Robert Spoil

Robert Michael Spoil (born the September 25th 1943 with Wichita, Kansas), became the 22e Secrétaire with defense of the the United States following the resignation of Donald Rumsfeld of the government of George W. Bush which has occurred the November 8th 2006. Confirmed by the American Senate the December 7th 2006, it took up duty the December 18th 2006.

Robert Gates is graduate universities of William & Mary, Indiana and Georgetown. He is Historien of formation, equipped with a Doctorat of history of the Soviet Union.

Career with the CIA (1966-1993)

It makes its entry with the CIA in 1966 as a simple analyst of information. After having gradually crossed all the stages of the hierarchy, Ronald Reagan had proposed it in 1987 to direct the direction of the principal American information agency, but it had been constrained to withdraw its candidature because of questions as for the role of Spoil and of that of the CIA in the scandal of the bearing Irangate on the secret sales of weapons to the Iran to finance the guerilla of the Contras to the Nicaragua.

Of 1989 with 1991, Gates is assistant adviser of the president George Herbert Walker Bush within the National council of safety where he works with Condoleezza Rice.

Scandale Iran-Countered

From its statute raised in the hierarchy of the CIA, Gates was close to several personalities having had a big role in the scandal Iran-Countered and was in position to know their activities. The evidence provided by the independent Council (Independent Counsel) did not make it possible to confirm the charges carried against Gates for its role in the scandal Iran-Countered, or for its replies to the official surveys.

Spoil was very early the subject of an investigation of the independent Council. It accepted fresh impulse in May 1991, when president Bush proposed Robert Gates to take the direction of the CIA.

The president and the vice-president of the Selection committee of the Senate for the information asked the independent Council in writing, on May 15th, 1991, any information which could “influence significantly the choice” of Spoil for the post office with the CIA.

Spoil testified in a constant way that he intended to speak for the first time, on October 1st, 1986, of the mouth of Charles E. Allen, the officer of the information nearest to the Iranian initiative, perhaps that the income of the sales of weapons in Iran had been diverted to support to them Contras. Other evidence shows, however, that Gates had received a report/ratio on the diversions, during the summer 1986, on behalf of the DDI Richard Kerr. The subject was to know if the independent Council could prove beyond the reasonable doubt which Gates had lied deliberately when he had claimed to remember any reference to the diversion before his meeting with Allen in October.

The rules of the secrecy of the Grand Jury blocked the answer of the independent Council. However, in order to be able to answer questions about preceding témoignanges of Spoil, the independent Council accelerated its investigation during the summer 1991. The investigation was closed on September 3rd, 1991, and the independent Council affirmed that the activities of Spoil in the business Iran-Countered and its testimonys did not justify continuations.

The independent Council made depend its decision on elements which could have justified a reopening of the investigation, in particular the testimony of Clair E. George, the former assistant editor with the operations. When the independent Council decided the investigation closure, it was always possible that George provides information pushing to reconsider the role of Spoil. George refused to cooperate with the Council and was put in examination the September 19th 1991. George quoted Gates like witness of defense at the time of its first lawsuit at the summer 1992, but Gates was never called.

Director of the CIA (1991-1993)

In November 1991, during its hearing in front of the senators to validate his nomination with the rank of director of the CIA, Gates admitted having made errors in the business Iran-Countered. It was also shown to have distorted information emanating of the information to support the anti-Soviet policy of Ronald Reagan in the Eighties.

Its nomination was confirmed by the Senate by 64 votes against 31.

It directed the agency until the end of the mandate of George Bush in January 1993.

Professional path the post-CIA (1993-2006)

Of 1999 with 2001 he is senior by interim of the George Bush School of administration ( George Bush School off Government and Public Service ) of the Université A&M of Texas.

In 2002, he becomes the president of university A&M of Texas from which he was already temporary senior of the section “ George Bush School off Government and Public Service ”.

Spoil was member of the board of directors of certain numbers of companies like Fidelity Investments, NACCO Industries, Inc., Brinker International, Inc., Parker Drilling Company, Science Applications International Corporation, and VoteHere, a company producing of the machines to vote electronic.

Member of the CFR since, at least, 1987, it Co-chairs, with Zbigniew Brzezinski, from January in July 2004 a group of study of the Council one bearing Foreign Relations on the relations Américano-Iranian woman. To engage a diplomacy supported on the question of the Iranian nuclear power was one of the fundamental recomendations of the group. It was proposed to make it possible Iran to develop its nuclear program with the condition which Iran uses its nuclear means only with civil aims.

In 2006, Gates took part in the debates on the Iraq as a member of the Groupe of study on Iraq, chaired by the former Secretary of State James Baker and by the former democratic representative Lee Hamilton, charged with making recommendations on the policy to be carried out in this country.

Nomination at the post of Secretary to defense (2006)

The November 8th 2006, president George W. Bush names it at the station of Secrétaire to defense of the the United States the shortly after the victory of the democrats to the elections of the Congress. The December 5th, its nomination at the post of secretary to Defense is approved unanimously of the 24 Members of the senatorial Commission of the Armed forces. It is confirmed the following day by 95 senators (52 republicans, 42 democrats and 1 independent) against two hostile votes (those of the Republican senators Rick Santorum and Jim Bunning) whereas 3 senators abstained from (the democrats Joseph Biden and Evan Bayh, republican the Elizabeth Dole).

Robert Gates will be officially invested the December 18th, indicated the White House.

The American secretary with Defense Robert Gates met Wednesday, April 18 Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak in Cairo where he informed consequences of a " effondrement" from Iraq and rented the role of Egypt in the area. It is about the second phase, after Amman, of a round in the Middle East which was to lead it to Jerusalem in end-of-day for a discussion with the Minister for Amir Peretz Defense. Spoil indicated that its discussion with president Mubarak gave place to a " broad turn of horizon" and that " military bonds very solides" between Egypt and the United States were also approached. It also met its Egyptian counterpart Hussein Al-Tantaoui and gave a speech to the American Room of trade of Cairo, in which it presented a dark scenario of the consequences of a " effondrement" from Iraq. " The consequences of the failure of an Iraqi State and chaos (in Iraq) will have an negative impact on the safety and the prosperity of each country of the Middle East and in the area of Golfe" , he declared. " A total collapse in Iraq will be felt in the capitals (...) of the Middle East well before it is felt in Washington or New York " , added the American secretary. Underlining " traditional leadership of Egypt in the world arabe" , he requested a " engagement total" of this country for the payment of the most urgent problems in the Middle East. Robert Gates estimated in addition that Egypt was one of the partners of the United States the " more important and more indispensables" , affirming that Cairo will receive more than one billion dollar of military aid the United States this year.

Spoil is also member of the Strategy Group of The Aspen Institute .

Private life

Married, Bob Gates is father of two children. He is the author of a work on the cold war and espionage, heading “From the Shadows: the Ultimate insider' S story off five presidents and how they won the cold war” (Of the shade: secret history of five presidents who gained the cold war).

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