A Closer Look At Robert Gates

Former CIA Head And Bush Family Friend Returns To Government After Serving In Academia

(CBS/AP)  When Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld stepped down Wednesday, President Bush nominated a close friend of his family who is a decorated former CIA agent and director as a replacement.

"Don Rumsfeld is a tough act to follow," President Bush said. "That's why i picked a man of Bob Gates' caliber."

At an earlier press conference announcing Rumsfeld's announcement, Mr. Bush said: "Bob Gates will bring a fresh perspective and great managerial experience."

But Gates, 63, is no stranger to insider Washington. Gates joined the CIA in 1966 and is the only agency employee to rise from an entry-level job to the seventh-floor director's office. He served in the intelligence community for more than a quarter-century under six presidents.

Gates was so respected among administration officials that he was asked in 2005 to take the position of Intelligence Czar. But Gates, who had been serving as president of Texas A&M University, declined the offer, saying he "had nothing to look forward to in D.C. and plenty to look forward to at A&M."

That sentiment apparently changed after Gates met with President Bush about the job over the weekend at the president's ranch in Crawford, Texas. Wednesday afternoon, Gates told the media the military activity in Iraq and Afghanistan provided him motivation enough to step away from the Ivory Tower and prepare to move back into the beltway.

"I believe the outcome of these conflicts will shape our world for decades to come," and because American women and men are engaged in conflict currently, Gates said he "did not hesitate when the president asked me to return to duty."

CBS Radio News correspondent Mark Knoller reports that while President Bush said wants to continue his course in Iraq, he wants to work with the new director and new leadership in Congress.

President Bush announced his nomination of Gates at a news conference on Wednesday. When asked whether his announcement signaled a new direction in the war that has claimed the lives of more than 2,800 U.S. troops, Mr. Bush said, "well, there's certainly going to be new leadership at the Pentagon."

---

Watch Bob Schieffer on Gates.
Watch President Bush on Rumsfeld's resignation.

---

Gates has been awarded the National Security Medal, the Presidential Citizens Medal, has twice received the National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal, and has three times received CIA's highest award, the Distinguished Intelligence Medal.

He is the author of the memoir, From the Shadows: The Ultimate Insider's Story of Five Presidents and How They Won the Cold War, published in 1996.

Gates has served as the president of Texas A&M since August 2002 after serving as the university's interim dean of the George Bush School of Government and Public Service from 1999 to 2001.

The school is home to the presidential library of Mr. Bush's father. Gates is a close friend of the Bush family, and particularly the first President Bush.

The Senate Armed Services committee will take up Gates' nomination, which must be confirmed by the Senate.

Rep. Ike Skelton, D-Mo., who is expected to chair the House Armed Services Committee next year, said Rumsfeld's resignation "presents an important opportunity for our country to begin a new policy direction in Iraq and in the war on terrorism."

He encouraged the Bush administration to take advantage of the fresh start.

CBS News military consultant Mike Lyons said the change may be welcomed in the military, CBS Radio News correspondent John Hartge reports.

Texas A&M, which Gates is leaving at an undetermined time, is one of the nation's 10 largest universities.

The last time Gates was tapped by Washington, in February 2005, he wrote in a message on the school's Web site saying: "There seems to be a growing number of rumors in the media and around campus that I am leaving Texas A&M to become the new director of national intelligence in Washington, D.C. To put the rumors to rest, I was indeed asked to take the position, wrestled with perhaps the most difficult — and close — decision of my life."

As for his own schooling, Gates received a bachelor's degree from the College of William and Mary and a master's degree in history from Indiana University and a doctorate in Russian and Soviet history from Georgetown University. Gates grew up in Kansas. He and his wife, Becky, have two adult children.

[houser123]

A new face at the Pentagon has been needed for sometime. I wish Mr. Gates all the best in this position.

[observantx]

Mr. Gates:

I also wish you success. I, and I know many others, offer one word of advice:

When you assume your duties keep in mind that when presented with orders and recommendations you know to be contraindicated by the facts on the ground or those hard earned lessons you learned in the CIA; you need to speak the truth to power. If they order you to do what you know to be wrong, you need to offer your resignation. Better to resign than throw more of our troops into more disaster.

Good luck.

