In a New York Times Magazine profile headlined “The Professional†that explored why Robert Gates has been so effective as defense secretary, the Wichita native said a lesson he learned in various posts in the presidencies of Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush helps in dealing with threats such as Iran: “If we do this, what will they do? Then what? Then what? Try to think two, three, four moves out.â€
On the subject of being the “anti-Rumsfeld,†Gates said: “My favorite cartoon from my (Senate) confirmation hearings shows me holding up my hand and saying, ‘I swear that I am not now, and have never been, Donald Rumsfeld.’â€
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This is an interesting read. But beware: it’ll be addictive and you’ll follow the links to the original broadcast and wast 2 hours of your time.
But the video will stun you. Bill Kristol — this was taped in March, 2003 — was so absolutley, positively, and entirely WRONG! — two weeks into the war.
Kristol appears with Daniel Ellsberg. And everything Ellsberg warned us about — in March, 2003, mind you — has come true.
Ooops!
Forgot the link:
http://www.tomdispatch.com:80/post/174894
quote from MonkeyHock’s story…
“This is preposterously false. First of all, Kristol worked in the Reagan administration as Education Secretary William Bennett’s chief of staff…”
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Oh noes! Kristol was a staffer in the education Department during Reagan years! He had to be involved in Iraqi affairs and helping Saddam Hussein!
lmao…what a maroon.
Oh Jesus. I saw the C-CPAN program in MH’s link. I mean that I saw it live, in 2003 — I remember it. Who could ever forget that spectacle? These claims by Kristol ranked right up there with Cheney’s claim that the Iraq war would pay for itself and Wolfowitz’s claim that Iraqi oil revenues would pay as we went.
Anybody, and I mean anybody would ever believe any of William Kristol’s predictions after that debacle is an idiot. If Bill Kristol told me to get off the sidewalk because a car is coming, I’d not only hug that damn sidewalk for dear life, I’d build a china shop on it.
That man is a dipshit deluxe. And that is quite likely why the NYT hired him as an editorial columnist.
Jesus. Talk about waterboarding: seeing that C-SPAN video now gives me the same “I’m drowning” feeling I had in Jan-03, when it became obvious that Augustus Stupidus was going to invade Iraq…and there wasn’t a damn thing anybody could say or do to convince America that it was all a huge, horrible, tragic mistake. I remember watching that debate and wondering why in the hell C-SPAN had to use Ellsberg. Not that Ellsberg wasn’t just about 100% correct (he was), but to stave off invasion we had to use spokesmen the administration could NOT link to Vietnam. After all, invading Iraq in 2003 had more to do with expunging the military and US FP ghosts of Vietnam than it had to do with fighting terrorism.
Even though Augustus Stupidus couldn’t see an insurgency building right at his own big stupid feet, just like in Vietnam. Fark, what an idiot that man is.
Oh, and Gates. Thank God somebody sat Georgie down and convinced him to send his neoconservative advisors like Rumsfeld, Feith, and Wolfowitz scurrying off down the same ignominious branch of US history that Benedict Arnold took, and to bring in Realists like Gates.
The only thing that would top Rumfeld’s exit would be that of Cheney. And that probably ain’t going to happen for another 11 months or so.
The rumor in Wichita is that Robert Gates was a straight “A” student here at East High School and was an Eagle Scout. Also said his brother was one-time principal of Southeast High School. Does anyone remember?
According to my research on Google, Robert Gates has had a superlative career in government, mostly in the CIA, over the years.
He says politics isn’t in his future.
However, I would feel a lot better if Robert Gates was selected as vice-presidential candidate by either of our presidential candidates.
I would want to see at least SOME positive from gates before considering him for a spot on the ticket. Right now all we have is “he is not infinitely negative”
JWink
Posted February 16, 2008 at 2:39 pm | Permalink
The rumor in Wichita is that Robert Gates was a straight “A” student here at East High School and was an Eagle Scout. Also said his brother was one-time principal of Southeast High School. Does anyone remember?
In 1969 I was working at a fast food restaurant in Wichita and we were having problems with petty theft from the cash registers.
J R Gates was hired by the manager to administer polygraph tests on all the employees. He had a private eye type of service at that time.
I think it was called J R Gates and Associates but I’m not absolutely sure.
You’re welcome!
Kansas: I doubt if your “J.R. Gates, private detective” in 1969 could have been Robert Gates, currently Secretary of Defense. According to my notes, Robert Gates graduated from East High in 1961 and left shortly thereafter to begin his college education. He also included military in there somewhere. According to Mr. Gates’ biography, doesn’t sound like he spent much time in Wichita thereafter.
I suppose your detective could have been a brother of Robert Gates. Don’t have any information on his family other than a brother is said to have been a principal of Southeast High.
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[...] WE Blog » The Wichita Eagle Editorial Department Blog wrote an interesting post today on Gates as anti-RumsfeldHere’s a quick excerptGates as anti-Rumsfeld Posted6:01 a.m. In a New York Times Magazine profile headlined “The Professional” that explored why Robert Gates has been so effective as defense secretary, the Wichita native said a lesson he learned in various posts in the presidencies of Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush helps in dealing with threats such as Iran: “If we do this, what will they do? Then what? Then what? Try to think two, three, four moves out.” On the subject of being the “anti-Rumsfeld,” Gates said [...]
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