legend. particularly for his incredible part in network:
“You go to war with the army you have, not the army you might want or wish to have at a later time.” 
That may actually be the best quote from any Chicago politician ever. It was like he was telling that soldier “stop whining and go do your job, you know the one you freely signed up to do,” but with a tone that was so condescending that over a decade later no US soldier has dared to ask why s/he doesn’t have access to (whatever piece of gear they think they should have).
Yea man he was no Saint that’s for sure. Plus he was a Republican 
, but I am not sure you can blame the war on him. Ultimately the president had to authorise military action or congress could have declared war (Congress didn’t).
He served from 54-57 active duty Navy and then did a number of years in the Naval Reserve. The rank and file always have more respect for the person sending them into harms way when you know that person was in their shoes years before. I went in when he was Sec Def and always appreciated that he didn’t dance around questions he didn’t have an answer for or try to sugar coat answers he knew absolutely no one would like. He simply said “I don’t know” or just gave you the answer you didn’t want to hear.
Like I said mano, he was no Saint. I don’t condone torture or politicians lying to advance their chosen (or bosses chosen) agenda. Did he make it up or was he following orders? I don’t know nor do I care. We were going to iraq and if he hadn’t been on board he would have been replaced. I can tell you I was still in after he resigned and nothing changed with regard to the Iraq War. Gates was in the Air Force but seemed to dance around questions in a way that aggravated the men and women I served with.
You could levy that first charge against any person who had a super high up position during any serious armed conflict. We’re in agreement on the 2nd one. Although I highly doubt he envisioned MPs at Abu Grhab doing all those obscene things simply bc they thought it was funny or cool. He was just wrong to think that we, the self proclaimed beacon of freedom, should be allowing torture of any kind for any reason. He told the congressional oversight committee this, again, refreshing to see a political person take a bullet on anything of such importance.
“These events occurred on my watch…as Secretary of Defense, I am accountable for them and I take full responsibility……there are other photos – many other photos – that depict incidents of physical violence towards prisoners, acts that can only be described as blatantly sadistic, cruel and inhuman.”
Guys, let’s not get off topic here. Yes, he was a horrible person but he’s dead and can’t do anything more to people now.
Aw fuck.
I guess he was too old for this shit. Sorry. Wasn’t meant to be disrespectful. I adore this guy and his movies. Even wrote an obit:
I loved Night Court when I was a kid. 