Free Republic

A Harvard University dropout who ushered in the home computer age and made billions of dollars along the way will have his last official day of work at Microsoft on June 27. Three people will essentially fill the void left behind when Bill Gates retires from the company he and friend Paul Allen co-founded in 1975. Since Gate's began his transition from leading Microsoft to heading his personally-bankrolled charity, The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation , his job as chief software architect has been handled by Ray Ozzie. Craig Mundie inherited Gate's chief research and strategy officer duties, while former...

Barack Obama has never been shy about comparing himself to Abraham Lincoln. He did so when he announced his candidacy at the Illinois state capitol, where both he and Lincoln served in the legislature. "The life of a tall, gangly, self-made Springfield lawyer tells us that a different future is possible," Obama said. "He tells us that there is power in words ... He tells us that there is power in hope." That was, well, audacious, to say the least — and the comparisons have continued, on issues large and small. But the most important similarity, in Obama's mind, is...

Cyber warfare officially arrived on Capitol Hill last week. Two Republican congressmen, Rep. Frank Wolf of Virginia and Rep. Christopher Smith of New Jersey, went public last Wednesday with the news that in 2006 and 2007 their office computer networks had been breached by Chinese hackers. The cyber raiders were not looking for sensitive military or economic data. Instead, they apparently tried to steal political information about Chinese dissidents.

BRUSSELS, Belgium, June 13, 2008 – NATO has made significant progress in Afghanistan, and the alliance now needs to deliver on the goals the alliance’s heads of state set when they met in April, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said here today. Gates spoke during a news conference at NATO headquarters following two days of meetings with NATO defense ministers. Alliance heads of state agreed at their Bucharest, Romania summit in April that more capabilities are needed at the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan. They also promised to field all the troops the NATO operations plan calls for....

BRUSSELS, Belgium, June 13, 2008 – It was going to be a typical NATO defense ministers working dinner until Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates threw away his script. Gates spoke from his heart last night during a dinner at which ministers discussed the NATO mission in Afghanistan. According to a U.S. official who was there and later spoke with reporters on background, Gates “was on fire.” The secretary had a 10-page speech prepared, but that went out the window as he began to speak. Gates started by saying he is particularly impassioned about Afghanistan “because in May, U.S. casualties in...

BRUSSELS, Belgium, June 12, 2008 – Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and fellow NATO defense ministers will discuss alliance operations in Afghanistan, the alliance missile defense program, and transition plans for Kosovo during a two-day ministerial beginning here today. The ministers will focus on how NATO nations are moving toward implementing decisions the member nations’ heads of state reached at the alliance’s April summit in Bucharest, Romania, a senior defense official speaking on background told reporters traveling with Gates. Afghanistan will dominate much of the conference, the official said. Gates will participate in meetings centered on NATO’s Regional Command South...

Behind Gates' Decision to Fire Up the Air Force by Austin Bay The classic World War II-era poster reminded talkative dock workers that "loose lips sink ships." Well, loose nukes present an even more imposing problem, one with continent-cracking possibilities. Last week, when Defense Secretary Robert Gates requested and received the resignations of Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne and U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Michael Moseley, Gates' office cited as a reason a Pentagon investigation of lax standards in Air Force oversight of nuclear weapons. One incident involved a USAF bomber with cruise missiles over-flying a wide swath...

Air Force's Cultural Shake-Up by Robert Maginnis Last week, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates made history when he simultaneously fired the Air Force’s top military and civilian leaders. Most press accounts attribute the head chopping to a series of institutional failures but the truth is that Gates’ real objective is to radically change the service’s culture. Gates forced Air Force secretary Michael Wynne and the service’s chief of staff, Gen. T. Michael Moseley, to resign following the release of a nuclear investigation which reported a “…pattern of poor performance.” That report proved a tipping point for Gates, whose grievances with...

The classic World War II-era poster reminded talkative dock workers that "loose lips sink ships." Well, loose nukes present an even more imposing problem, one with continent-cracking possibilities. Last week, when Defense Secretary Robert Gates requested and received the resignations of Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne and U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Michael Moseley, Gates' office cited as a reason a Pentagon investigation of lax standards in Air Force oversight of nuclear weapons. One incident involved a USAF bomber with cruise missiles over-flying a wide swath of the United States -- and the crew didn't know the weapons...

