Wikipedia on Robert Gates. Lies about Iran Contra--when did he know?

[Democrats_win]

Gates lied about when he know about the diversion of funds in the Iran Contra affair. He also gave Iraq intelligence during the Iran/Iraq war. In this, he is like Rummy and his famous Saddam handshake. We lost Bush's Iraq occupation because of Bushco's bad character so why replace bad characters with more bad characters?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Gates
--snip
Gates consistently testified that he first heard on October 1, 1986, from Charles E. Allen, the national intelligence officer who was closest to the Iran initiative, that proceeds from the Iran arms sales may have been diverted to support the Contras. Other evidence proves, however, that Gates received a report on the diversion during the summer of 1986 from DDI Richard Kerr. The issue was whether Independent Counsel could prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Gates was deliberately not telling the truth when he later claimed not to have remembered any reference to the diversion before meeting with Allen in October....

This investigation was substantially completed by September 3, 1991, at which time Independent Counsel determined that Gates' Iran-Contra activities and testimony did not warrant prosecution....

Also:
He was nominated to become the Director of Central Intelligence in early 1987, but withdrew the nomination after it became clear the Senate would reject it due to controversy about his role in the Iran-Contra affair. Senate members later questioned the nomination for the additional reason that Gates allegedly passed intelligence to Iraq during the Iran-Iraq war.

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[Jacobin]

1. He's not a neocon

Its okay.

BAker and Poppy are trying to find a way out of Iraq.

The neocons are dead, gone, toast, history. Its all about finding away to get our collective arms out of the hamburger grinder.

[ConsAreLiars]

2. No. Quite the contrary.

Monster Poppy and Monster Baker are trying to find another way to conquer Iraq. The neocons they put in power and assigned that objective have failed. Now Monster Poppy and that whole gang of killers and fascists are trying another team, this one to be headed by proven liar and loyal sycophant Gates.

No change at all in goals or strategy, just the firing and replacement of a proven incompetent.