[pakaal]

Whoah, "new face"? "Fresh perspective"? First of all (as the article points out), Gates has been in the intelligence community since 1966. He served in the intelligence community for more than a quarter-century. He's worked under six presidents. And something the story doesn't mention is that he was passed over for head of CIA in 1987 because of his connection to the Iran-Contra scandal, not to mention being involved in passing intelligence to Iraq during their Iraq-Iran war (1980-88).

If the Dems take the Senate - and it looks probable they will - the Democratic leaders of the Senate Armed Forces Committee should think long and hard about this nomination, and hopefully reject it.

[bluestardad]

Day of Reckoning

[marcelde]

bluestardad wrote something disturbing, above:

"And something the story doesn't mention is that he was passed over for head of CIA in 1987 because of his connection to the Iran-Contra scandal, not to mention being involved in passing intelligence to Iraq during their Iraq-Iran war (1980-88)."

===================

So much of that Iran-Contra scandal remains a mystery under Reagan's presidency that I agree with bluestardad about the need to ask that "the Senate Armed Forces Committee should think long and hard about this nomination, (and hopefully reject it.)"

Because I know so little about that scandal I would not automatically reject Robert Gates, but what also concerns me is the close family friendship Gates has with the Bush family. Will Gates be able to make objective recommendations that he sees are in opposition to Bush's desired policy?

========

Thanks to both "bluestardad", "huskerarmy" and the other posters who stayed up late many nights to help convince independents that we needed a change. I think our participation on this CBS comment board was both effective and efficient.

"MISSION ACCOMPLISHED" by the Democrats

"SHOCK AND AWE" for the neocons

and CHANGES, ..... "BRING 'EM ON" !!

[pakaal]

Keeping in mind that he was not convicted (unlike Oliver North - who was then pardoned), but Gates was certainly under a lot of suspicion. From review of the investigative sessions:

"The most dramatic testimony came from Melvin A. Goodman, a former division chief in Soviet affairs. He accused Mr. Gates of imposing his political judgments on intelligence analyses without any evidence to back his views, of suppressing his analysts' conclusions, of corrupting the agency's stringent analytical process and of misusing personnel - 'judge shopping the courthouse,' Mr. Goodman called it - until the desired analysis was produced."

We've seen the same thing happen under the Bush administration; career diplomats second-guessing intelligence agencies. I don't think we need more of the same, and judging by the elections, most of America agrees.

[clestes-2009]

This does not sound like gw intends to work with democrats at all. This guy is of the same ilk as Rumsfeld. I see a battle in the senate over this confirmation.

I really don't know enough about Gates to say he's the wrong guy, but assuming that judgement is valid, who might be the "right" person?

[tibu987]

I don't know about you but I worry that a person who has been in government for so long and who has condoned, at least by association, all the
#@%^@#$ that has gone on in Washigton all those years. I would have preferred to see a younger, perhaps a former military leader, like Colin Powell in the position.
We'll see. If we don't think he is doing the job let's get rid of him quickly.

[tibu987]

I have a "gut feeling" that Gates may not "stay the course". He is just another "good ole boy".
Forty years in government??????????

[pakaal]

He started out in the CIA in 1966, was in the Air Force for two years, joined the National Security Council in '74 (don't know if this was before or after Nixon got impeached), then back to the CIA....

The much-maligned Wikipedia has a good overview of his career:

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

The man is a long-time insider, not a "fresh perspective" as Bush says.

[pakaal]

Hmm, the "right guy"? James Baker comes to mind off the bat.

[pakaal]

The Wall Street Journal reported that %u201CIn the summer of 2004, Gates and former national security adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski co-chaired a task force sponsored by the Council on Foreign Relations that argued for opening a dialogue with Iran."

Hmm, maybe Gates could be a moderate voice in all the Middle East mess. I can only hope!

[max_grandeur]

I trust President George W. Bush enough, that if he says Robert Gates is right for the job, then he must be the right man. Let's just let the Senate decide.

[pakaal]

For Gates' sake he'd better hope the Democrat-controlled Congress agrees with Bush.

[pendragon679]

pakaal: For the record, Richard Nixon was not impeached; he resigned his office in August of 1974, before impeachment proceedings could begin.

