Gates agrees to stay on at defense post

Of all of his cabinet and staff decisions, this is the only one that makes sense. He has turned the economy over to a glutonous Democrat majority Congress, the world over to the dysfunctional multilateralism of the psuedo vetted HillBills and energy over to the cap and trade driven environmentalism of Waxman. It looks like a Carter redux only this time with the executive branch taking direction from a partisan revengeful, contentious, radical staff and a profligate Democrat led Congress. Roads, bridges,green energy and more economic stimulus aren't going to produce a 21st century economic jolt, it will be more like a hiccup. He better start thinking out of the box, the economic hole is deep enough, quit digging.

Gates has sold out on his own principles if he stays one day in the new administration. Obama was bashing the use of the military for his two year campaign to become President and now wants to add more members? If Gates has any principles at all he will walk and say good luck. However, Gates was always one to play politics even while with the CIA.

some people immediately try to critisize obama (http://www.spinwhip.com/obama) no matter what he does. here he is, keeping a republican in place in DEFENSE... this is a big deal, it shows genuine bipartisanship AND focus on the currently bigger issues of the economic meltdown. Well done obama is all i gotta say :-)

I wish Gates would say no as he will be blamed for everything BO does wrong even in the years after he has been let go. Let BO hang.

Nice attitude carljoseph, don't try to find a way to solve problems by building a bipartisan coalition, just bury your head in the sand and issue negative portents. Let's hope your kind fades into an ignorant history as the nation finds its way forward.

Both the SecDef and CJCS have an obligation to do what's right for the mission no matter who's in the Oval Office. The SecDef has done a great job in a billet that's been a target a long time. I share Narcissa's frustrations and I agree that drinking the Kool Aid is gonna have a major hangover. Unfortunately the people who will suffer most are those that didn't partake.

Narcissa you dope, it's ROBERT Gates, Bill is the software guy. You're equally stoopid about Obama. Christian ethics, eh? Gates is wrong because he will suspend the F-22 fighter jet, for some reason he hates it. But when the Russian SU-30 gains air superiority will it Obama's fault?

Mag7--if you even mention the F-22 pretty clear who's signing your checks. The major enemies we face are political correctness and guerilla warfare. And in that context, if we need air support it's a Hog or a Spectre. God bless the Hog.

"Gates has sold out on his own principles if he stays one day in the new administration." ~ Gene44 Which principles are those, the ones associated with his oath to support and defend the Constitution? Maybe the ones associated with his love for this country? Maybe he's staying because he wants to be a part of the solution and not a negative part of the problem. You could learn from his example. "Both the SecDef and CJCS have an obligation to do what's right for the mission no matter who's in the Oval Office." ~ Jon G. Exactly. "As far as I'm concerned, the Kenyan Commander will never be MY president, and I can tell you that there are millions who feel the same way, and, who, like me, plan on exhibiting the exact level of respect and loyalty to Dear Leader as his supporters gave to Bush, and then some. The upside to all this is knowing the massive suffering that is surely to befall all those uninformed, uneducated tools who voted for "change". They'll be getting what they deserve." ~ Narcissa I don't even know where to begin on this, other than to say on January 20, 2009 he will be your President, unless you aren't a citizen of the United States of America. "A nation divided against itself cannot stand."