Robert Gates: “The President can't change this law. It's just that simple.”

My staff and I have learned that it was nearly impossible to get accurate information and answers to questions such as, 'How much money did you spend?' and, 'How many people do you have?'

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

I think it doesn't make strategic sense.

I soon learned that 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.