Exdefense secretary gates takes aim at obama in new book. In his new book, which has nearly 600 pages of text, gates takes the reader inside the warroom deliberations of presidents george w. Secretary of defense robert gates talks about iraq, afghanistan and his job. President barack obamas first secretary of defense robert gates has written a bombshell book that says the president doubted his own mission in afghanistan and was skeptical if not outright convinced it. Robert gates, former defense secretary, offers harsh critique of. As larry korb, a former assistant secretary of defense in the reagan. Jan 07, 2014 i think he has been wrong on nearly every major foreign policy and national security issue over the past four decades, former defense secretary robert gates says of vice president joe biden in. Former defense secretary gates blasts obama in new book us news. Memoirs of a secretary at war, robert gates says the president was unsure the afghan surge would work and was. A new memoir from former defense secretary robert gates hit the book shelves this month, drawing both praise and criticism for its candid insights into the two most recent presidents gates worked. Robert gates thinks joe biden hasnt stopped being wrong.
Former secretary of defense robert gates on his new book. Three months after becoming defense secretary, gates read a frontpage account in the. Lessons on change and reform from fifty years of public service at the national archives on thursday, january 26, at 7 p. Forget rumsfelds rules, this sec def had his own way to roll it struck me when reading the memoirs of robert gates that he effectively lists a bunch of rules. Former defense secretary robert gates clarified claims he supposedly made about.
The quiet fury of robert gates bush and obamas secretary of defense had to wage war in iraq, afghanistanand todays washington. Former defense secretary robert gates is calling out joe bidens national security and foreign policy credibilility and says age would be problematic for both biden and rival sen. Congress is best viewed from a distancethe farther the betterbecause up close, it is truly ugly. Gates, durham, north carolina, wednesday, september 29, 2010 thank you president brodhead for that very generous introduction and. Robert gates, former sec of defense, new book trashes obama. Former defense secretary robert gates slams obamas. As a child, he was involved in the boy scouts of america, eventually attaining the rank of eagle scout. Robert gates new book is starting to leak out, and it may give president obama and his aides some heartburn. By the end of 2006, when gates became defense secretary, improvised explosive devices.
The reinvention of robert gates by michael crowley, the new republic, november 9, 2009. He previously served as the 23rd secretary of the army. Bret baier of fox news described the book as a, scathing criticism of president obama, questioning the presidents leadership and commitment to the afghanistan and iraq wars evidently, there are several revelations in the gates book. Robert michael gates born september 25, 1943 is an american statesman, scholar, intelligence analyst, and university president who served as the 22nd united states secretary of defense from 2006 to 2011. Former defence secretary robert gates defends book as an. Gates stands by statement that biden has been wrong on nearly. F ormer defense secretary robert gates did vice president joe biden and his presidential ambitions no favors in offering a summary of the politicians foreign policy instincts. I spent hours two and three of thursdays show with former secretary of defense robert gates talking about his new memoir duty.
But during his 4 12 years as defense secretary, he built a reputation for. The secretary of defenses position of command and authority over the u. Politifact checking robert gates criticism of vice. Bombshell book by robert gates slams obama on afghanistan. This position corresponds to what is generally known as a defense minister in many other countries. Former secretary of defense robert gates to speak at the national archives on january 26 press release tuesday, january 24, 2017 washington, dc. Memoirs of a secretary at war, is the most peculiar book of its kind that ive read in a long time, maybe ever. The white house scrambled late tuesday and early wednesday to respond to a political fragging from former defense secretary robert gates gates s new book accuses vice president joe biden of. Talking duty with former secretary of defense robert gates. Defense secretary james mattis extraordinary reading habits.
Bob gates memoir slams joe biden for being wrong on. He also served as an officer in the united states air force and worked for the central. I think he has been wrong on nearly every major foreign policy and national security issue over the past four decades, former defense secretary robert gates says of vice president joe biden in. Interview with charlie rose robert gates, former secretary of defense discusses his book duty. Im going to come back to acquisition in a second, secretary gates, but you brought up north korea.
