a high level and who particip e participates participat participates in policy discussions and has confidential conversations with principals and presidents and leaves office makes a decision about how to talk or write about that experience. when when. that is everybody s decision to make for himself or herself. i would simply say that the president asked secretary gates, robert gates to stay on as secretary of defense and he appreciates the service he gave to this administration and this president and very much valued the he played in the administration and the advice he gave. for other issues, i will leave it to other folks to decide because everyone makes their own decision in that circumstance. some people write books and others don t. we are focused on all the things we need to work on 2014 in national security matters and domestic and economic matters.