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Gates appears headed for confirmation 
Senate floor debate on Defense nomination begins today

With a frankness that won praise from Democrats and Republicans alike, Robert Gates, the former CIA director, maneuvered through five hours of nonconfrontational Senate questioning and appeared headed for certain confirmation to replace Donald H. Rumsfeld as secretary of defense.

He raised some eyebrows by stating bluntly that the United States is not winning in Iraq, contradicting President Bush, who said at an Oct. 25 news conference, "Absolutely, we're winning." But Gates later stressed that the U.S. also is not losing, and that the setbacks have been more political than military.

After the Senate Armed Services Committee voted 24-0 on Tuesday to recommend Gates be confirmed, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., announced that floor debate on the nomination would begin Wednesday.

Frist congratulated Gates on his "exemplary performance", and other lawmakers offered strong praise.

"I supported his nomination today to be secretary of defense because he assured the committee in today's hearings that he would be an independent thinker and give candid and frank advice to the president about a way forward in Iraq," said Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., who voted against Gates in 1991 when he became CIA chief.

Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said he voted for Gates because he is convinced he will help correct the problems in Iraq.

"I am confident that Dr. Gates fully understands the need for victory in Iraq," Cornyn said after the committee's vote. "Failure in Iraq would lead to increased terrorist activity by al-Qaida and regional instability as Iran tries to extend its sphere of influence."

Gates, 63, told the committee he is confident President Bush will listen to his ideas about forging a new war strategy. He also pledged to give "most serious consideration" to the view of senior military officers, a comment that appeared directed at those among Rumsfeld's critics who accused him of bullying the generals and denigrating or ignoring their advice. That is a charge that Rumsfeld strongly denies.

Gates promised to begin his tenure with an open mind.

"In my view, all options are on the table, in terms of how we address this problem in Iraq," he said, without committing to any specific new course of action. He said he would consult first with commanders and others.

Asked point-blank by Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., whether the U.S. is winning in Iraq, Gates replied, "No, sir." He later said he believes the United States is neither winning nor losing, "at this point."

At the outset of an afternoon session of questions about Iraq and other subjects, Gates began by telling the committee he wanted to amplify on his remark about not winning in Iraq. He did not withdraw the remark but said, "I want to make clear that that pertains to the situation in Iraq as a whole."

He said he did not want U.S. troops to think he believes they are being unsuccessful in their assigned missions.

"Our military wins the battles that we fight," Gates said. "Where we're having our challenges, frankly, are in the areas of stabilization and political developments and so on." He said other federal agencies should do more in Iraq.

Gates, attired in a Navy blue pinstripe suit with replicas of the American flag on his cuff links, fielded questions with apparent ease. He acknowledged at times that he simply did not know the answer or needed more time for study. He was armed with details, such as the exact U.S. death count in Iraq (2,889 as of Monday, he said), and the number of extra troops NATO has been asked to provide in Afghanistan (2,500, he said).

There was little of the confrontational tone that sometimes emerged when the pricklier Rumsfeld testified before the same committee. Bush said Nov. 8 that he was replacing Rumsfeld to get a "fresh perspective" on the Iraq problem.

On other high-priority subjects, Gates said he worried about the prospect of growing Iranian influence in Iraq; he would be open to the idea of direct talks with Iran and Syria about stabilizing Iraq; he was uncertain whether the Army and Marine Corps needed to expand, as many in Congress advocate, and he was "sympathetic to the notion" of adding more U.S. or allied troops in Afghanistan.

Iraq dominated the hearing, which began with Gates saying, "I am under no illusion why I am sitting before you today - the war in Iraq." Without mentioning Rumsfeld by name, Gates made clear that he hopes to find a way forward that is more effective in Iraq than the current Pentagon approach.

He also acknowledged the complexity of the challenge.

"There are no new ideas on Iraq," he said during a discussion of the bipartisan Iraq Study Group, which previewed its findings to Bush Tuesday on how to conclude the war and end the bloodshed. Gates was a member of the group until Bush announced his nomination for the Pentagon job Nov. 8.

The Iraq Study Group was releasing its findings Wednesday.