White House defends Biden against Gates criticism

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP-EXCITE

WASHINGTON (AP) - The White House is bristling over former Defense Secretary Robert Gates' new memoir accusing President Barack Obama of showing too little enthusiasm for the U.S. war mission in Afghanistan and sharply criticizing Vice President Joe Biden's foreign policy instincts.

In a book set for release next week by the publishing house Knopf, Gates writes that Biden is "a man of integrity," but also a political figure who has been "wrong on nearly every major foreign policy and national security issue over the past four decades."

Gates, a Republican, also slammed the National Security Council under Obama's watch. The Republican cited what he called the "controlling nature" of the White House, writing that Obama's national security team "took micromanagement and operational meddling to a new level."

Such tell-all books are not new to Washington and they're woven into the city's cultural fabric. In the inside-the-Beltway political culture, they burst into view, make a splash on TV, online and in the press and quickly fade. But in the case of the Gates book, the White House chose to speak out quickly and sharply.

FULL story at link.


Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20140108/DAB6L6IG1.html

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In this April 28. 2011 file photo, President Barack Obama stands in the East Room of the White House in Washington with, from left: Vice President Joe Biden and outgoing Defense Secretary Robert Gates. The White House is bristling over former Defense Secretary Robert Gates' new memoir accusing President Barack Obama of showing too little enthusiasm for the U.S. war mission in Afghanistan and sharply criticizing Vice President Joe Biden's foreign policy instincts. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

[Stainless]

1. Little Man Syndrome

Look at the photo! Robert Gates suffers from Aircraft Carrier Mouth and Canoe Ability.

[riversedge]

2. I really think Gates should have waited

until Pres Obama left office as is usually done when books such as this come out. Gates has a lot of anger and really should see a therapist--and should have before he had the book published. From the excerpts I have see--it reads like Gates is engaged in 'talk therapy" as he writes. Not good for the country--and I think I would say this if it was a Repug Pres in office also.

[TwilightGardener]

3. Gates told underlings to deliberately withhold information from the President/White House.

"They wouldn't understand it, " he said. That's quite an admission, and perhaps one that needs to be looked into. Deceptive, subversive, no integrity.

[Botany]

4. Keeping Gates on was a mistake

http://www.democraticunderground.com/101682123

[frylock]

5. yep. this is what happens when you don't clean house..

reap the whirlwind.

[independentpiney]

10. Agreed nt

[Lasher]

6. That's what Obama gets for being dumb enough to retain Republicans like Gates and Geithner.

Last edited Wed Jan 8, 2014, 07:29 PM - Edit history (1)

And General Betrayus, for Christ's sake.

I wonder how much criticism Gates has for GWB and Lord Vader in his book. Or Rummy. Or himself.

Obama and Biden have shown way too much enthusiasm for the continuation of what is more accurately described as Bush's, Cheney's Rummy's, and Gates' policies. They fucked up. Ever heard of Tora Bora? It's already been the longest war in US history (and still going). Now he's whining because the conflict hasn't gone on long enough.

This is preemptive blame shifting in anticipation of the collapse that will surely occur when and if we ever get the hell out of there.

[TwilightGardener]

9. Your last sentence--yep. Neocon attempts to pin the fail on the Donkeys.

The wars outlasted the Cheney/Bush Presidency--by design.

[msongs]

7. sucking up to republicans and finding they are snakes. bipartisan at any cost indeed nt

[Plucketeer]

12. Yup

and this president kept a whole vipers nest of Rethugs when he took office. I remember being totally astounded that worthy Dems couldn't be found to staff his cabinet! And it's only taken FIVE years for the wrongness of this to provoke Obama to the realization of the gremlins he's been courting.

[Arkana]

8. Their operations could USE a little meddling.

The Pentagon got too used to being allowed to roam free when Bush ran the joint.

[Kingofalldems]

11. Future Democratic presidents: Never include a republican

in your administration. They are there to disrupt. Think of the ones that come to DU and post.

[Lasher]

13. Going back to Ike, not one GOP President has ever had a Democratic Secretary of Defense.

Going back to Truman, every Democratic President except Carter has had a Republican Secretary of Defense for at least part of their tenure. During that same period of time, only two Presidents have ever kept on a Secretary of Defense from a prior administration: Gerald Ford retained fellow Republican James R. Schlesinger from the Nixon administration, and Obama left Gates in charge.

This is seriously fucked up and it's getting worse.