Clinton v. Pentagon

The Secretary of Defense, while not throwing neocon sleeper agent Eric Edelman under the bus, has apologized to Sen. Hillary Clinton for Edelman's suggestion that she was aiding the enemy by exercising oversight of the Pentagon.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates wrote to Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton that a top Pentagon official did not intend to impugn her patriotism by suggesting that her questions about U.S. planning in Iraq boosts enemy propaganda.

At the same time, Gates defended his aide and the author of the letter, Undersecretary for Policy Eric Edelman, calling him "a valued member" who provides "wise counsel and years of experience (that) are critically important to the many pressing policy issues facing the military."

The letter also contains the most explicit admission to date that the Pentagon is in fact planning for the eventual withdrawal of U.S. forces, with Gates telling Clinton: "You may rest assured that such planning is indeed taking place with my active involvement."

Edelman is Cheney's boy, so there is no chance that Gates could get away with rebuking him explicitly in public. But the secretary is clearly put out with Edelman's taking it upon himself to impugn the patriotism of a United States senator and candidate for president. Still, he could have left it unsaid, and simply handled the matter internally. He deserves credit for his on-the-record affirmation of the importance of congressional oversight of the Executive branch.