Robert Gates: “This problem will not be over in 18 months. This problem will not be over in 2 years.”

it's a terrible way to budget. I mean, it is a gimmick.

No more continuing resolutions.

The Chinese have played a lot of clips of what happened at the Capitol on January 6. And in their propaganda... have talked about how we’re in no position to advise other countries on how to govern themselves.

the only way I could get significant new or additional equipment to commanders in the field in weeks or months--not years--was to take control of the problem myself through special task forces and ad hoc processes.