Robert Gates actually said...

We should be able to secure our nation with a base budget of more than half a trillion dollars.

Gates stated a sufficient budget for national security.

03/02/2010

More Robert Gates Quotes

This problem will not be over in 18 months. This problem will not be over in 2 years.

the focus of the leadership on what's important. And that priority in my view, when we are at war is taking care of those who are at war.

I think that the strategy needs to show some signs that it's working.

It is simply not reasonable to expect the defense budget to continue increasing at the same rate it has over the last number of years.