More of the same

Much of the 'progressive' blogosphere is digging in their fingernails to whatever good news can be attributed to Obama's national security team, others are just keeping their mouths closed.

The dream that Gates is going to shift the emphasis from military action to 'nation building' is built on ignoring the long record of the past four years. In Iraq, there has been no emphasis on nation building, the emphasis has been on reducing American casualties by bombing everything that moves. That strategy has been rather successful towards its unstated aim. In Afghanistan, the same strategy has been tried, with less success.

Both countries are hell-holes of misery, the fact that the press ignores the misery, disease, starvation, refugees, as well as the constant air strikes does not lessen them.

Let's face facts, people, keeping Gates on means a continuation of current policies in Iraq and Afghanistan.