Defense Secretary Robert Gates announced Monday that he plans to “immediately stop” all further reductions in Air Force personnel. Gates made his promise while addressing airmen at Langley Air Force Base, Va., late Monday afternoon to discuss his ouster of Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne and Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley. Along with the usual airmen lost through normal attrition, Air Force leaders had planned to cut an additional 6,800 airmen from the rolls in fiscal 2009, Capt. Michael Andrews, an Air Force spokesman for personnel matters told Stripes on Monday. Of those, 4,700 would have been enlisted...

LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Virginia (AFP) — Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Monday the importance of the US nuclear arsenal was likely to grow in importance in coming years as Russia moves to strengthen its nuclear forces. Gates said he made the comment in a closed door question-and-answer session with rank-and-file airmen in explaining his decision to replace the air force leadership over two major nuclear blunders. In a speech earlier, Gates told airmen he regretted having to remove General T. Michael Moseley as chief of staff and Michael Wynne as air force secretary. "But there is no room for...

When Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates ousted the Air Force’s two top leaders last week, there was more to it than just the service’s reported slip-ups with handling of nuclear weapons, according to Pentagon insiders. The shake-up was a clear message to the Air Force to quit making a direct case for preferred systems and get more “Joint.” It also took from the service its top champions in ongoing roles and missions discussions, decapitating airpower advocacy in the Department of Defense. Gates told reporters at a Pentagon press conference that the nuclear issue was his sole reason for accepting the...

WASHINGTON -- In a sign of how urgently he wants to shake up the Air Force, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates announced today he was appointing the first non-fighter pilot to become the service's chief of staff in more than 25 years. The nomination of Gen. Norton A. Schwartz, who is currently head of the Pentagon's transportation command and rose through the ranks as a pilot of military cargo planes, marks a significant break for the Air Force, which has been led by fighter and bomber pilots almost since its inception after World War II. In his announcement naming Schwartz,...

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert Gates ousted the Air Force's top officials Thursday, holding them to account in a historic military shake-up for failing to ensure the security of sensitive materials, including nuclear missile warhead fuses that were mistakenly shipped to Taiwan. Gates announced at a Pentagon news conference that he had accepted the resignations of Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Michael Moseley and Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne — a highly unusual double firing. Gates cited two embarrassing incidents in the past year. In one, a B-52 bomber was mistakenly armed with six nuclear-tipped cruise missiles and flown...

President George W. Bush will leave a "strong and positive legacy" in Asia and his successor will maintain engagement in the region, US Defence Secretary Robert Gates said Saturday. Gates told a high-level security forum here that any speculation that the United States was losing interest in the region was "preposterous." "Actually I think this will be an area where there will be a strong and positive legacy in the future," he told the forum, six months before the US presidential elections. "Any speculation in the region about the United States losing interest in Asia strikes me as either preposterous,...

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates issued a set of thinly veiled warnings to China on Saturday, cautioning that it could risk its share of further gains in Asia’s economic prosperity if it bullied its neighbors over natural resources in contested areas like the South China Sea. Three years ago at the same lectern here, Mr. Gates’s predecessor, Donald H. Rumsfeld, bluntly criticized China’s swift military buildup. Last year Mr. Gates struck a more conciliatory tone, saying Beijing and Washington had a chance to “build trust over time.� Mr. Gates seemed to take a third approach in his remarks to a...

ALINGTON, Va., May 26, 2008 – Under sunny skies and before a multitude gathered at the Tomb of the Unknowns on Arlington National Cemetery here, President Bush today honored the sacrifices of American men and women in uniform who gave their lives in the service of their country. President Bush delivers a Memorial Day address in the Tomb of the Unknowns amphitheater at Arlington National Cemetery, Va., May 26, 2008. Seated behind the commander in chief are Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, left, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and Army Maj. Gen. Richard J....

WASHINGTON, May 16, 2008 – America needs dedicated public servants now more than ever, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates told graduates at the Virginia Military Institute, in Lexington, Va., today. Gates congratulated the 246 graduates of the state military college on their accomplishments and said the institute has taught them lessons on the importance of public service and duty to their fellow citizens. “For generations, VMI has graduated young people ready to raise their right hands and defend their homeland,” the secretary said. “This is something to be grateful for in any time period, but never more so than in...

WASHINGTON, May 16, 2008 – The Defense Department needs to worry more about what warfighters need right now than what they may need down the road, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said last night. In a speech to the Business Executives for National Security group, Gates said he will work for the remainder of his time in office to ensure the department fulfills its “sacred obligation” to support U.S. servicemembers now fighting on the front lines. This means doing all that is needed to “see that they are successful on the battlefield and properly cared for at home,” Gates...

