Governing From the Center: Because It Works

TW: As we have discussed on the blog, Obama is appointing centrists in order to execute his vision, a vision which will be the most progressive in decades. The Economist piece reviewing a Robert Gates article in Foreign Affairs demonstrates the concept- Gates can articulate progressive policies without incurring the knee jerk vitriol of the right. Again the Kossack hordes should be patient and the right-wing nuts nervous but most of all everyone else encouraged.

From the Economist:
"ROBERT GATES, writing in Foreign Affairs, says
'Direct military force will continue to play a role in the long-term effort against terrorists and other extremists. But over the long term, the United States cannot kill or capture its way to victory. Where possible, what the military calls kinetic operations should be subordinated to measures aimed at promoting better governance, economic programs that spur development, and efforts to address the grievances among the discontented, from whom the terrorists recruit. It will take the patient accumulation of quiet successes over a long time to discredit and defeat extremist movements and their ideologies'

Could a Democrat have written that—especially the line about addressing grievances—without being criticised as weak on terror? Probably not. Also note how Mr Gates takes direct aim at his predecessor's early tactics.

'We should look askance at idealistic, triumphalist, or ethnocentric notions of future conflict that aspire to transcend the immutable principles and ugly realities of war, that imagine it is possible to cow, shock, or awe an enemy into submission, instead of tracking enemies down hilltop by hilltop, house by house, block by bloody block.' "
http://www.economist.com/blogs/democracyinamerica/2008/12/why_obama_kept_gates.cfm