Gates and Mullen: Iran And Al Qaeda Biggest Losers in Middle East Fallout

Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Michael Mullen
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Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Defense Secretary Robert Gates are optimistic about results of anti-government movements in the Middle East and called Iran and al Qaeda the “biggest losers” in the ongoing fallout.

“Iran is the real loser here whether they want to admit it or not,” Mullen told reporters during a briefing Tuesday at the Pentagon. “They had no hand in the change … except the one they used to slap back their own people.”

Gates said he was optimistic about U.S. relations in the region after all the dust settles, which he acknowledged could take months or years. Adding to Mullen’s comments about Iran, Gates said al Qaeda is experiencing a major setback in the region as citizens rise up against oppressive regimes and demand more civil rights.

“I would have to say I’m an optimist about these changes,” he said. “These revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt and protests elsewhere that are leading to reforms … I think are an extraordinary setback to al Qaeda.”

Gates said the protest that have led to more rights for average citizens and toppled dictators undermine Iran’s “oppressive” regime and belie al Qaeda’s call for political change through extremist violence.

“In some respects now and in the future, it’s a major setback for Iran,” Gates said. “[What occurred in Tunisia and Egypt] contrasts vividly with the savage repression the Iranian government takes against anybody who dares to protest.”

Both military leaders, however, also warned about Iran’s desire to influence politics in region and said they would continue to closely monitor Iranian activities.

Earlier Tuesday, Gates authorized two U.S. warships to move into the Mediterranean Sea off Libya, an escalation of the pressure on Libyan leader Muammer Qaddafi to step aside. During the briefing, Gates said the ships were there for “evacuation” and “humanitarian purposes.”

The USS Enterprise and the USS Kearsarge, an amphibious ship capable of carrying up to 2,000 Marines, are both in the Red Sea en route to the Suez Canal. Mullen also said the U.S. was sending 400 marines to support the Kearsarge‘s mission.

“We’re looking at a lot of options and contingencies,” Mullen said. “No decisions have been made.”

In recent days, military veterans and analysts have speculated about the prospect of the U.S. and Britain instituting a no-fly zone over Libyan to prevent Qaddafi from bombing his own people and whether the U.S. should support the rebels with shipments of arms. Implementing a no-fly zone would involve bombing ground installations, and Russia has rejected the idea, indicating they would veto such plans at the United Nations.

No-fly zones were successful in protecting citizens in Bosnia and Iraq, but they pose some peril on both pilots in the air and people on the ground when bombing ground installations.

Before Gates’ and Mullen’s remarks, Marine Gen. James Mattis, head of U.S. Central Command, told the Senate Armed Services Committee that efforts to limit Libyan airspace would involve bombing.

“You would have to remove air defense capabilty in order to establish a no-fly zone, so no illusions here. It would be a military operation – it wouldn’t be just telling people not to fly airplanes,” Mattis said.

Echoing the concerns of GOP senators, Gates said he is wary about opening a new military front in the Arab world.

“We have to think about the use of the U.S. military in another country in the Middle East,” he told reporters.

“It would be an extraordinarily complex operation to set up,” Mullen added.

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