The Committee to Nuke Elysium

Reflecting the growing impatience in Congress with the war in Afghanistan and the sometimes tepid support from Pakistan, Democratic Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont grilled Gates during a Capitol Hill hearing, demanding: “How long do we support governments that lie to us? When do we say enough is enough?”

Gates responded that based on his 27 years at the CIA and more than four as Pentagon chief, “most governments lie to each other. That’s the way business gets done.”

“Do they also arrest the people that help us, when they say they’re allies?” Leahy pressed.

“Sometimes,” replied Gates, adding, “and sometimes they send people to spy on us, and they’re our close allies. That’s the real world that we deal with. ”