Rummy retiring

So, in case you haven't heard, our buddy Donald Rummy resigned. In the wake of the midterm elections, President Bush announced Dr. Robert Gates, former Director of the CIA as his successor.

What do we know about Gates?

Well, he served as Deputy Director of Central Intelligence from 1986 until 1989 and as Assistant to the President and Deputy National Security Advisor at The White House from January 20, 1989 until November 6, 1991, under President George H.W. Bush.

After his stint with the CIA - 26 years to be exact- Gates went to Texas to serve as president of Texas A&M. In 1996, he wrote his memoirs "From the Shadows", a book that became somewhat controversial as it made statements about the relationship between the CIA and Mujahadeen in Afghanistan during the 1980's.

He thinks that the US is a target for cyber-terrorism. (I'm sure he was comforted when Mac's got their first virus.)

He launched a 1991 campaign to create more openness in the CIA. The intent was to share information with the media, academia and other government agencies.

Gates expressed concerns over the open participation of the CIA in peace negotiations between Israel and Palestine. But, nevertheless, "it seems fitting in this new era of openness that the C.I.A.'s longstanding behind-the-scenes role in helping to wage peace should finally become public alongside its long history in waging covert war."

When the Chinese embassy in Belgrade was "accidentally bombed" by NATO 1999, Gates said "In War, Mistakes Happen."

On that incident, a 1999, New York Times Op-Ed, said, "there was a system failure as well as mistakes by individuals. The source of all mapping information for United States military targeting is the National Imagery and Mapping Agency, a joint military and civilian intelligence organization. According to The New York Times, that agency was apparently the source of outdated maps. Then the C.I.A. analysts apparently misidentified the target. And finally, military databases in the United States and NATO used to check the accuracy of such information failed to catch the error.... Americans ... should understand that outdated maps and insufficient personnel are related to 12 years of budget cuts in both the military and intelligence."

He has recieved three Distinguished Intellegence Medals, the highest award for CIA agents.

And, of course, he served as a member of the board of trustees of The Fidelity Funds, and on the board of directors of NACCO Industries, Inc., Brinker International, Inc. and Parker Drilling Company, Inc.

Let's go get that oil.
And, let's be real open about it.
Hey, maybe we can take out a few Chinese Embassy's while we're at it.