OK, the real story goes deeper ...

When Gates had his confirmation hearings as Secretary for Defense I was contacted by a US Senator's office (a senior Armed Services Committee member) as to what questions I would suggest the Senator, a Democrat BTW, put to Mr. Gates ...

I suggested several pointed questions that would have exposed Mr. Gates' inadequacies for the appointment along with the recommendation that the Senator vote against the appointment -- he did not do so.

Result -- we got years of do-nothing bullshit. Perhaps, that was the intended goal?