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Gates slams Biden in new memoir
The Hill ^

Posted on 01/07/2014 12:50:00 PM PST by Sub-Driver

January 07, 2014, 02:52 pm Gates slams Biden in new memoir

By Rebecca Shabad

Former Defense Secretary Bob Gates slams Vice President Joe Biden in a new memoir, saying Biden has been wrong on "nearly every" major foreign policy and national security issues for the past 40 years.

Gates calls Biden “a man of integrity,” but questions his judgment, writes The New York Times. The paper obtained an advance copy of the book, “Duty: Memoirs of a Secretary at War,” which will be released next week.

“I think he has been wrong on nearly every major foreign policy and national security issue over the past four decades,” Gates writes in the memoir.

President Obama also doubted the success of his troop increase in Afghanistan, Gates says in the book.

At a key meeting in March, 2011, in the White House situation room, Obama told advisers he was frustrated with Gen. David Petraeus -- who was then leading the war -- and Afghan President Hamid Karzai, Gates writes, according to the Times.

“As I sat there, I thought: The president doesn’t trust his commander, can’t stand Karzai, doesn’t believe in his own strategy and doesn’t consider the war to be his,” Gates writes, according to the Times’ report. “For him, it’s all about getting out.”

In the book, Gates reveals he almost quit his post in September, 2009, after a meeting over Afghan policy. He said he was “uneasy” with the White House’s “lack of appreciation” regarding the unpredictability of the war.

“I came closer to resigning that day than at any other time in my tenure, though no one knew it.”

Gates had also served as defense secretary to former President George W. Bush.

On the Osama bin Laden raid, Gates writes that he initially opposed the operation, but eventually decided it was “one of the most courageous decisions I had ever witnessed in the White House.”

Bob Woodward of The Washington Post also received an advance copy of the memoir. Gates described Clinton in “the sort of glowing terms that might be used in a political endorsement," Woodward wrote.

“I found her smart, idealistic but pragmatic, tough-minded, indefatigable, funny, a very valuable colleague, and a superb representative of the United States all over the world,” Gates writes.

Since stepping down in 2011, Gates has served as chancellor at William and Mary. He was elected to lead the Boy Scouts of America in October as its national president. He recently suffered a fall in his home, and injured his first vertebrae.


TOPICS: News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: afghanistan; bobgates; douglaselute; joebiden; katiecouric; robertgates; thomasdonilon
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1 posted on 01/07/2014 12:50:00 PM PST by Sub-Driver
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To: Sub-Driver
A twofer, knock down possible contender Biden and promote Hillary.
2 posted on 01/07/2014 12:53:05 PM PST by oldbrowser
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To: Sub-Driver
Since when does plagiarism equal integrity?
3 posted on 01/07/2014 12:53:25 PM PST by Boiler Plate ("Why be difficult, when with just a little more work, you can be impossible" Mom)
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To: Sub-Driver
This appears to be a ‘get Biden out of the way’ support Hillary move, with something in it for him in the end. I would sooner trust a scorpion in my sleeping bag than any of these political hacks.
4 posted on 01/07/2014 12:54:11 PM PST by pieceofthepuzzle
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To: Sub-Driver

This is not news to us Freepers. Biden has always been a joke. Not funny though, when he is helping to bring our country down.


5 posted on 01/07/2014 12:54:18 PM PST by jch10 (The Republican Party cannot win without the TEA Party. Too bad only the Democrats know it.)
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To: Sub-Driver

So then you’re saying Biden is stupid.

Okay. Now tell me something I don’t know.


6 posted on 01/07/2014 12:54:26 PM PST by WayneS (Respect the 2nd Amendment; Repeal the 16th (and 17th))
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To: Sub-Driver
saying Biden has been wrong on "nearly every" major foreign policy and national security issues for the past 40 years.

Gates is stealing my words with attribution! I have always said - whatever Biden proposes, doing the exact opposite is the correct course.

7 posted on 01/07/2014 12:54:33 PM PST by PGR88
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To: Sub-Driver

How about Kerry? He has made more effort in one year than Hilliary did in four.


8 posted on 01/07/2014 12:55:31 PM PST by ex-snook (God is Love)
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To: Sub-Driver
Gates described Clinton in “the sort of glowing terms that might be used in a political endorsement," Woodward wrote. “I found her smart, idealistic but pragmatic, tough-minded, indefatigable, funny, a very valuable colleague, and a superb representative of the United States all over the world,” Gates writes.

The rehabilitation of HRH by the overlords continues.

9 posted on 01/07/2014 12:56:27 PM PST by Menehune56 ("Let them hate so long as they fear" (Oderint Dum Metuant), Lucius Accius (170 BC - 86 BC))
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To: Sub-Driver

10 posted on 01/07/2014 12:57:36 PM PST by DannyTN (A>)
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To: oldbrowser

Nailed it!


11 posted on 01/07/2014 12:57:37 PM PST by IllumiNaughtyByNature ($1.84 - The price of a gallon of gas on Jan. 20th, 2009.)
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To: Sub-Driver

Funny, the same story on Drudge has the title as Gates slams Obama.


12 posted on 01/07/2014 12:58:34 PM PST by diverteach (If I find liberals in heaven after my death.....I WILL BE PISSED!!!)
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To: Sub-Driver

“Gates calls Biden “a man of integrity,” but questions his judgment”

So, he might mean well, but he’s dumber than a box of rocks.


13 posted on 01/07/2014 12:58:50 PM PST by Boogieman
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To: Sub-Driver

Biden: Often wrong, never in doubt. What a maroon.


14 posted on 01/07/2014 1:03:55 PM PST by SERKIT ("Blazing Saddles" explains it all.......)
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To: Boogieman
On the Osama bin Laden raid, Gates writes that he initially opposed the operation, but eventually decided it was “one of the most courageous decisions I had ever witnessed in the White House.”

I simply can not understand any of these political hacks who calls the decision to go on the bin Laden raid "courageous." It was f***ing money in the bank, even if it were to somehow fail. for good measure, once OBL's body was out, I would have dropped a couple 2000 lb bombs on the house, and left a crater the size of football field as a final gesture to the Pakistan Gov't.

15 posted on 01/07/2014 1:04:25 PM PST by PGR88
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To: ex-snook

If one is working hard to do exactly the wrong things, is that a good thing?


16 posted on 01/07/2014 1:06:33 PM PST by USFRIENDINVICTORIA
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To: Sub-Driver

Hillary or no Hillary....after Obama.....Joe Biden is the dumbest human being in the universe!!! As for Gates.....I agree with his assessment of Obama being a dummie....but IMHO....when that occurred...Gates should have publically handed in his resignation!!! Problem solution....defeat all Democrats and RINOs, come November, 2014!!!


17 posted on 01/07/2014 1:07:15 PM PST by JLAGRAYFOX ( My only objective is to defeat and destroy Obama & his Democrat Party, politically!!!.)
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To: PGR88

Even if it was courageous, it’s no credit to Obama, who was on the golf course when someone else made the decision for him.


18 posted on 01/07/2014 1:07:21 PM PST by Boogieman
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To: USFRIENDINVICTORIA
"If one is working hard to do exactly the wrong things, is that a good thing?"

Well Kerry working for peace in Iran and Israel sounds like the right thing. I wish the GOP was working on it.

19 posted on 01/07/2014 1:12:15 PM PST by ex-snook (God is Love)
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To: Boogieman

So, he might mean well, but he’s dumber than a box of rocks.


What do you have against rocks? There’s no need to denigrate rocks.


20 posted on 01/07/2014 1:25:16 PM PST by nesnah (Liberals - the petulant children of politics)
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