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Ex-SecDef Gates New Book Blasts Congress, Biden

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  • #16
    Watched an interview of Mr. Gates on C-span 2 this morning which was conducted at the National Constitution Center. Have to say I was very impressed by what he had to say during the interview. Enough so that I ordered his book from Amazon today. I liked his analogy comparing Congress to werewolves... the lighting of the red light on top of a TV camera is to a Congressman what a full moon is to a werewolf.

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    • #17
      On Amazon you can read the first couple of chapters...good read so far. I just ordered the book.

      I am struck by the accuracy of his depiction of how things work in Washington.
      To be Truly ignorant, Man requires an Education - Plato

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      • #18
        Originally posted by JAD_333 View Post
        On Amazon you can read the first couple of chapters...good read so far. I just ordered the book.

        I am struck by the accuracy of his depiction of how things work in Washington.
        Isn't that the truth about behind the scenes in Washington.

        Have gotten through 220 pages and can say I am impressed with what I have read so far. The Washington dysfunction was one thing I learned that was way beyond anything we are aware of from both sides. This on both the civilian side and military side. Do think Generals and Admirals need a crash course in public speaking and the need to be aware the President is listening.

        What else? Well Gates is very diplomatic in his book. I like the use of "robust" to describe a discussion which pretty much means to me they were yelling at each other behind closed doors.

        The one thing that really stood out was Cheney. Wow! Being diplomatic I would describe him the way the Russian Captain in The Hunt For Red October did of the American Captain... "Buckaroo"... with a capital "B".

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        • #19
          Originally posted by tbm3fan View Post
          Isn't that the truth about behind the scenes in Washington.

          Have gotten through 220 pages and can say I am impressed with what I have read so far. The Washington dysfunction was one thing I learned that was way beyond anything we are aware of from both sides. This on both the civilian side and military side. Do think Generals and Admirals need a crash course in public speaking and the need to be aware the President is listening.

          What else? Well Gates is very diplomatic in his book. I like the use of "robust" to describe a discussion which pretty much means to me they were yelling at each other behind closed doors.

          The one thing that really stood out was Cheney. Wow! Being diplomatic I would describe him the way the Russian Captain in The Hunt For Red October did of the American Captain... "Buckaroo"... with a capital "B".
          I just got my copy and haven't gotten far into it.

          Yes, we rarely get the whole truth about behind the scenes. Bob Woodward once asked VP Gore how much of the story the media gets right, to which Gore said 1%. That may be an exaggeration, but in terms of the angst that goes on behind closed doors (or in the mind), he's close. For me the book has special meaning because I worked at the Pentagon for many years and went to quite a few strategy sessions at the White House, albeit concerning public affairs issues, but working in the SecDef public affairs you see and hear a lot of the stuff Gates talks about--the memo blizzards, endless 'coordination', falls from grace, and reshuffles. I don't want to get into all I did, but I was close enough either as a fly on the wall or on the PA operational side to see just the stuff he's writing about. Members of Congress do behave just as he describes and always have. It always seems a revelation when someone like Gates writes about his experiences, but every Secretary of Defense has to deal with it, though Gates had a particularly rough time of it because of the wars on-going and because he followed a notorious dissembler like Rumsfeld. I hope a lot of people read this book. Gates lays out the case for the surge in Iraq with cold hard logic. And I should add, that his deep feelings and concern for those serving in the military ought to be shared by all Americans.
          To be Truly ignorant, Man requires an Education - Plato

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