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Robert M. Gates Quote

“Even when I was at CIA, I'd go to visit foreign leaders and I'd say, 'You know, I'm not a diplomat. I'm just an old CIA guy'... I said, 'If I wanted to be diplomatic, I'd have been a diplomat.'”

— Robert M. Gates

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A wild and crazy weekend involves sitting on the front porch, smoking a cigar, reading a book.

— Robert M. Gates

Wisdom

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One of my favorite little sayings is, 'To avoid criticism, say nothing, do nothing, be nothing.'

— Robert M. Gates

Wisdom

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There is no international problem that can be addressed or solved without the engagement and leadership of the United States and everybody in the world knows that, its just fact of life. So sometimes I think we could conduct ourselves with a little more humility.

— Robert M. Gates

Life

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Well, I've ruffled a few feathers at all the institutions I've led. But I think that's part of leadership.

— Robert M. Gates

Wisdom

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I've been very sensitive for a long time to the repeated pattern, during economic hard times or after a war, of the United States' essentially unilaterally disarming.

— Robert M. Gates

Wisdom

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I read in the press, and therefore it must be true, that no secretary of defense had ever been quoted as arguing for a bigger budget for State.

— Robert M. Gates

Wisdom

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