January 17, 2008
WHEN, IN REALITY, THEY'RE ALL WEAK SISTERS:
Allies Irked by Reported Gates Comments (PAUL AMES, 1/16/08, Associated Press)
Some of America's closest NATO allies reacted with surprise and disbelief Wednesday to reported comments from U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates suggesting that their troops fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan are not up to the job.The Dutch Defense Ministry summoned the U.S. ambassador for an explanation of a Los Angeles Times article that said Gates suggested soldiers from Canada, Britain and the Netherlands did not know how to fight a guerrilla insurgency.
In Washington, Gates' spokesman Geoff Morrell said the secretary had ``read the article and is disturbed by what he read.''
Morrell did not challenge the accuracy of the quotes in the story, but said he thought it left the wrong impression - that Gates had singled out a particular country.
Thereby raising the non-denial denial to an art form. Posted by Orrin Judd at January 17, 2008 5:50 AM
Gates "read the article and is disturbed by what he read". He immediately tried to fire that fool Gates. Then he realized that it was time efor lunch.
A gaff is when a politician tells the truth by mistake.
The Dutch in particular couldn't fight an insurgency in a day care. The 4 year olds would drive them out.
Posted by: Bob at January 17, 2008 3:33 PMLast week, the Dutch killed two of their own in a friendly fire incident. I expect the government to fall any day now.
None of the Euros can fight. They can just preen, and they aren't even good at that anymore.
Gates is funny - he must be trying to emulate Rumsfeld.
Posted by: jim hamlen at January 17, 2008 4:56 PM