From the former secretary of defense, a strikingly candid, vivid account of serving presidents george w. That said, he also spent considerable time on iran, china, dont askdont tell, budget cuts, white house micromanagement, and congressional parochialism. Former defense secretary robert gates has left the busy world of d. The political universe is all a twitter over the former secretary of defense, robert gatess new book, duty. 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.
Historical office dod history secretaries of defense. Bush but was retained for service by president barack obama. The mission of the historical office is to collect, preserve, and present the history of the office. Lessons on change and reform from fifty years of public service, former u.
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. Fighting the wars in iraq and afghanistan were certainly a priority. No doubt, some of the key players during gates tenure as secretary, dec. Robert gates thinks joe biden hasnt stopped being wrong for 40. The former secretary of defense had to wage war in iraq. Defense secretary robert gates book duty, memoirs of a secretary. When president obama took office in 2009, he somewhat controversially decided that gates would stay as defense secretary, a position to. Ex defense secretary gates takes aim at obama in new book. The place to start is gates recently published book, duty. Secretary of defense robert gates looks back on five decades of leadership experience. Defense secretary james mattis extraordinary reading habits. Politifact checking robert gates criticism of vice. Panetta is urging the president to do more militarily against the islamic state as have a number of moderate democrats in congress. Gates, who served as secretary of defense under presidents george w.
That evidently is a fertile frame of mind in which to write a book like this one. 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. With iraq in a profound downward spiral and many believing that afghanistan could be next, the legacy of robert m. 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 book stirs debate on bidens foreign policy creds. Transcript of former defense secretary robert gates unedited interview with morning editions steve inskeep on jan. Memoirs of a secretary at war made waves around washington, d. James mattis, the marine corps generalturned secretary of defense, is known for many things, including his prolific reading list. As i promised, im so pleased to welcome back to the show former secretary of defense. Gates, who served so influentially as secretary of defense during the crucial years 20072011, deserves critical examination. Former secretary of defense robert gates on his new book. Secretary of defense from december 2006 to july 2011. Memoirs of a secretary at war, robert gates says the president was unsure the afghan surge would work and was.
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. 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. Bush and barack obama during the wars in iraq and afghanistan. We know everyone jokes that marines cant read, but mattis has.
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. The release of former secretary of defense robert m. 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. Brian finke from his earliest days as secretary of defense, robert gates kept a little countdown clock in his briefcase. 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. 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. 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.
Gates served as secretary of defense from 2006 to 2011. Gates began his career serving as an officer in the united states air force but. After working for six presidents in both the cia and the national security council, he was happily serving as. Bob gates provides an excellent look at the politics and personal stresses of being secretary of defense. I rarely saw him in the oval office with a coat and tie, and he always conducted himself with dignity. 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.
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. The historical office of the office of the secretary of defense osd dates to 1949. Heres how he draws leadership lessons from books published mon, may 28 2018 11. Former defense secretary gates blasts obama in new book. This position corresponds to what is generally known as a defense minister in many. Bob gates memoir slams joe biden for being wrong on. From the former secretary of defense, a strikingly candid, vividly written account of his experience serving presidents george w. The secretary of defense s position of command and authority over the u.
Speeches and remarks december 18, 2006 to febru mar 7, 2008. He treated the office of the presidency with respect. Gates starts with the claim that bureaucracies are often inefficient and fail their clients. Retired robert gates enjoys skagit county home the. 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. 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. Obama military strategy blasted by robert gates, leon. President barack obamas first secretary of defense robert gates has written a bombshell book that says the president doubted. Gates received a call from the white house in 2006, he thought hed left washington politics behind. 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. 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. Is former defense secretary robert gates doing his duty. Gates stands by statement that biden has been wrong on. Gates s new memoir is the first describing the obama administrations policy deliberations written from inside the cabinet.
Memoirs of a secretary at war is a nonfiction book written by robert m. Exdefense secretary gates takes aim at obama in new book. Gates s remarks at the security and defense agenda, brussels, belgium, archive. Former defense secretary gates blasts obama in new book robert gates new memoir reveals his sharp criticism inside closeddoor meetings. Leadership lessons from robert gates and jack welch. Gates received a call from the white house, he thought hed long left washington politics behind. 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. Robert gates was one of the most effective secretaries of defense in recent history. In an interview aired sunday on cbs news face the nation, gates. In his eagerly anticipated memoir duty, former defense secretary robert gates pulls no punches about president obama, a threat from david petraeus, and. I appreciate this opportunity to address this class at national defense university. Robert gates and why defense secretaries are grumpy stacks of former u. Gates slams biden in memoir, reveals he nearly quit time. Forthright and unsparing, duty is gatess behindthescenes account of his nearly five years as a secretary of defense at war.
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