Gaara was infused with a Ichibi Bijuu before he was born.
Naruto was supposedly infused with a Kyuubi either before or directly after being born.
Considering the "gateway" to life is still very much the same openness from just being born to having just been recently born, I don't see why Naruto minus his powers (like Kisame and Itachi said when they came to kidnap him all that time ago) would be worthless. I count the same for Gaara.
Not saying Gaara couldn't learn how to be a decent shinobi, but he's always been so lopsidedly based around his Ichibi's gifts
sides:
Kyu = 9
Ichi = 1