Gates Gate

It is said a book cannot be judged by its cover. Well, you can't judge it if you haven't read it, especially if it has yet to be released. So I take the 'sound' bites being quoted from Robert Gates book as just that - sound bites.  The context cannot yet be judged.

That being said, however, it does show me one thing. Robert Gates, a man of my generation, takes our country and the governing of it seriously. To him foreign policy and defense are not a game to be used to further one's personal ambition but rather serious undertakings that have a long history in their making and serious consequences for not only the United States, but the world, if shunted aside because they are inconvenient.

In those two areas, good governance is an inclusive undertaking that should include all our allies.   Unfortunately, we have a President who is either incredibly naive or just doesn't care how his preferred actions affect the rest of the world.

He doesn't care that Iran is working daily toward their own nuclear armament.  He doesn't care that Assad continues to slaughter his own people.  He doesn't care that lies are still being told about the slaughter of four Americans in Benghazi.  He doesn't care that he lied about al Qaeda being decimated even as they grew in numbers and strength, returning to Iraq and spreading across northern Africa.

One subject I've write about often is how differently the world and our country are viewed by those in power  and seeking it versus  how those of my generation view it.  It would appear that Bob Gates has spelled it out far better than I can.  He has sat near the seat of power and has witnessed the change personally from the inner most circles.  I can only view it from the press point of view and we should all know that point of view is skewed.  The mind set of today's media is the same as today's politicians.  Self serving.

We're witnessing the vilification of a good man for having written a book laying out these differences.  The same goes for the Chris Christie debacle.  I have never seen so much effort to take down a man that can't even be proven to have known that his underlings behaved like children.  His biggest crime, until proven otherwise, was perhaps giving them too much power before they were mature enough to assume it.

We should take note as campaigns begin to heat up.  No PAC nor special interest group have been given the power, except by themselves, to determine who we should and should not support or dictate how a candidate should think.  Negative ads should be viewed negatively.

We should understand that those from both parties who have served their country long and well know of what they're speaking when they level a criticism.  They should not be summarily dismissed by a slanted press.  If they are it's then the press version that should be summarily dismissed

With the calls for a third party, perhaps I have a solution.  Those who are willing to look at the whole picture, realizing nothing will satisfy them completely should continue as Democrats and Republicans. From those fractions within parties, well rounded wholes can emerge. Those who are so unsure or too lazy to think things through for themselves and choose to follow the dictates of others as gospel, they should call themselves Lemmings for as sure as I write this they will follow until they go over the cliff.  Unfortunately they take everyone except those who would lead them with them.  You'll see if you look it has already started.

I can only hope there are more like Bob Gates who will come forward with their truths.  We won't all agree with everything, but we owe it to our country to hear them out.  Therein lies a lot of truth we need to hear.