Today President Bush signed H.R. 4286, This is a bill passed by the leaders of the Senate and House to honor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi with the Congressional Gold Medal. She is Myanmar's detained opposition leader who has spent nearly 12 of the last 18 years in prison or under house arrest. He also expressed his heartfelt sympathy to the people of Burma in the wake of their natural disaster. LINKPresident Bush took part in an event commemorating Military Spouse Day on the South Lawn at the White House. LINK President Bush met with Panama's President Martin Torrijos in...

WASHINGTON, May 5, 2008 – With growing recognition of the toll post-traumatic stress disorder has taken on U.S. forces, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said the Defense Department may consider awarding Purple Heart medals to combat veterans afflicted with it. “It’s an interesting idea,” Gates said when asked about the concept during a May 2 media availability at Red River Army Depot, Texas. “I think it is clearly something that needs to be looked at.” Gates’ comment followed his visit the previous day to Fort Bliss, Texas, where he toured the post’s Recovery and Resilience Center, which is using...

The Pentagon has ordered military commanders to develop new options for attacking Iran, CBS reported Tuesday, as a second US aircraft carrier steamed into the Persian Gulf. According to the report, the planning was being driven by what one officer called the "increasingly hostile role" Iran is playing in Iraq - smuggling weapons into Iraq for use against American troops. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates said that "what the Iranians are doing is killing American servicemen and -women inside Iraq." CBS said that US officials were also concerned by Iranian harassment of US ships in the Persian Gulf as well...

MEXICO CITY, April 30, 2008 – The movement of a second aircraft carrier into the Persian Gulf this week doesn’t signal an escalation of the U.S. naval presence -- but could serve as a “reminder” of it to countries in the region, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said here last night. Gates did not specifically name Iran when responding to a reporter’s question about the arrival this week of USS Abraham Lincoln in the Gulf. “The size of our naval presence in the Gulf rises and falls constantly,” he said. “This deployment has been planned for a long time. I...

US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates said Tuesday the deployment of a second aircraft carrier to the Gulf should be seen as a "reminder" of US military power in the region. But Gates flatly denied that the United States was preparing the ground for military strikes against Iran. "I don't think we'll have two carriers for a protracted period of time. So I don't see it as an escalation. I think it could be seen, though, as a reminder," Gates told reporters here during a visit with Mexican officials. The arrival of the USS Abraham Lincoln in the Gulf follows...

WASHINGTON, April 22, 2008 – Succeeding in Iraq is critical to prevent a repeat of the strategic mistake in post-Soviet Afghanistan that ultimately led up to the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates told cadets at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., yesterday evening. Video Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates speaks to a group of 84 senior cadets majoring in Advanced National Security Studies at the United States Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., April 21, 2008. Defense Dept. photo by Cherie Cullen  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. And although a war with...

WASHINGTON, April 22, 2008 – Success on today’s and tomorrow’s battlefields requires military leaders guided by conscience who refuse to be “yes men,” Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said in a speech last night to future Army officers at the U.S. Military Academy. Gates told the cadets at West Point, N.Y., that he considers principled dissent a sign of a healthy organization, but he also encouraged loyalty among the dissenters. The Army will need leaders of “uncommon agility, resourcefulness and imagination, leaders willing and able to think and act creatively and decisively in a different kind of world and a...

WASHINGTON, April 21, 2008 – Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates established a new task force last week to ensure the Defense Department is doing everything possible to provide intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) assets to support warfighters, he announced today. U.S. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, at podium, speaks to students of the Air War College and the Air Command and Staff College in Polifka Auditorium, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., April 21, 2008. Defense Dept. photo by Cherie Cullen   (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. Gates told officers at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., he created  the task force...

WASHINGTON, April 21, 2008 – Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates today challenged military officers to become forward thinkers with the courage to advance new approaches needed to confront current and emerging threats. U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Stephen Lorenz, Commander of the Air War College, presents a memento to U.S. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates to commemorate his speech at Polifka Auditorium, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., April 21, 2008. Defense Dept. photo by Cherie Cullen  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. “An unconventional era of warfare requires unconventional thinkers,” Gates told Air War College students at Maxwell Air...

WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Monday the Air Force is not doing enough to help in the Iraq and Afghanistan war effort, complaining that some military leaders are "stuck in old ways of doing business."Gates said in a speech at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., that getting the Air Force to send more surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft to Iraq and Afghanistan has been "like pulling teeth."Addressing officer students at the Air Force's Air University, the Pentagon chief praised the Air Force for its overall contributions but made a point of urging it to do more and to...

