Gates to retire in 2011

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

In my view he's the best Sec Def we've ever had and this country should be grateful for his service.  Cleaned up the Rummy mess and is trusted and respected on both side of the aisle


Uber FF

[The Mikado]

In my view he's the best Sec Def we've ever had and this country should be grateful for his service.  Cleaned up the Rummy mess and is trusted and respected on both side of the aisle


Uber FF

QFT.

You might want to fix the typo in your title...I read it "Gates to be retired" and thought that he was being fired for some insane reason.

[Meeker]

Gates is a great man. That being said, I hope Obama picks a Democrat to replace him. We haven't had a Democrat as Defense Secretary in almost 15 years and I don't want a habit to develop of only picking Republicans for the job.

[Beet]

Not that it isn't his due, but the top defense guy in the country is getting out.

Hmm.

[Bacon King]

Gates is a FF; I hope someone of the same caliber replaces him.

[ilikeverin]

The writing was on the wall after his recent mega-FF calls to cut his department

[tmthforu94]

Not that it isn't his due, but the top defense guy in the country is getting out.

Hmm.

Hm, well he's only 66. He's also from Kansas, which is a big plus from me. I think he could stand an excellent chance in the primary and in the general. He is probably the most popular person in this administration.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

Retirement for a guy like him means gagillions in consulting fees......I don't blame him.  His public service will be remembered for a long time to come.

[Bo]

I expected him to retire sometime in Obama's first term, so this isn't really a surprise. But yeah, he did a pretty good job as Secretary of Defense and he was a good public servant for our nation. I wish him success and the best of luck once he actually does retire.

[Franzl]

That's a shame. Gates is a massive FF.

[SvenssonRS]

A farewell in advance to probably the only decent member of this entire administration.

[Lunar]

Secretary of Defense Hillary Clinton

[Bo]

Secretary of Defense Hillary Clinton

I find this concept unlikely.

[Frodo]

Damn -I was hoping he'd stay on through the remainder of Obama's presidency. 

[LastMcGovernite]

We're all forgetting that he was complicent in a lot of the unsavory wheelings and dealings of Reagan foreign policy, BUT I agree with the consensus that his work in the Bush 43 and Obama presidencies has been exemplary.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Robert Gates is a terrorist who helped the US get convicted of terrorism by the World Court.

[Lunar]

Robert Gates is a terrorist who helped the US get convicted of terrorism by the World Court.

Any elaboration?

[Barnes]

He's been a good SoD; I was surprised he stayed on this long, anyway.

[Joe Biden 2020]

He's been a good SoD; I was surprised he stayed on this long, anyway.

He's been a good SoD; I was surprised he stayed on this long, anyway.

I am suprised, too, though I always had a suspicion that the 2010 mid-terms would be his cut-off give or take a few months.  He really helped clean up the mess that Ronald Dumsfeld (to quote my good friend James Carville) left.  He helped see the end of the mess that is Iraq (assuming August 31, 2010 is the end and nothing flares up).  Afghanistan seems to be getting worse, but that's not entirely his fault, rather I think it is partly due to the abrupt change in command.  I blame President Bush for neglecting Afghanistan to fight in Iraq, and President Obama hasn't had a whole lot of success cleaning up from the neglect.  Secretary Gates has done a tremendous job of doing what he can with Afghanistan and not losing composure with General Mchrystal's disrespect for the Office of Commander-in-Chief.

Overall, I give Secretary Gates a A- for his service to our country.

I didn't read the article, but did he give any specific time in 2011 when he's leaving?  If he weren't already in Afghanistan, I would recommend President Obama nominate General Petraeus for the job, but we don't want to go through another abrupt change in command, the second in just a few months.

[Magic 8-Ball]

It's a shame; he's done a lot of good these last few years.

Robert Gates is a terrorist who helped the US get convicted of terrorism by the World Court.

Any elaboration?

I assume jfern's referring to his [fairly limited] role in Iran-Contra.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

His timing is to be admired.......he will be well into the draw down so he's not turning over a total pile of sh**t to his successor and he flat out said he doesn't want the President to have to appoint someone near the 2012 election (a GIANT goodwill gesture, IMO).

[Kaine for Senate '18]

He's been excellent in his job, and it's a pity he won't stay longer.  Uber FF.

[Landslide Lyndon]

Indeed, despite some initial grumbling from the Democrats he went on to become one of the best and most respected cabinet members of both administrations.
Makes you wonder why Bill Clinton fired him from the CIA and replaced him with the odious James Woolsey.

Secretary of Defense Hillary Clinton

I was saying that a year now.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

Indeed, despite some initial grumbling from the Democrats he went on to become one of the best and most respected cabinet members of both administrations.
Makes you wonder why Bill Clinton fired him from the CIA and replaced him with the odious James Woolsey.

Secretary of Defense Hillary Clinton

I was saying that a year now.

Because Gates isn't the kind of man Clinton could control, and Clinton was all about control.

[Joe Biden 2020]

Indeed, despite some initial grumbling from the Democrats he went on to become one of the best and most respected cabinet members of both administrations.
Makes you wonder why Bill Clinton fired him from the CIA and replaced him with the odious James Woolsey.

Secretary of Defense Hillary Clinton

I was saying that a year now.

Because Gates isn't the kind of man Clinton could control, and Clinton was all about control.

Exactly.  Bob Gates is his own man, he is not beholden to anyone president, which is a good part of the reason he served under two presidents of different parties and completely different ideologues.  That's a big reason I admire the man.  Plus, he was president of a Big-12 school (Texas A&M), that can't hurt either!