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Gates: White House 'should go look in the mirror'
Yahoo! News ^ | Monday, January 13, 2014 | Holly Bailey

Posted on 01/13/2014 5:22:14 PM PST by kristinn

Former Defense Secretary Robert Gates pushed back against critics who suggested he should have sat on his memoir about his years in the Obama administration, insisting his tell-all is not a “betrayal” of Obama.

In an interview with Yahoo News Global Anchor Katie Couric, Gates insisted he did not have an “adversarial relationship” with Obama and that he has a “lot of admiration” for the president. But the former defense secretary, who also worked for President George W. Bush, did not mince words about Obama’s current and former top aides, who have slammed Gates’ account as being self-serving and driven by politics.

“Well, for a micromanaging White House, they should go look in the mirror,” Gates told Couric. “Maybe they ought to think about how they do business. And I think it’s fair to say that the book is a lot more critical about the people around the president than it is of the president.”

Still, Gates said Obama was ultimately responsible for setting the tone of a White House he says was marked by tension and infighting between the president’s staff and more senior members of the administration.

SNIP

But while Gates tried to downplay his criticism of Obama’s leadership, he faulted the president for being “suspicious” of military leadership. And he also criticized his “unwillingness” to explain to the public why the mission in Afghanistan was important and worth the sacrifice of those serving — even if he didn’t fully support the war.

“I think it’s the obligation of the commander in chief. You are sending out men and women into harm’s way,” Gates said. “You need to tell them why their cause is just, why their cause is noble. You can’t go out there and tell them, 'I want you to risk your lives for a tie.'”

(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Government; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: injuries; obama; robertgates; tie
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To: Irenic

“In the book The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich some of the military leaders kept planning to or wanting to stand up but never really got there.”

Actually there were several attempts by German military officers to assassinate Hitler.


21 posted on 01/13/2014 7:10:00 PM PST by Pelham (Obamacare, the vanguard of Obammunism)
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To: Slyfox

A word comes to mind!
“Megalomania”
A quotation by Bertrand Russell gives his interpretation of megalomania: “The megalomaniac differs from the narcissist by the fact that he wishes to be powerful rather than charming, and seeks to be feared rather than loved. To this type belong many lunatics and most of the great men of history.”[5]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megalomania


22 posted on 01/13/2014 7:18:18 PM PST by GOYAKLA (Waiting for the Golden Screw to be removed from Obama's navel and his a$$ falls off!)
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To: kristinn

Gates’ book title is “Duty.”

I read that to mean PATRIOTIC Duty.

Gates’ mirror comment is consistent with my read.


23 posted on 01/13/2014 7:44:36 PM PST by Graewoulf (Democrats' Obamacare Socialist Health Insur. Tax violates U.S. Constitution AND Anti-Trust Law.)
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To: kristinn

Gates wan’t a betrayal. When we see a betrayal it will be so revealing it will shock even democrats.


24 posted on 01/13/2014 7:53:24 PM PST by Rebelbase (Tagline: optional, printed after your name on post)
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To: kristinn

“And he also criticized his “unwillingness” to explain to the public why the mission in Afghanistan was important and worth the sacrifice of those serving “

Sorry Bob, that would require Barry to stop campaigning and fundraising and actually govern. That’s a tall order for the purple lipped wonder boy.


25 posted on 01/13/2014 7:53:59 PM PST by headstamp 2 (What would Scooby do?)
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To: kristinn

The media chattering apes are angry that Gates pushed Obuma’s inequality propaganda off the front page. I give Gates credit for punching Obuma smack in the mouth.


26 posted on 01/13/2014 8:20:23 PM PST by sergeantdave
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To: kristinn

Gates is a HILLARY SUPPORTER and ADMIRER of both of them.....he MUST be a DEMOCRAT!


27 posted on 01/14/2014 1:58:00 AM PST by Ann Archy (Abortion......the Human Sacrifice to the god of Convenience.)
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