Say what you will about Bob Gates but you would be sorely mistaken to say he is not a very smart individual. Robert Gates, Ph.D., in Russian and Soviet history from Georgetown University and former president of Texas A & M University, had his detractors during his rise from the ranks after more than a quarter-century to become Central Intelligence Agency director. There were the blemishes on his tenure as a senior agency official and director including ties to Iran-Contra figures and probably the most damaging mole in recent U.S. spy history, Aldrich Ames. Nevertheless, no one can attain such high offices in government for such staggering lengths of time as Gates without becoming collateral damage from psychopaths who work and live on a major scale. Do you ever see that “Col.” Ollie North guy on Fox?
Probably the best memory I have of the G.H.W. Bush administration, other than G.H.W. Bush leaving, was Donald Rumsfeld leaving the Defense secretary post and being replaced with Bob Gates. I told a conservative friend that I thought Gates was the best choice I could think of as Sec Def. I felt so then. I felt so when he was picked by Obama and I continue to feel that way. I don’t agree with all of his decisions or his proposals. There is no way anyone could agree with everything a Defense secretary does without being either a liar or consummate ass kisser.
Though I may not always agree with him I do see a brilliance in the man I do not see in so many other government officials. An example: His message to students this week at Duke University.
He told Duke students this week that they should “earn their freedom.”
While praising the remarkable ability of today’s all-volunteer military, Gates said that the voluntary force has exacted a price from a small portion of society. Despite the public having considerable admiration for the service especially since 9/11 the military “has become something for other people to do,” Gates said. He added that military personnel today are disproportionately from military families and rural areas, especially from the South and Mountain West.
“There is a risk over time of developing a cadre of military leaders that politically, culturally and geographically have less and less in common with the people they have sworn to defend,” Gates said, according to The Duke Chronicle.
Such trends already have proved problematic for the country. One only has to take a look at Congress. The representative body has for a number years been out of touch with the military and when our nation started calling on our military to fight, die and come home mangled from roadside bombs the veterans found a nation unready for their needs. Some ex-military are now seeking office. Unfortunately, some have been recruited for the wrong reasons. All veterans are not war mongers, or civilian killers or gun nuts or just weirdos in general. We thankfully see those, however, who feel like serving in elected office is like serving in the military. It can be a pain, it can be a marvelous experience but either way, it is something you get your dress blues on for and go out and do what you need to do for your country.
When Gates leaves sometime next year after two very different, and both very controversial administrations, one can only hope we find a new Sec Def who is half his equal as a government leader. It will be extremely difficult to find one near his equal in intellect.
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