefties freak-out reactions!

Michelle Malkin:

The One: “I can take 4 more weeks of McCain’s attacks, but America can’t take 4 more years of failed McCain\Bush” policies!

Well, ummmm, ahhh, never mind.

John Lilyea:

As I said a few weeks ago, if I were Gates, I’d leave on January 20th. He’s going to be the scapegoat for every national security policy failure of the Obama Administration.