Washington: Admitting that the US is not winning the war in Iraq, US defence secretary nominee Robert Gates on Tuesday said he was open to a change in strategy in the war-ravaged country and warned that unless that nation is stabilized in the next year or two it could lead to a "regional conflagration.''
At his Senate confirmation hearing to replace Donald H Rumsfeld, Gates, 63, when questioned by Democrat Senator Carl Levin said, "I am open to alternative ideas about our future strategies and tactics in Iraq. All options are on the table."
Asked by Levin if he believed that "we are currently winning in Iraq", he said "No, sir."
This was in contrast to Bush's comments in October that Washington was winning and "we will win" in Iraq.
"We need to work together to develop a strategy that does not leave Iraq in chaos and that protects our long-term interests in and hopes for the region," the former CIA director said.
However, he said that the final decision would rest with Bush though he added that, "What we are now doing is not satisfactory."
"Our course over the next year or two will determine whether the American and Iraqi people and the next president of the United States will face a slowly but steadily improving situation in Iraq and in the region or will face the very real risk, and possible reality of a regional conflagration," he said
"It seems to me that the United States is going to have to have some kind of presence in Iraq for a long time, but it could be with a dramatically smaller number of US forces than are there today," Gates said.
The committee chairman Republican senator John Warner opened the hearing with his remarks that the situation in Iraq was drifting "sideways" and told Gates that he had been nominated for "one of the most important positions in the government."
Incoming chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee Levin told Gates that he not only faces tough challenges in Iraq but also on the home front where he would have to set right the effectiveness of the Pentagon that in the past had not welcomed differing views and ideas.
Levin said that Iraq is not the only challenge that the Defence Secretary de signate faced.
"We're going to be faced by a resurgent Taliban in Afghanistan; an unpredictable nuclear power in North Korea; an Iran that seems to be aggressively pursuing nuclear weapons and causing problems throughout the region."
He pointed out that Gates will be taking charge of the Pentagon at a time when its image has been tarnished by the kind of treatment meted out to detainees in Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo.
Earlier, President George W Bush said Gates would do an "excellent job" if approved by the committee. Bush nominated Gates to replace Rumsfeld following the November 7 elections in which Republicans, facing voter discontent over the war in Iraq, lost control of both houses of Congress to the Democrats.
Comments
0 comment