Robert gates thinks joe biden hasnt stopped being wrong for. Im talking with former secretary of defense, robert gates, whose brand new book, a pasion for leadership, is out, and hes on a book tour, and im very grateful for the time hes given us today to talk about this. A new memoir by former defense secretary bob gates is expected to be a juicy and critical inside look at the ups and downs of foreign policy in the obama administration. Hes previously served as an officer in the united states air force, director of the central intelligence agency. I saw most of congress as uncivil, incompetent at fulfilling their basic constitutional responsibilities such as timely appropriations, micromanagerial, parochial, hypocritical, egotistical, thinskinned and prone to put self and reelection before country. May 06, 2009 this morning i interviewed secretary of defense robert gates in his car and got some good material, a bit more personal. Jan 12, 2014 the former defence secretary robert gates has said he does not regret anything that he wrote in his controversial new book and called the memoir an honest account in duty. Former us defense secretary robert gates has revealed in his new book, duty. Bret baier of fox news described the book as a, scathing criticism of president obama, questioning the presidents leadership and commitment to the afghanistan and iraq wars. The secretary of defense is the leader and chief executive officer of the united states department of defense, the executive department of the armed forces of the u. The airborne lasera 747 retrofitted with an energy weaponin particular was a boondoggle and was cancelled by robert gates during his term as secretary of defense. Exdefense secretary gates takes aim at obama in new book npr. After mcchrystals botched interview, defense department workers now need pentagon clearance before talking to the media.
Bob gates memoir slams joe biden for being wrong on foreign. Robert gates, who served as defense secretary for the obama administration, paused for a moment and said i dont know in an interview sunday when. In a new memoir, former defense secretary robert gates unleashes harsh judgments about president obamas leadership and his commitment to the afghanistan war, writing that by early 2010 he had. Bob gates provides an excellent look at the politics and personal stresses of being secretary of defense. Secretary of defense from december 2006 to july 2011. Bush but was retained for service by president barack obama. The most powerful counterpunch in the white houses official response to the gates book was reserved for a spirited defense of the vice president.
Senate select committee on intelligence october 24, 1991. Esper became secretary of defense on july 23, 2019. Robert gates, who served as defense secretary for the obama administration, paused for a moment and said i dont know in an interview. Gatess new memoir is the first describing the obama administrations policy deliberations written from inside the cabinet. We know everyone jokes that marines cant read, but mattis has. Memoirs of a secretary at war, that over 20 years ago when he first met prime minister binyamin netanyahu he formed a. Gates discusses his latest book a passion for leadership. My memoir has been hijacked by politics today show. Bush and barack obama and delivers unsentimental assessments. Gates was not a kissass but one of the shrewdest public servants of his generationwhich helps to explain why his many failures and missed calls have been all but airbrushed out of accounts of his career. Gates stands by statement that biden has been wrong on. Jan 07, 2014 former defense secretary gates blasts obama in new book robert gates new memoir reveals his sharp criticism inside closeddoor meetings. Memoirs of a secretary at war, robert gates says the president was.
Gates was the 22nd united states secretary of defense. Former defense secretary gates blasts obama in new book. From the former secretary of defense, a strikingly candid, vividly written ac. Former secretary of defense robert gates on his new book a. Gates himself says that he makes no pretense that the book is a. Robert gates notes that joe biden is always wrong about.
He was an officer in the united states air force and worked for more about robert m. Bush and barack obama during the wars in iraq and afghanistan. The secretary of defense is appointed by the president with the advice and consent of the senate, and is by. Gates is the author of duty, and a passion for leadership. Now secretary gates speaks for himself in his first television interview about his book. He pretty much trashed biden, and that serves a purpose that i think will become clear later. Mar 28, 2017 if you look at bob gates book i was the executive secretary for two secretaries at defense, i worked closely with three others and when you read gates book duty, you get a real sense. Jan 08, 2014 of course, gates and obama never had any conversation about what obama believes about the strategy in afghanistan, so gates is just mindreading. Franklin roosevelt described moleys book as kiss ass and tell. The political universe is all a twitter over the former secretary of defense, robert gatess new book, duty.
Gates is the ultimate washington insiderhis little recollections arent random musings. Gates book stirs debate on bidens foreign policy creds. Fighting the wars in iraq and afghanistan were certainly a priority. The president wishes secretary gates well as he recovers from his recent injury, and discusses his book. Defense secretary mattis discusses his favorite books, and why general james mattis has accumulated perhaps one of the largest personal libraries of.
Gates gives us a forthright, impassioned, sometimes conflicted account of his four and a half years as defense secretary in his fascinating new memoir duty, a book that is highly. Robert gates, who served as defense secretary for the obama administration, paused for a moment and said i dont know in an interview sunday when asked if he thinks former vp joe biden would be. That evidently is a fertile frame of mind in which to write a book like this one. I write in the book that the only bureaucracy that is more intractable than the department of defense is veterans affairs, gates answered, endorsing the work of current secretary eric shinseki.
