Comparing News Room Headlines: MSM Ignores Gates call for decision on Afghanistan troop build-up

The White House this week told us that Fox News is not a "news" source. Since some very significant news has broken this morning, concerning the White House Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, I thought I would check out the headlines.

FOXNews is the only source reporting the "news," that Secretary Gates says we cannot wait for a decision from the White House on troop build-ups, until after the Afghan presidency is confirmed - and White House chief of staff Rham Emanuel announced that the White House must, indeed, wait. Oh, by the way, Emanuel's announcement was a total shock to Gates.

Maggie's Notebook posted on the Gates-Emanuel story at 11:a.m. CDT.

Here's a look around:

FOX News 11:50 a.m. CDT:
Gates: Troop Call Can't Wait
No Backing Down on 'PelosiCare'
Obama Aide: 'We Controlled' the Press
65 Pounds of Innocence Just Walking Home from School -- Then---

CNN.com 12:04 p.m. CDT:
Latina teens turn to suicide all too often
Texting reveals final hours of McNair, girlfriend
Afghanistan's Karzai agres to runoff
FAA Investigating balloon boy incident
"Who the hell is Wolf?" balloon boy asks
Behind the scenes in Obama's war council debate (not about Gates' latest comment)

MSNBC 12:08 p.m. CDT: Without warning bank yanks Mastercards
At rescued banks, perks keep rolling Karzai agrees to runoff vote
New vote may buy Obama More time
At rescued banks perks keep rolling
Obama taps Wall St. at big fundraiser

ABC News 12:10 p.m. CDT:
Is more help for home buyers on the way?
Karzai caves: Afghan president accepts that he fell short in disputed election
The price of fame: Are balloon boy's problems just beginning
Student Innocense Project doesn't make the grade

CBS News 12:11 p.m CDT:
Karzai to face November Afthan runoff vote
Explosions rock Pakistan University 47.4M in Poveryt, Revised figures show
Richard Heene "Terrifying, associate says
Iran delays change to prove nuclear good will
Writer of snappy "Addams Family" song dies

New York Times 11:55 a.m. CDT:
U.S. Decision can't wait for Afghan legitimacy: Gates (posted at 12:21 a.m. - now off the fp)
Vatican Sets Plan for Anglican Conversions
Karzai Agrees to Nov. 7 Runoff in Afghanistan
Hopes Fade for Compresensive Climate Treaty
Painful Mideast Truth: Force Trums Diplomacy

Los Angeles Times 12:00 p.m. CDT:
Bombings at Pakistan University
Karzai relents, agrees to runoff in disputed election
Court to say who can release Gitmo
Inmates AIDS vaccine less promising than first hoped.

Chicago Sun Times 12:03 p.m. CDT:
U. of Illinois Chancellor Richard Herman resigns
Mysterious vines grow up Chicago skyscraper

Boston Globe 12:27 p.m.  CDT:
U of Ill. chancellor quits amid admissions scandal
Obama honors Army troop for heroism in Veitman
Obama stands by Iraqui troop pullout
Roberts speaks out on drunk driving case
Debate grows over United States ruling on marijuana
Michelle Obama thanks veterans Affairs employees

Others talking about the FOX NEWS room:
Right Truth - Fox News Ratings Increasing Tremendously

Related:
Obama Afghan peoples will be done: What about Iran? What about Honduras?

Robert Gates Rham Emanuel Afghan elections: U.S. must act - Winter coming:

U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and White House Chief of Staff Rham Emanuel have differing viewpoints on when a decision must be made to "up" troop strength in Afghanistan. Not only do they have differing viewpoints, but Emanuel has declined to include Gates in the conversation. Updates as available. See video below.

Robert Gates

Gates says we cannot wait for the certified results of the Afghan elections to make the decision: "getting something done before winter sets in" is more important to the military than "security." The video below indicates that November 7th, 2009 is set for a new election.

This report says that a "U.N.-backed fraud watchdog invalidated tens of thousands of votes" for current president, Hamid Karzai. International observers are calling for a new election. Lovely. Nothing like having the corrupt U.N. involved in politics.

Secretary Gates and Obama Chief of Staff, Rham Emanuel, have differing views. A Gates spokesman, Geoff Morrell, said the "the issue of the Afghan government's legitimacy went well beyond the question of whoever would be declared winner of the election, or an eventual run-off. Emanuel said yesterday the question is not: "how many troops you send, but do you have a credible Afghan partner."

Rham Emanuel

 From The Weekly Standard, Bill Kristol writing:

I’ve now been told by an authoritative source close to Defense Secretary Robert Gates that he had no advance warning that Emanuel would be saying any such thing.
Update: A former government official e-mails:

Sen. McCain and other supporters of the effort in Afghanistan have feared from the beginning of this process that White House politicos were trying to get the pesky military out of the policy loop.

Now it appears they are bypassing even the SecDef.

Its hard to think of another time when the White House chief of staff and politicos were making policy so independently of the national security team, in this case apparently excluding the SecDef, SecState, and the Chairman of the JCS. (The otherwise weak national security advisor retired General Jim Jones serves only one purpose here: to provide a shield for the politicos to reject military advice.)

Maybe it all turns out well in the end, but it's an interesting indication of how this administration runs foreign policy. Hope Hillary and Gates and the Joint Chiefs enjoy the ride.

In the video below, Hamid Karzai's chief opponent in the Afghan elections, Abdullah Abdullah, says people want "change."




Afghanistan Elections