Defense Secretary-designate Robert Gates, President Bush’s choice to replace Donald Rumsfeld, testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2006 at his confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee.

AP: Gates confirmed as secretary of defense

The Senate voted overwhelmingly Wednesday to confirm Robert Gates as defense secretary, with Democrats and Republicans portraying him as the man who will help overhaul President Bush’s Iraq policies.

The 95-2 vote was a victory for Bush, who named Gates to replace Donald H. Rumsfeld at the
Pentagon on Nov. 8, a day after voters gave Democrats control of Congress for next year.

Even so, much of Gates’ support stemmed from his pledges to consider new options in Iraq. The vote coincided with the release of an independent study lambasting Bush’s approach to the war, increasing pressure on the White House to change course.

“I am confident that his leadership and capabilities will help our country meet its current military challenges and prepare for emerging threats of the 21st century,” Bush said in a statement after the Senate vote.

He said Gates had shown during his confirmation hearing this week before the
Senate Armed Services Committee that he is “an experienced, qualified, and thoughtful man who is well respected by members of both parties and is committed to winning the war on terror.”

But, look who voted against Gate’s confirmation.

Two Bush allies, Sens. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., and Jim Bunning, R-Ky., voted against Gates, citing his criticism of the war and his view that the U.S. should engage Iran as part of a solution.

“Mr. Gates has repeatedly criticized our efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan without providing any viable solutions to the problems our troops currently face,” Bunning said. “We need a secretary of defense to think forward with solutions and not backward on history we cannot change.”

Santorum, who lost his re-election bid last month, said the U.S. needs to confront Iran rather than “engaging someone who is at war with us. I think he is in error.”

Hugh Hewitt has Gates and Byrd on Iran and Syria

The most important exchanges from the Gates confirmation hearings today came when Senator Robert Byrd questioned the Secretary-designate on Iran and Syria. Not only did Mr. Gates answer Senator Byrd’s hypotheticals in ways that had to encourage the mullahs of Iran and the thugs of Syria, he did so in addition to questioning the president’s authority under the AUMF to pursue any terrorists operating out of Iranian or Syria:…..

Read it all…….

More on Gates and Iran:

The real news came from his answers on Iran, which raise serious questions about the direction of US policy.

When asked by a senator whether he thought Iranian President Ahmadinejad was “kidding” when he denied the Holocaust and called for “wiping Israel off the map,” Gates responded: “No, I don’t think he’s kidding. But I think that there are, in fact, higher powers in Iran than he, than the president. And … while they are certainly pressing, in my opinion, for a nuclear capability, I think that they would see it in the first instance as a deterrent.

“They are surrounded by powers with nuclear weapons – Pakistan to their east, the Russians to the north, the Israelis to the west, and us in the Persian Gulf.”

The senator followed up, “Can you assure the Israelis that they will not attack Israel with a nuclear weapon, if they acquire one?”

Gates responded coldly, “No, sir, I don’t think that anybody can provide that assurance.”

Read it all….

Flap would not have nominated nor voted to confirm Dr. Gates.

Is President Bush going backwards? Or is he attempting to accomodate the newly empowered Democrats?

Bush’s conduct after the November election is like a deer in the roadway startled by car headlights.

The Mullahs and Jihadists must be laughing their asses off and LICKING THEIR CHOPS to pick at the GREAT SATAN and Bush.

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