Pentagon: Gates, Joint Chiefs Support for Obama’s Missile Defense Program Is Real

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee told our own Dave Weigel that “those in the Pentagon who do answer to the commander in chief and have to answer for his policy decisions” aren’t “at a point of liberty where they can speak their minds” on the overhauled missile defense system. That sounded a lot like Huckabee was saying Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, Marine Gen. James Cartwright, Adm. Michael Mullen and the entire joint chiefs of staff weren’t being candid about their views on missile defense, and if they were, they wouldn’t support it. Gates, with Cartwright next to him, yesterday said that the missile-defense overhaul came “on the recommendation and advice of his national security team and our senior military leadership.”

So what did the Pentagon think of Huckabee’s implicit suggestion that the leadership was misleading the public? “That is not the inference I would draw from Mr. Huckabee’s comments,” said Geoff Morrell, the Pentagon press secretary, “but if that is what he was trying to imply I would say that Secretary Gates’ support is completely genuine … as is that of Joint Chiefs.”