Senate Armed Services Committee Approves Gates

, WASHINGTON: The Senate Armed Services Committee unanimously recommended Robert M. Gates to be the next U.S. defense secretary. 
 
Virginia Sen. John Warner, committee chairman, expressed confidence in Gates' ability to do the job. “He's going to be a very strong adviser to the president of the United States and to the Congress, and in his heart (he has) only the best interests of this country and the men and women of the armed forces and their families,” Warner said. 
 
Gates faced five hours of questioning today before the Armed Services Committee. The war in Iraq dominated the questions. 
 
Gates told committee members during his confirmation hearing that if he