For the word on Iran-Contra, I suggest reading "Men of Zeal," by then-Senators William S. Cohen (who went on the become Sec'y of Defense under Bill Clinton) and George Mitchell. I knew Sen. Cohen slightly & know Sen. Mitchell by reputation; these are men of high integrity & strong moral character (shocking--they're both Republicans) whose authority has not been questioned in this matter.

My take on this appointment? My dachshund could manage King Dubya's Iraq misadventure better than Rummy. I'll hold off my opinion of Mr. Gates until I've seen what he's capable of. After all, to paint all Republicans with the same brush denies fairness.

[rico38-2009]

According to Robert Gates, the new Secy of Defense (nominee), the reason he declined the position of intelligence czar in 2005, was because he "had nothing to look forward to in D.C. and plenty to look forward to at Texas A&M'.

What exactly changed in the period since that decesion was made? We still have american men and women fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan.

[aggieash251]

As a student at Texas A&M, I can speak for all Aggies when I say we are deeply saddened by our loss. President Gates was one our best presidents and his last four years here have been wonderful. He is a man of change, as he has implemented an impressive new plan for our university and it is well underway. It has been my honor to interact with such a sincere and accomplished man. I think he will serve as a great moderate voice as Secretary of Defense.

[aggieash251]

As a student at Texas A&M, I can speak for all Aggies when I say we are deeply saddened by our loss. President Gates was one our best presidents and his last four years here have been wonderful. He is a man of change, as he has implemented an impressive new plan for our university and it is well underway. It has been my honor to interact with such a sincere and accomplished man. I think he will serve as a great moderate voice as Secretary of Defense.

[aggieash251]

As a student at Texas A&M, I can speak for all Aggies when I say we are deeply saddened by our loss. President Gates was one our best presidents and his last four years here have been wonderful. He is a man of change, as he has implemented an impressive new plan for our university and it is well underway. It has been my honor to interact with such a sincere and accomplished man. I think he will serve as a great moderate voice as Secretary of Defense.

[aggieash251]

As a student at Texas A&M, I can speak for all Aggies when I say we are deeply saddened by our loss. President Gates was one our best presidents and his last four years here have been wonderful. He is a man of change, as he has implemented an impressive new plan for our university and it is well underway. It has been my honor to interact with such a sincere and accomplished man. I think he will serve as a great moderate voice as Secretary of Defense.

[wildo2497]

If you want to know more about Gates, don't look at his CIA career, which is in fact remarkable. Look at what he has done at Texas A&M, a university steeped in pride and tradition. He has allowed the university to maintain its uniqueness, but at the same time be catapulted into the 21st century by increasing minority enrollement (without affirmative action), increasing the GPA of the famous Aggie Corp of Cadets, diversified and increased the number of high quality faculty, and the list goes on. You can read about him at Texas A&M in such magazines as Texas Monthly. The effectiveness of a lifelong government intelligence analyst/bureaucrat to revitalize a somewhat stagnant Texas A&M campus should be how someone measures Gates.

Thanks & Gig'em

Why has GW Bush surrounded himself with members of his daddy's administration?

Could it be that his daddy is secretly running the country through his idiot son?

Nahh - his daddy would never have made the same mistakes as his idiot son.

aggieash251 wrote:

"As a student at Texas A&M, I can speak for all Aggies when I say we are deeply saddened by our loss. President Gates was one our best presidents and his last four years here have been wonderful."

The good thing about Gates is that he isn't Rumsfeld.

Problem is, that we're still dealing with the same President - who just a week ago was saying that he wouldn't fire Rumsfeld.

A week later, Rumsfeld is fired and suddenly Bush has someone who has accepted the job.

Bush can't even be trusted not to lie to his own staffers let alone the nation.

Hopefully, Gates is more competent than either of those two buffoons - shouldn't be too hard I guess.

[Sherloxhome]

Robert M. Gates secretly met with & convinced IRAN to delay release of 52 hostages in 1980 (per Russian Intelligence documents) to benefit Reagan / Bush campaign, and was CIA director during Iran/contra affair. He is a part of the BUSH inner circle and has been rewarded well for his loyalty. Appointing him now saves Bush further "Rummie" embarrassment, and assures incoming Democrats don't prevent it.
He is patriotic to Arms & Oil only, and will not hesitate to waste American money or men to further this Bush family agenda.