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. He treated the office of the presidency with respect. 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. Bush and barack obama during the wars in iraq and afghanistan. Secretary of defense from december 2006 to july 2011. I rarely saw him in the oval office with a coat and tie, and he always conducted himself with dignity. With iraq in a profound downward spiral and many believing that afghanistan could be next, the legacy of robert m. Panetta is urging the president to do more militarily against the islamic state as have a number of moderate democrats in congress. In his eagerly anticipated memoir duty, former defense secretary robert gates pulls no punches about president obama, a threat from david petraeus, and. Memoirs of a secretary at war is a nonfiction book written by robert m. Gates book stirs debate on bidens foreign policy creds.
That evidently is a fertile frame of mind in which to write a book like this one. Exdefense secretary gates takes aim at obama in new book. Gates served as secretary of defense from 2006 to 2011. 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. Politifact checking robert gates criticism of vice. Defense secretary robert gates book duty, memoirs of a secretary.
From the former secretary of defense, a strikingly candid, vivid account of serving presidents george w. In a new memoir, former defense secretary robert gates unleashes harsh judgments about president obamas leadership and his commitment to. It is one of the longest serving continuously operating offices in the office of the secretary of defense and has been recognized for the excellence of its publications and programs for over a half century. We know everyone jokes that marines cant read, but mattis has.
Historical office dod history secretaries of defense. Former secretary of defense robert gates spoke about his memoir, duty. 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. Brian finke from his earliest days as secretary of defense, robert gates kept a little countdown clock in his briefcase. 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. Three months after becoming defense secretary, gates read a frontpage account in the washington post about shoddy conditions for wounded soldiers at the former walter reed army medical center.
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 deal, the north korean provocation, dod acquisition, carriers and ohio class submarines and hillarys server audio. The historical office of the office of the secretary of defense osd dates to 1949. Gates slams biden in memoir, reveals he nearly quit time. After working for six presidents in both the cia and the national security council, he was happily serving as.
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. As i promised, im so pleased to welcome back to the show former secretary of defense. Bombshell book by robert gates slams obama on afghanistan. The former secretary of defense had to wage war in iraq. Transcript of former defense secretary robert gates unedited interview with morning editions steve inskeep on jan. 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. Forthright and unsparing, duty is gatess behindthescenes account of his nearly five years as a secretary of defense at war. Gates, who served as secretary of defense under presidents george w. Former secretary of defense robert gates on his new book. Memoirs of a secretary at war made waves around washington, d. Former defense secretary gates blasts obama in new book.
Gates received a call from the white house, he thought hed long left washington politics behind. 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 would fail. Defense secretary james mattis is a voracious reader. Heres how he draws leadership lessons from books published mon, may 28 2018 11. Former defense secretary robert gates, in a book due out later this month, describes president obama as a man of personal integrity who nonetheless was skeptical of his administrations surge. Leadership lessons from robert gates and jack welch. No doubt, some of the key players during gates tenure as secretary, dec. Former defense secretary robert gates in the study of his home in skagit county, washington, where he wrote duty, his memoir of his time overseeing two wars. Gates, who served so influentially as secretary of defense during the crucial years 20072011, deserves critical examination. In an interview aired sunday on cbs news face the nation, gates. 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 duty, you get a real sense of the. Obama military strategy blasted by robert gates, leon. Defense secretary james mattis extraordinary reading habits. Is former defense secretary robert gates doing his 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. Gates began his career serving as an officer in the united states air force but. James mattis, the marine corps generalturned secretary of defense, is known for many things, including his prolific reading list. Gates starts with the claim that bureaucracies are often inefficient and fail their clients. A direct, clinical examination of the time that robert gates spent as secretary of defense under bush and obama, narrated by gates himself, this book provides the reader with outstanding and. This position corresponds to what is generally known as a defense minister in many. The release of former secretary of defense robert m. Defense secretary robert gates today released a 23point memorandum for reforming defense acquisition processes, aiming for increased efficiency and productivity and proclaiming a new era in defense spending and acquisition strategy. F ormer secretary of defense robert gates has harsh words for vice president joe bidens foreign policy judgement in his soontobereleased memoir according to. When president obama took office in 2009, he somewhat controversially decided that gates would stay as defense secretary, a position to.
I appreciate this opportunity to address this class at national defense university. Former defense secretary robert gates has left the busy world of d. Gates stands by statement that biden has been wrong on. Bob gates provides an excellent look at the politics and personal stresses of being secretary of defense. 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. The secretary of defense secdef is the leader and chief executive officer of the united states department of defense, the executive department of the armed forces of the u. Gates s new memoir is the first describing the obama administrations policy deliberations written from inside the cabinet. Gates received a call from the white house in 2006, he thought hed left washington politics behind. Robert gates was one of the most effective secretaries of defense in recent history. Lessons on change and reform from fifty years of public service, former u.
That said, he also spent considerable time on iran, china, dont askdont tell, budget cuts, white house micromanagement, and congressional parochialism. Robert gates and why defense secretaries are grumpy stacks of former u. Speeches and remarks december 18, 2006 to febru mar 7, 2008. Retired robert gates enjoys skagit county home the. Fighting the wars in iraq and afghanistan were certainly a priority. Secretary of defense robert gates looks back on five decades of leadership experience. During an interview on face the nation, host margaret brennan asked former defense secretary robert gates about a particular quote in his memoir book, in which he spoke positively of joe biden as an individual, however, he then went on to say that when it comes to foreign policy and national security, biden is nearly always wrong. Memoirs of a secretary at war, robert gates says the president was unsure the afghan surge would work and was. The secretary of defense s position of command and authority over the u. The political universe is all a twitter over the former secretary of defense, robert gatess new book, duty. Gates s remarks at the security and defense agenda, brussels, belgium, archive. From the former secretary of defense, a strikingly candid, vividly written account of his experience serving presidents george w. President barack obamas first secretary of defense robert gates has written a bombshell book that says the president doubted.
Bob gates memoir slams joe biden for being wrong on. The mission of the historical office is to collect, preserve, and present the history of the office. Robert gates thinks joe biden hasnt stopped being wrong for 40. Former defense secretary gates blasts obama in new book robert gates new memoir reveals his sharp criticism inside closeddoor meetings. Bush but was retained for service by president barack obama. Ex defense secretary gates takes aim at obama in new book.
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