Why Gates? Why not Powell?

Question

Do you think Bush talked to Powell about the Secretary of Defense job?

Why Gates? Here is an exerpt from Fox News about Gates. Is this a reason we shouldn't like Gates in the job or the is this the reason Bush picked him or both?

Gates' resume as a government policymaker is not untarnished. Critics dredged up his 1991 confirmation hearings to be CIA director as evidence he is the wrong man for the job. Then, he was criticized for missing clues about the impending fall of the Soviet Union and for politicizing Cold War intelligence. Those two complaints — misreading intelligence and using it selectively — have also dogged the Bush administration in its Iraq policy.

Answer 1

He picked Gates because he was on the panel with James Bakker that has been working on different plans for Iraq.

Answer 2

Don't you get it?>-- Powell wants nothing to do with the Bush Administration after what they made him do in front of the United Nations and the entire world. He stated it was the worst thing he ever did in his life. Do you think Bush would talk to Powell about a job after Powell said that?

Why Gates? Old (and I mean old) Bush family friend...and at least he's not a neocon. Also, he's been working with JIm BAker on his Iraq assessment. Dept of Defense isn't supposed to be an intellegence job, that was one one Rummy's big problems, he tried to take over intellegence from CIA.

Of course there are people with better qualifications -- but that is not the only factor condsidered in these kind of decisions. You want an "untarnished" person in Government. You might as well ask for someone with no experience.

Answer 3

Gates was already working on plans. He was from his father's administration as head of the CIA! Bush's dad wants him to use some of his old people, but Bush has been stubborn until yesterday!

I agree with you about the other issues, and that is not likely to change! That's all we need, someone else to misread the debacle in Iraq! I heard on the news today that we are on the verge of losing that war! Every mistake from now on will be magnified 100 times, not swept under the rug, keeping what is really going on from us! All you need to do is look at the KIA's and the WIA's to know how poorly it is going! There will come a time when the men will start refusing to put their lives on the line! They can see the handwriting on the wall and no one wants to be the last body bag out of Baghdad!

Answer 4

I think Bush is terrified of Powell. I will bet you that Powell will write a book about his 4 years as Sec. of State that guts the Bush administration. After all, it was their intel that put Powell at the UN accusing Iraq of having WMD. I think he's still smarting from that performance and I think he was forced out by the Bush team for not being a 'team player'. He, being a decent man, will not undercut Bush while Bush is still in office. But in 2009, I think the brown stinky stuff is gonna hit the whirling cooling apparatus when a book by Powell is published.

Answer 5

He probably didn't talk to Powell because Powell has become an "unperson" to the Bush administration. After all, he had the nerve, the gall, the audacity to question their reasons for being in Iraq and whether it was a no-win situation. Plus, Gates served in Daddy's administration - what better qualifications could you want?

Answer 6

You ask a very good question. I agree with wild thing, Powell has burnt that bridge. It's to bad, I like Powell and I'm a dem.

Answer 7

Powell retired, Gates is from his father's cabinet. I wont deny that Bush picked him for that reason. Does it make it wrong? Not necessarily. Does it mean he's the best man for the job? Not necessarily.

Answer 8

No I don't think he talked to Powell.Only a Democrat would want Powell.

Answer 9

Again Bush picks on loyalty, not on competence.

Answer 10

Powell would have been a much smarter choice.