Gates: Military must accept outside criticism

[unhappycamper]

Gates: Military must accept outside criticism
By Robert Burns - The Associated Press
Posted : Tuesday Jun 10, 2008 18:18:13 EDT

SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. — The entire military — not just the newly reoriented Air Force — must learn to accept criticism from outside its ranks, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Tuesday.

Speaking to about 500 airmen at this base just east of St. Louis, Gates said it is well known that the military services make good use of internal reviews of their performance in order to improve and to correct problems.

“However, I have noticed that none of the services easily accept honest criticism from outside their branch, or scrutiny that exposes institutional shortcomings,” Gates said. “This is something that must change across the military.”

Gates offered no specific examples of other branches of the military resisting outside criticism, but his remark followed his decision last week to fire Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne and the Air Force chief of staff, Gen. T. Michael Moseley. Gates told his subdued audience at Scott that the shake-up was a regrettable but necessary response to Air Force failures in the performance of its nuclear mission.

The firings were prompted by the findings of an investigation by Adm. Kirkland Donald, a nuclear weapons expert, who concluded that the Air Force had allowed its nuclear expertise, performance and stewardship to erode over a period of years — despite warnings signs that were not heeded by Air Force leaders.


Rest of article at: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/06/ap_gates_criticism_060908/

[leveymg]

1. Gates is one of the best Def Secs in a long, long time.

He seems unafraid to speak truth to powers that are not used to hearing criticism, both in the White House and in the services.

President Obama might want to consider keeping him on.

[unhappycamper]

2. Compared to Rumsfeld, Gates is a gem.

But then again anyone not rabid would probably considered 'good'.

Before recommending Gates to continue, I'd suggest you read "Legacy of Ashes" -->

[leveymg]

3. I did. He seems far better at DoD than he did at CIA

But, that may just be relative to the general state of decline of the US Government.

[unhappycamper]

4. What did you think of the book?

I was just amazed that the CIA has gotten exactly one thing correct since its inception.

[leveymg]

5. Wasn't too impressed at first glance. A sweeping but shallow account.

Did a quick skim and went through the index. Not a lot there that hasn't been treated in greater detail and focus elsewhere.

Recommend Joe Trento's histories of the CIA, instead, for its description of moles within the agency. Trento's work is particularly valuable for its insiders accounts of G.H.W.'s mechanizations as CIA Director, and the Ed Wilson-Ted Shackley private "Rogue Agency" that Bush sponsored. Corn's work on Shackley, "Blonde Ghost", is excellent. Also, should read Mangold's bio of James Jesus Angleton to understand how his obsessions and personal relationship with Fascism and willingness to keep Allen Dulles' secrets messed up CIA Counter-intellgence for 25 years. The formative Allen Dulles years, and its compromise by the Gehlen Org, are covered well in Allan Loftus' works.