Sir;... If it were me, and if it were possible I would ask Mr. Gates if he would stay on if he thought it best for the country, and ask him to submit his resignation for the good of the administration, and promise not to dishonor him in the use of it, and try to work out a seamless, transition putting democrats in key deputy positions with one expected to move up to command... The defense of the country is nothing anyone wants to be hasty about...And Bush has spent eight years making enemies, so it would be nice for the democrats to have a chance to learn the file system before it is dumped on their laps... Defense is just one more place the party system fails this country...Look at how the outgoing intelligence people tried to warn know it all Bush about the muslims...Instead of castrating him over his failure with 911, the country re-elected him on the basis of ideology... It is all so much nonsense...If they just get us all killed off we could quit worrying about when they will get around to it...Thanks...Sweeney

Good column, but it sounded to me more like why Obama should keep Gates, insteadof why he shouldn't. Who should he replace him with.? I can't think of anyone who can do a better job. Does anyone else have some suggestions?

Rather than be redundant see my comment here:
http://observer.com/2008/politics/not-team-rivals-all#comment-1158799

Once you've reviewed this:
http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Robert_M._Gates/Articles_%26_Commentary#November