they fight back in the media, how do they respond? this is a devastating book for precisely the reasons you said. this brings afghanistan back into the news, it raises questions about his commitment to his own war policy and it comes from bob gates has a reputation here inside the beltway as a very classy guy, not one who is self aggrandizing. the administration has to be very careful here because of gates reputation, the president himself gave bob gates a medal of freedom not to try to demonize him or discredit the messenger as it pushes back inevitably against what is in the book. jon: he has commenced pointed out, a reputation as a straight shooter, even kill guy who is above politics. you would maybe expect a book like this from him, it took where he lays out everything. he seems pretty angry.