Robert Gates: “the fact that we are a nation at war . . . calls for sustaining the current military force structure”

Development is a lot cheaper than sending soldiers.

I think there is a cost. I think it does provide a basis for radicalization in the region.

I think that it's still a problem for the Saudis.

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.