WASHINGTON, April 18, 2008 – Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates praised Navy Adm. William J. Fallon during his retirement ceremony today for bringing “unparalleled energy, ideas and diplomatic skill” to U.S. Central Command and for 41 years of service that has left the United States stronger and safer. Adm. William J. Fallon kisses his daughter Christi at the end of his retirement ceremony onboard USS Theodore Roosevelt at Norfolk Naval Station, Va., April 18, 2008. Fallon ended a 41-year naval career that started as an aviator during the Vietnam War and concluded with him overseeing a two-front war as...

WASHINGTON, April 14, 2008 – Extremism is the enemy of success in Iraq, whether in the form of Iranian-backed "special groups,” criminal militias or al-Qaida, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said yesterday. “It’s those who are not willing to participate in the political process and do so peacefully -- those are the enemy. And those we are trying to help are trying to build a stable government and a stable country,” Gates said speaking on CBS’s “Face the Nation.” Gates fielded questions ranging from the strain on the military to how quickly the U.S. will be able to withdraw more...

WASHINGTON, April 11, 2008 – Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said today he is confident there will be fewer U.S. troops in Iraq in 2009, but added that the drawdown process has gone somewhat more slowly than he thought it would last year. This comes as Army Gen. David H. Petraeus returns to Iraq after a week of testimony and meetings in and around the nation’s capital to begin what Gates called a “major force realignment” there. Gates and Joint Chiefs Chairman Navy Adm. Mike Mullen met with journalists at the Pentagon today. All five surge brigades are expected...

WASHINGTON, April 10, 2008 – Sharply decreased violence in Iraq has set the stage for the departure of the remaining surge forces by the end of July, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee here today. Violence in Iraq “has declined dramatically since this time last year,” Gates told committee members. “In addition to the drop in U.S. casualties, we have seen a dramatic and encouraging decline in the loss of Iraqi civilians.” Gates and Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, were on Capitol Hill to update legislators on...

The Empire Strikes Back--at Schwalier: Defense Chief Robert Gates, top Pentagon lawyer Daniel Dell'Orto, and unnamed Justice Department confreres have struck yet another blow at Terryl J. Schwalier, Washington's designated Khobar Towers scapegoat. They have forced USAF to halt and reverse its efforts to restore Schwalier's second star after a 10-year struggle. The new decision was elaborated in a March 28 letter from Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne to the Air Force Review Boards Agency, ordering it to halt implementation of its recent decision to correct "an injustice" and retroactively promote Schwalier to major general. That corrective...

EN ROUTE TO COPENHAGEN, Denmark, March 31, 2008 – Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates today expressed condolences to the family of a soldier whose remains were identified this weekend after he was captured by enemy forces in Iraq four years ago. The remains of Army Staff Sgt. Keith Matthew Maupin were positively identified through DNA over the weekend, Army officials announced today. Officials announced no additional details of how Maupin’s remains were found or how he died. “I just wanted to extend my condolences to the Maupin family,” Gates said during a brief meeting with reporters on his way to...

President Bush visited ColorCraft of Virginia, Inc., and discussed the stimulus package and the economy. REMARKS Wrapping up a series of consultations on Iraq, President Bush met at the Pentagon on Wednesday with the military's top leaders to hear their views on prospects for further troop reductions. Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell said the president spent about 90 minutes in a closed session with the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Bush was accompanied by his chief of staff, Joshua Bolten; his national security adviser, Stephen Hadley, and Vice President Dick Cheney. (no photos but note that VP Cheney is back in...

President Bush traveled to Jacksonville, FL today to discuss Trade Policy. transcripts Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates attended a meeting in Moscow, Russia Enoy your visit to Sanity Island

Enjoy your visit to Sanity Island PHOTO OF THE DAY Bush Family Photo - President George W. Bush, Laura Bush, former First Lady Barbara Bush, and former President George H. W. Bush sit surrounded by family in the Red Room, Thursday, Jan. 6, 2005. Friends and family joined former President Bush and Mrs. Bush in celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary during a dinner held at the White House. ((check the boots ;)) QUOTE(s) OF THE DAY President's Radio Address ~ March 15, 2008 Good morning. On Friday, I traveled to New York City to talk about the state of...

Rumor is Admiral William Fallon will retire suddenly No link yet

I just wanted to let Freepers (and my art ping list) know of this great documentary on Christo's Gates that were in Central Park in 2005. I have not been doing much writing (or pinging) on FR lately, but this documentary has moved me to do so. Check the HBO listings; it is on frequently this month. The whole process of setting this up, from initial meetings in 1979, to its final installation is fascinating. But even better are the images from all times of day and weather: snow and ice included. I was very moved by my own visit...

