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 secretary of defense robert gates on his new book a passion for leadership and much more including hillary clintons server tweet email print 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. Former defense secretary robert gates has left the busy world of d. Beginning with the very title of his book, gates makes clear that he believed he was summoned to duty the title of the first chapter as secretary of defense. In referring to iraq and afghanistan, as he did elsewhere in his speech to cadets at the united states military academy at west point friday, defense secretary gates was not directly critical of. Politifact checking robert gates criticism of vice. Robert gates, who served under both obama and george w.
But the democratic nominee for president, if elected, might very well keep. Former defence secretary robert gates defends book as an. Retired robert gates enjoys skagit county home the. The latest version, signed by former secretary of defense robert gates in december 2010, is the first major rewrite since 1987. Former secretary of defense bob gates talked to stars and stripes on thursday about his new book, duty. Forthright and unsparing, duty is gatess behindthescenes account of his nearly five years as a secretary of defense at war. A compelling memoir and a serious historya fascinating, briskly honest account of a journey through the cutthroat corridors of washington and world politics, with shrewd, sometimes eyepopping observations along the way about the nature of war and the limits of power.
Gates himself says that he makes no pretense that the book is a. He served as secretary of defense under presidents george w. Secretary of defense robert gates talks about iraq, afghanistan and his job. He wears his duty, though, like a millstone around his neck. Former defense secretary gates reveals the biggest. Bush and barack obama during the wars in iraq and afghanistan. Former defense secretary robert gates interview with npr full transcript of unedited interview with morning editions steve inskeep.
Paul szoldrabusiness insider south korea declined to comment wednesday on. Former defense secretary gates blasts obama in new book robert gates new memoir reveals his sharp criticism inside closeddoor meetings. Bushs defense policy, from iraq to afghanistan to iran. 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. Bush, t here is one overwhelmingly large problem looming over the us military, and there is. Gates was a truly historic secretary of defenseprecisely because he did get so much donehis descriptions of how he accomplished these featsthe mix of cooptation and coercion that he employedshould be read. Gates pledged saturday that the united states would sustain its military presence and diplomatic involvement in asia, as he sought to calm regional. A former cia director who has worked in government for decades, robert gates is a company man in a oneindustry town. Robert gates, former defense secretary, offers harsh critique of. Gates began his career serving as an officer in the united states air force but. 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. Defense one today will provide news, analysis and ideas for national security leaders and stakeholders robert gates on how to surviveand thrivedespite bureaucracy read now. The claims were made in the newly published memoir of former us defense secretary robert gates, in which he also.
As larry korb, a former assistant secretary of defense in the reagan. Former secretary of defense robert gates said thursday he would have liked to have recruited legendary washington post journalist bob woodward for the cia. Memoirs of a secretary at war, robert gates says the president. Interview with charlie rose robert gates, former secretary of defense discusses. Gates book stirs debate on bidens foreign policy creds. Memoirs of a secretary at war, and ongoing national security challenges. 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. The former defense secretary says that obama eventually lost faith in the troop. Gates, a cold war veteran selected to remain as defense secretary, has won bipartisan praise for. The president wishes secretary gates well as he recovers from his recent injury, and discusses his book. View cnn fast facts to learn more about former cia director and former secretary of defense robert gates. Secretary of defense from december 2006 to july 2011. 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.
Bush but was retained for service by president barack obama. From the former secretary of defense, a strikingly candid, vividly written account of his experience serving presidents george w. Barack obama has blasted nearly every element of george w. Robert gates, a republican stalwart and former us defence secretary who served under eight presidents, has derided the partys election candidates for a grasp of national security issues that. From the former secretary of defense, a strikingly candid, vividly written ac. Robert gates new book is starting to leak out, and it may give president obama and his aides some heartburn. He served as defense secretary under presidents obama and george w. Gates stands by statement that biden has been wrong on. If a 600page book about how doesnt quite get at why, then a twohour conversation in his study. Memoirs of a secretary at war is a nonfiction book written by robert m.
Former secretary of defense robert gates on his new book. Robert gates served as the united states secretary of defense under both presidents bush and obama. To judge from the pages of his book, many of his expressions of outrage were indeed motivated by selfserving bureaucrats or members of congress who. The reinvention of robert gates by michael crowley, the new republic, november 9, 2009. Memoirs of a secretary at war, robert gates says the president was unsure the afghan surge would work and was openly. Exdefense secretary gates takes aim at obama in new book. Gates served as secretary of defense from 2006 to 2011.