Gates agrees with Obama on US troops withdraw from Iraq

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Source: CCTV.com | 12-04-2008 13:36

US Defense Secretary Robert Gates says he is not at odds with President-elect Barack Obama's timetable to withdraw US troops from Iraq.

Gates has indicated that military commanders are investigating ways to ensure Obama's orders are carried out.

US Defense Secretary Robert Gates says he is not at odds with President-elect Barack Obama's timetable to withdraw US troops from Iraq. (CCTV.com)

Gates was speaking at Tuesday's Pentagon news conference -- his first public comments since Obama appointed him to stay on as Defense Secretary.

Robert Gates, US Defense Secretary, said, "I think that I would subscribe to what the president-elect said yesterday in Chicago. He repeated his desire to try to get our combat forces out within 16 months, but he also said that he wanted to have a responsible draw-down and he also said that he was prepared to listen to his commanders. So, I think that that's exactly the position a president-elect should be in."

Editor:Zhang Pengfei