Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates speaks to midshipmen at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md. on Wednesday, April 7, 2010. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
ABOARD A MILITARY AIRCRAFT — Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Tuesday criticized the anonymous online posting of a video showing two journalists in Iraq getting gunned down by U.S. troops in 2007 as irresponsible and presenting a "soda straw" view of war.
Gates also defended U.S. rules of engagement in Afghanistan, saying that that the military takes extreme caution in avoiding civilian casualties but some deaths are unavoidable.
"Let's also face the reality that we are in a war and our adversaries ... use civilians. They purposely put civilians in harm's way," Gates said.
Gates spoke to reporters en route to South America, where he planned to meet with leaders from Peru and Colombia — countries whose militaries have been accused of human rights abuses in the past, but whose cooperation on matters like counternarcotics have been crucial to U.S. interests.
This incident occurred in 2007 when the USA was still considerably involved in Iraq. We are currently transitioning out with concerted efforts to remove as much of our munitions and equipment as we can to leave Iraq with 'less fire power' and a 'safer military profile.'
No one can deny the USA military has been making huge strides in Nuclear Non-Proliferation under this Commander and Chief. It is a posture the people of the USA have longer for and they are achieving front line victories on other sensitive issues such as 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell.' I am confident the Joint Chiefs and the Secretary of DEFENSE receive considerable 'heat' from other officers and soldiers regarding all these changes, but, the changes are coming anyway and I could not be more proud of them.
Secretary Gates has stated on a couple of occasions he has found renewed appreciation of his Cabinet Post and the freedom and focus that has come with it under the Obama presidency. This 'verbiage' by Secretary Gates is not 'mind speak.' For a very long time, the American people have received 'scripted' conduct and language that presented a barrier to a sincere dialogue with their military. It would seem with this new confrontational language of 'depth' of commitment to explanation we could be seeing a new relationship between the USA military and the American people.
It is welcome. Very, very welcome. We want to be active partners with our military. I personally appreciate the respect for hierarchy of the military by President Obama. We hear from more from the Joint Chiefs than Commanders and I believe that is the best venue for a sincere relationship based in honest exchange and forthright facts. The expertise of the Joint Chiefs can have the latitude to bring forth an understanding based on a larger picture rather than focused on a play by play soldier 'screen play' as has been the custom of the past administrations.
The battlefield that our soldiers find themselves on is not a 'Monday Night' arm chair quarter back issue. It is high tech, extremely protective (as much as it can be) of the soldier, is armed with body armor as well as uniforms, BUT, that high tech approach also removes some of the ability to accurately 'diagnosis' the battlefield as it presents itself. A question that has to be answered by the American people is how much do our soldiers mean to us in their survival while confronting national security? Are we willing to allow deaths to satisfy other leaders such as Mr. Karzai that do not care about the dignity of his country's role in the International Theater?
I believe some of these issues need to be part of the USA dialogue with its military to bring about a clear resolve and protection for our country as well as our allies. Why should war gobble up massive amounts of monies if we can't have clear outcomes and safe and realistic margins for our soldiers? If Afghanistan is resistant to provide a solid alliance with the USA to defeat corruption, including its poppy culture, why are we there and why are our Commanders being so careful?
It is time to 'get over' the Anti-War and Neocon postures and find resolve to our nation's problems. This may be the beginning of that dialogue.
No one can deny the USA military has been making huge strides in Nuclear Non-Proliferation under this Commander and Chief. It is a posture the people of the USA have longer for and they are achieving front line victories on other sensitive issues such as 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell.' I am confident the Joint Chiefs and the Secretary of DEFENSE receive considerable 'heat' from other officers and soldiers regarding all these changes, but, the changes are coming anyway and I could not be more proud of them.
Secretary Gates has stated on a couple of occasions he has found renewed appreciation of his Cabinet Post and the freedom and focus that has come with it under the Obama presidency. This 'verbiage' by Secretary Gates is not 'mind speak.' For a very long time, the American people have received 'scripted' conduct and language that presented a barrier to a sincere dialogue with their military. It would seem with this new confrontational language of 'depth' of commitment to explanation we could be seeing a new relationship between the USA military and the American people.
It is welcome. Very, very welcome. We want to be active partners with our military. I personally appreciate the respect for hierarchy of the military by President Obama. We hear from more from the Joint Chiefs than Commanders and I believe that is the best venue for a sincere relationship based in honest exchange and forthright facts. The expertise of the Joint Chiefs can have the latitude to bring forth an understanding based on a larger picture rather than focused on a play by play soldier 'screen play' as has been the custom of the past administrations.
The battlefield that our soldiers find themselves on is not a 'Monday Night' arm chair quarter back issue. It is high tech, extremely protective (as much as it can be) of the soldier, is armed with body armor as well as uniforms, BUT, that high tech approach also removes some of the ability to accurately 'diagnosis' the battlefield as it presents itself. A question that has to be answered by the American people is how much do our soldiers mean to us in their survival while confronting national security? Are we willing to allow deaths to satisfy other leaders such as Mr. Karzai that do not care about the dignity of his country's role in the International Theater?
I believe some of these issues need to be part of the USA dialogue with its military to bring about a clear resolve and protection for our country as well as our allies. Why should war gobble up massive amounts of monies if we can't have clear outcomes and safe and realistic margins for our soldiers? If Afghanistan is resistant to provide a solid alliance with the USA to defeat corruption, including its poppy culture, why are we there and why are our Commanders being so careful?
It is time to 'get over' the Anti-War and Neocon postures and find resolve to our nation's problems. This may be the beginning of that dialogue.
ABOARD A MILITARY AIRCRAFT — Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Tuesday criticized the anonymous online posting of a video showing two journalists in Iraq getting gunned down by U.S. troops in 2007 as irresponsible and presenting a "soda straw" view of war.
Gates also defended U.S. rules of engagement in Afghanistan, saying that that the military takes extreme caution in avoiding civilian casualties but some deaths are unavoidable.
"Let's also face the reality that we are in a war and our adversaries ... use civilians. They purposely put civilians in harm's way," Gates said.
Gates spoke to reporters en route to South America, where he planned to meet with leaders from Peru and Colombia — countries whose militaries have been accused of human rights abuses in the past, but whose cooperation on matters like counternarcotics have been crucial to U.S. interests.
