Cablegate: Media Reaction - the New Chief of the Pentagon

VZCZCXYZ0003
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHSG #2400 3211711
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 171711Z NOV 06
FM AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 0395

UNCLAS SANTIAGO 002400

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR IIP/G/WHA, INR/R/MR, WHA/BSC, WHA/PDA, INR/IAA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KMDR KPAO OPRC CI
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION - THE NEW CHIEF OF THE PENTAGON

On November 17, government-owned, editorially independent "La
Nacion" (circ. 4,200) carried a column by defense journalist Raul
Sohr, entitled, "The New Chief of the Pentagon."

"Will U.S. defense policy change much under (Robert) Gates....? The
new Defense Secretary served 26 years in the U.S. espionage
agency...and has been accused of being closed-minded and ignoring
the professional reports of his staff...and of forming a team that
did not anticipate the fall of the USSR.... In the propaganda
realm...Gates launched a press campaign holding the Soviet Union
responsible for the attack against Pope John Paul II. The CIA knew
this was untrue, yet went ahead to harm Moscow. In the
mid-80's...Gates...advised the USG on what it should do in
Nicaragua: 'Everything short of an invasion'.... Among his methods
was the mining of Nicaraguan ports.... Gates said there was 'no
hope' that the Sandinista government would become more pluralist....
History proved him wrong.... Gates, as Rumsfeld,...is accustomed
to using force and dirty tricks to help his country...and to
creating new realities to sustain the views Washington wants to
impose.... If his past experience is any sign of what his future
conduct will be, we must not expect major changes." KELLY

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