Quiet Gates has big role in Bush's Iraq decision
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As befits an ex-spymaster, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates has given away little about his views on Iraq strategy, while being praised for openness.
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The Bush Administration faces a political decision over whether to renew the contract of the security firm protecting U.S. officials in Iraq
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A Senate committee unanimously approved President George W. Bush's choice for defense secretary on Tuesday after he told the panel the United States was not winning in Iraq and needed a new approach to end the carnage and avert a possible region-wide war.
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However, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates emphasized in two television interviews today that American troops would play an increasingly limited role in Iraq.
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A Senate committee unanimously  approved President George W. Bush's choice for defense  secretary on Tuesday after he told the panel the United States  was not winning in Iraq and needed a new approach to end the  carnage and avert a possible region-wide war.
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The White House is keenly watching the Iraqi election because it could affect U.S. military action there and sap President Bush's political strength here and abroad if the balloting doesn't lead to stability.
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US President George W Bush says he will not be rushed into deciding how to change his Iraq policy.
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Robert M. Gates said the recommendations to be made public this morning by the Iraq Study Group would be important but not Âthe last word.Â
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Bush finds a way to win, or at least a way not to lose, a crucial showdown on Iraq.
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A year after he ordered a large increase in American troops in Iraq, President Bush said that he was prepared to slow or even halt further reductions of forces there.
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The U.S. Senate on Wednesday  overwhelmingly confirmed Robert Gates as the next defense  secretary, replacing Donald Rumsfeld, an architect of the  increasingly unpopular Iraq war.
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Defense Secretary Robert Gates made a surprise visit Friday to Iraq and expressed support for the top U.S. commander here, saying the military wasn't trying to paint an overly optimistic picture of how the war is going.
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Robert Gates, the incoming U.S. secretary of defense, won plaudits in Washington this week for his candor on the Iraq war.
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WASHINGTON - While scrutiny last week focused on the debate over troop strength, President Bush also seized the chance to turn up the pressure on Iran, using his speech on Thursday to stress the need to contain Iran as a major reason for the continued US presence in Iraq.
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Robert Gates, seemingly clinching confirmation as the new secretary of defense, said Tuesday the United States is not winning in Iraq and he's confident President Bush will listen to his ideas about forging a new war strategy.
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Robert Gates, nominated to replace Donald Rumsfeld as U.S. defense secretary, on Tuesday said he did not believe America was winning the war in Iraq and that he would consider all options for changing course.
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One day after President Bush announced a limited drawdown of U.S. troops from Iraq by next summer, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said yesterday that it might be possible to reduce U.S. forces there further over the course of next year, down to approximately 100,000 troops by the end of 2008.