A new book by former U.S. secretary of defense Robert Gates describes President Barack Obama as "a man of personal integrity" who nonetheless was skeptical of his own dministration's "surge" strategy in Afghanistan and openly distrustful of the military leadership.
Excerpts from Duty: Memoirs of a Secretary of War, were published late Tuesday in The NewYork Times and Washington Post.
Gates, a Republican holdover from the George W. Bush administration who served for two years under Mr. Obama, writes he never doubted Mr. Obama's support for the troops, "only his support for their mission."
In an excerpt published in The Times, Gates writes that Mr. Obama questioned the abilities of his commander on the ground in Afghanistan, General David Petraeus, and expressed doubts about whether he could work with Afghan President Hamid Karzai.
But later in the memoir, Gates says Mr. "Obama was right" in his decisions about Afghanistan.
Gates harshly criticizes Vice President Joe Biden, calling him "a man of integrity" but saying he has been "wrong on nearly every major foreign policy and national security issue over the past four decades."
Excerpts from Duty: Memoirs of a Secretary of War, were published late Tuesday in The NewYork Times and Washington Post.
Gates, a Republican holdover from the George W. Bush administration who served for two years under Mr. Obama, writes he never doubted Mr. Obama's support for the troops, "only his support for their mission."
In an excerpt published in The Times, Gates writes that Mr. Obama questioned the abilities of his commander on the ground in Afghanistan, General David Petraeus, and expressed doubts about whether he could work with Afghan President Hamid Karzai.
But later in the memoir, Gates says Mr. "Obama was right" in his decisions about Afghanistan.
Gates harshly criticizes Vice President Joe Biden, calling him "a man of integrity" but saying he has been "wrong on nearly every major foreign policy and national security issue over the past four decades."