May, 2019 robert gates, who served as defense secretary for the obama administration, paused for a moment and said i dont know in an interview sunday when asked if he thinks former vp joe biden would be. Former defense secretary robert gates levied a number of criticisms against his former obama administration colleague, joe biden, in an interview that aired sunday, even saying he didnt know if. May 12, 2019 former defense secretary robert gates is calling out joe bidens national security and foreign policy credibilility and says age would be problematic for both biden and rival sen. Ex defense secretary gates takes aim at obama in new book. Former defense secretary robert gates has left the busy world of d. Former defense secretary bob gates slams vice president joe. The defense department is working closely with the department of health and human services and state department to provide support in dealing with the coronavirus outbreak. Jan 07, 2014 former secretary of defense robert gates has harsh words for vice president joe bidens foreign policy judgement in his soontobereleased memoir. The washington posts bob woodward reports gates upcoming book, duty. Jan 14, 2014 gates was unfamiliar with the trucks, whose raised vshaped hull protected troops from bombs buried in roads. Brian finke from his earliest days as secretary of defense, robert gates kept a little countdown clock in his briefcase.
Is former defense secretary robert gates doing his duty. Former defense secretary robert gates, in his upcoming memoir, has harsh words for president obamas leadership style and commitment to the afghanistan war accusing the president of losing. He continued to serve as secretary of defense in president barack obamas administration. Transcript of former defense secretary robert gates unedited interview with morning editions steve inskeep on jan. Bush and as secretary of defense 200611 in the administrations of presidents george w. He also served as an officer in the united states air force and worked for the central intelligence agency before being appointed director of the agency by president george h. The latest version, signed by former secretary of defense robert gates in december 2010, is the first major rewrite since 1987. Gates has a long and distinguished career in national security affairs. Gates served as secretary of defense from 2006 to 2011.
Former defense secretary robert gates stands by a claim he made in his memoir that vice president joe biden has been wrong on every foreign policy issue for. Jim inhofe, senior member of senate armed services committee sasc, today participated in a sasc full committee hearing on the future of defense reform with former defense sec. Robert michael gates was born in wichita, kansas on september 25, 1943. Washington has been abuzz this past week over the new memoir by former secretary of defense robert gates. Memoirs of a secretary at war is a nonfiction book written by robert m. The former defense secretary says that obama eventually lost faith in the troop.
Defense secretary mattis credits reading habit for. Retired robert gates enjoys skagit county home the. A 2014 new york times notable book probably one of the best washington memoirs ever. Former defense secretary robert gates interview with npr full transcript of unedited interview with morning editions steve inskeep. Obama and bushs former defense secretary says he doesnt. Former secretary of defense robert gates joins me in hour three today to discuss his new book a passion for leadership, as well as the iran. Former secretary of defense robert gates forcefully defended the obama administration on sunday against charges that it did not do enough to. Pleased to welcome now secretary robert gates, former secretary of defense, and of course, from 2006 to 2011.
The political universe is all a twitter over the former secretary of defense, robert gates s new book, duty. And so the secretary of defense, of all people, was a strong advocate of even more draconian. I was executive secretary for two secretaries of defense, i worked closely with three others and when you read former defense secretary robert gates book. Former secretary of defense robert gates has harsh words for vice president joe bidens foreign policy judgement in his soontobereleased memoir. In an interview aired sunday on cbs news face the nation, gates. Historians and policy wonks will bask in the revelations gates provides on major decisions from late 2006 to 2011, the span of his time at the pentagongates is doing far more than just scoring points in this revealing volume. Former secretary of defense robert gates to speak at the.
Secretary of defense robert gates speaks with face the nation host bob schieffer about his surprise that possible presidential candidate jeb bush didnt have a set answer for the. Gates began his career serving as an officer in the united states air force but. As david halberstam describes in his book, the coldest winter, secretary of defense louis johnson, who replaced james forrestal and was nearly as unstable emotionally, wanted to run for president in 1952 on a platform of holding down defense spending. Leadership lessons from robert gates and jack welch. He talked about washington and how he feels about his job. Memoirs of a secretary at war, includes passages that criticize obama. He was a member of the national security council staff in four administrations. Robert michael gates born september 25, 1943 is an american statesman, scholar. That said, he also spent considerable time on iran, china, dont askdont tell, budget cuts, white house micromanagement, and congressional parochialism. He served as secretary of defense under presidents george w.