From the transcript of the Gates Nomination Hearing:
SEN. JAMES INHOFE (R-OK): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. There’s been a lot of talk about the failures and the bad things that are going on. But I had occasion, Dr. Gates, to be in the AOR over there 12 different times, and every time I go over, I see some of the successes. I see that there -- while there were terrorist training camps in Iraq, they’re not there anymore. The mass graves -- and I’ve looked down in those -- that’s not taking place anymore. The Iraq security forces and their embedded training has worked. And I appreciate Senator Dole, in his introduction of you, talking about the fact that it’s an overthrow of Saddam Hussein.
I mean, here’s somebody who was -- had to be overthrown. He said things are better now than they were four years ago. And I -- you were asked the question, "Are we winning in Iraq?" General Pace was asked that question yesterday. He said, no, we’re not winning, but we’re not losing. Do you agree with General Pace?
MR. GATES: Yes, sir, at this point.
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GATES: Yes, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, before I answer that question, with your indulgence could I amplify on one of my answers this morning?
WARNER: Yes.
GATES: And only because I'm concerned that the troops in the field might have misunderstood something I said. While I was having lunch and eating my sandwich, I was watching the news, and I certainly stand by my statement this morning that I agreed with General Pace that we are not winning, but we are not losing. But I want to make clear that that pertains to the situation in Iraq as a whole. Our military forces win the battles that they fight. Our soldiers have done an incredible job in Iraq, and I'm not aware of a single battle that they have lost. And I didn't want my comments to be interpreted as suggesting that they weren't being successful in their endeavors. And I think we all applaud and appreciate what they're doing. The situation in Iraq is clearly much more complex than just the military actions, and it's -- the areas where we're having our challenges, frankly, are principally in the areas of stabilization and political developments, and so on. And I just wanted to make that clarification, Senator.
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