Robert M. Gates

Sen. Biden to Secretary Gates: “While you have said the MRAP is your top priority, in a time of war, it must be more. It must be a national priority.”

September 5, 2007 -- Washington, DC – In a letter to Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Joseph R. Biden, Jr.    » read more »

Affirm Their Commitment to an All-volunteer Force; Comes in Light of White House Official Declaring that the Draft is "an option on the table"

August 11, 2007 -- Washington, DC - Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton today called on President George Bush and Defense Secretary Robert Gates to clarify the Administration's position on re-instituting the military draft, in light of White House Deputy National Security Adviser Lt. Gen. Douglas Lute saying yesterday that the draft "has always been an option on the table" - which contradicts previously stated Administration policy.    » read more »

U.S. arms may inadvertently be fueling all sides of Iraq's civil war

August 7, 2007 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) today sent the following letter to Secretary of Defense Roberts Gates, requesting recommendations for reforming the process of equipping Iraqi Security Forces. According to a recent report by the Government Accountability Office, the U.S. military cannot account for almost thirty percent of the weapons transferred to Iraqi forces in 2007. As a result, the U.S. may be inadvertently providing arms to all sides of Iraq's civil war.    » read more »

Jeddah, 31 July 2007 (By David Gollust) -- Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Defense Secretary Robert Gates discussed Iraq and other Middle East issues late Tuesday with Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah and other top Saudi officials in Jeddah. Gates says the Bush administration will take regional stability into account in any decision it makes on the future of the U.S. troop presence in Iraq. VOA's David Gollust reports from Jeddah.    » read more »

Jerusalem, 29 July 2007 (By Jim Teeple) -- Israel's Prime Minister on Sunday said he has no objections to a proposed massive U.S. arms sale to Saudi Arabia and other Gulf States. VOA's Jim Teeple reports from Jerusalem.

Israel has long expressed wariness over U.S. arms sales to Saudi Arabia and other Arab states, but Prime Minister Ehud Olmert says the proposal by the U.S. to sell $20 billion worth of advanced weaponry to Saudi Arabia and other Arab Gulf states is understandable.    » read more »

30 July 2007 (By VOA News) -- U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has announced a proposed $13 billion military aid deal with Egypt and a $30 billion military package for Israel.

Rice made the announcement in Washington before leaving Monday with Defense Secretary Robert Gates on a trip to the Middle East to seek support for stabilizing Iraq.

Rice said the military assistance deals with Egypt and Israel will be for a 10-year period. She also said the U.S. is forging new assistance agreements with Saudi Arabia and other Gulf Arab states.    » read more »

WASHINGTON, July 18, 2007 – Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates yesterday asked Congress for approval to transfer nearly $1.2 billion to the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle program to get an estimated 3,500 of the vehicles to Iraq by the year’s end, defense officials announced today.

The funds, to be added to almost $4 billion already programmed for MRAPs this year, will speed up the timetable for getting deployed troops the best armored vehicles possible, said John Young, director of defense research and engineering and chairman of the Defense Department’s MRAP task force.    » read more »

July 13, 2007 -- Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates announced today that the President has nominated Army Maj. Gen. Thomas G. Miller for appointment to the grade of lieutenant general and assignment as the commanding general, First U.S. Army, Fort Gillem, Ga.

Miller is currently serving as the deputy chief of staff, G-3/5/7, U.S. Army Forces Command, Fort McPherson, Ga.

Source: DoD

July 11, 2007 -- Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates announced today that the President has nominated Navy Rear Adm. David Architzel for appointment to the grade of vice admiral and assignment as principal deputy assistant secretary of the Navy (research, development and acquisition), Pentagon, Washington, DC.

Architzel is currently serving as program executive officer for aircraft carriers, Pentagon, Washington, DC.

Source: DoD

July 10, 2007 -- Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates announced today that the President has nominated Gen. William E. Ward for re-appointment to the rank of general with assignment as commander, U.S. Africa Command, Stuttgart, Germany. Gen. Ward is currently serving as the deputy commander, U.S. European Command, Germany.    » read more »

July 08, 2007 -- Secretary Gates is rescheduling his trip to El Salvador, Colombia, Peru and Chile.

Events this week require the Secretary’s participation in policy meetings on Iraq in advance of the July 15th benchmark report.

Secretary Gates will attend the SOCOM Change of Command and will travel to Central and South America at a later date.

Source: DoD

WASHINGTON, June 29, 2007 – Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said today he refuses to accept that improvised explosive devices are an uncontrollable challenge, and he urged private industry members today to produce Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles, known as MRAPs, quickly and in greater numbers to counter this threat.

“We absolutely are not accepting (IED attacks) as a challenge that can’t be defeated,” Gates said during a Pentagon news conference with Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joints Chiefs of Staff, at his side.    » read more »

June 29, 2007 -- Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates announced today that the President has made the following nominations:

Air Force Brig. Gen. Robert R. Allardice has been nominated to the grade of major general while serving as the commander, Coalition Air Force Transition Team, Multi-National Security Transition Command –Iraq, U.S. Central Command, Baghdad, Iraq.    » read more »

29 June 2007 -- The commander of U.S. troops in Baghdad says al-Qaida cells are being cornered into fighting rather than fleeing the new offensive by his forces and the Iraqi army. Major General Joseph Fil says the result is continuing high U.S. casualties, but also progress toward taking control of previously hostile neighborhoods.

Speaking via satellite from Baghdad, General Fil pointed to an insurgent attack on Thursday that involved a large bomb, rocket-propelled grenades and small arms fire, resulting in the deaths of five American soldiers and the wounding of six more.    » read more »

June 27, 2007 -- Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates announced today that the President has nominated Air Force Lt. Gen. Frank G. Klotz for reappointment to the grade of lieutenant general with assignment as assistant vice chief of staff and director, Air Staff, U.S. Air Force, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.

Klotz is currently serving as vice commander, Air Force Space Command, Peterson Air Force Base, Colo.

Source: DoD