Excerpt - NEW YORK (AFP) — US financier Warren Buffett has overtaken Bill Gates as the world's richest man, according to Forbes annual billionaire's list, which this year saw Russia, China and India making increasing inroads. Buffett, the 77-year-old chief of the Berkshire Hathaway holding company, saw his wealth jump from 52 billion dollars last year to 62 billion, pushing Microsoft co-founder Gates into third position after 13 years at the top. Mexico's telecom mogul Carlos Slim Helu grabbed second place with a tidy nest egg of 60 billion dollars, up from 49 billion last year. ~ snip ~

Can this man even think for himself? US presidential candidate Barack Obama began sketching his position toward Europe on the campaign trail this week. He said the US needs more support from its NATO allies in Afghanistan and implied Germany should lift its ban on combat operations in the dangerous south. US presidential candidate Barack Obama dropped another hint about his foreign-policy thinking on Thursday, saying European governments had to pull their weight in Afghanistan and not rely so much on the United States to do the “dirty work” against Taliban fighters. Gosh that sounds familiar….oh yeah, because it is....

President Bush met with Prime Minister Topolanek of the Czech Republic in the White House. comments President Bush met with Special Envoy to the Organization of the Islamic Conference. commentsPresident Bush and Vice President Cheney welcomed the 2007 World Champion Boston Red Sox to White House. comments U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrived at Tokyo International Airport for a two-day visit in Japan. Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2008. Secretary of Defense Gates arrived in New Delhi on Tuesday to pursue closer strategic ties with India after a breakthrough aircraft deal the Pentagon thinks could usher in a new era of...

We recently pulled the most recent 13-F of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to track its holdings and recent performance. Due to Warren Buffett's generous donation, the Foundation is loaded with Berkshire shares. At the end of 2007, BRK/B made up 46% of the Foundation's equity holdings. Because of Berkshire, the Foundation is heavily overweight the Financials sector at 46.93% (vs 17.58% for the S&P 500). It is also overweight Healthcare, Consumer Staples and Industrials. The Foundation is underweight Telecom, Consumer Discretionary and Energy, and it has a 0% weight in Technology, Utilities and Materials. We're guessing that the...

This morning, President Bush Discussed the Protect America Act and really socked it to the Congress, hee hee. This afternoon, the President signed the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008 in the East Room of the White House. REMARKS Enjoy your visit to Sanity Island

Bob Gates has fallen and he broke his arm

One afternoon in late November, Defense Secretary Robert Gates was flying back to Washington from the Army base at Fort Hood, Tex., where he had spoken with soldiers and spouses about the future of Iraq. Sitting across from him at his desk in the back of the Pentagon’s jet, I asked him about the possibility of another military conflict: U.S. air strikes on Iran. “The last thing the Middle East needs now is another war,” he said quietly. “We have to keep all options on the table,” he went on, reciting the standard caveat. “But if Iraq has shown us...

MUNICH, Germany, Feb. 10, 2008 – NATO and Afghanistan are now intertwined, and the experience holds many lessons for the alliance’s near- and long-term strategy, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said here today. NATO’s effort in Afghanistan shows not only how far the alliance has come from its original mission of confronting the Cold War era’s Soviet threat, but also how far it has to go to become a force for the 21st century, the secretary said at the 44th Munich Conference on Security Policy. “There is little doubt that the mission in Afghanistan is unprecedented,” Gates said. “It is,...

MUNICH, Germany, Feb. 10, 2008 – The war on terror in Afghanistan is Europe’s war, too, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said here today. During a speech at the 44th Munich Conference on Security Policy, Gates spoke directly to Europeans about the dangers al Qaeda and other jihadist groups pose to them. “The threat posed by violent Islamic extremism is real, and it is not going away,” Gates said. Gates said that while European government leaders understand the threats, public support in Europe for the NATO-led mission in Afghanistan is weak because many people on the continent don’t connect the...

BAGHDAD, Feb. 10, 2008 – Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates arrived here today and immediately went into meetings with senior Iraqi officials. The secretary arrived after a four-hour flight from Munich. Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander of Multinational Force Iraq, met Gates and escorted the secretary to a working dinner with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, President Jalal Talibani and other senior officials. While en route to Baghdad, Gates told reporters traveling with him that he planned to congratulate the Iraqi leaders on their recent governmental progress. Gates said Iraqi lawmakers have been “energized” lately, passing a justice law...