ation that he enjoys as he leaves office," former senior CIA analyst Paul Pillar says. "Gates has long had a knack for nurturing his own reputation." Pillar recalls that Gates during his CIA days was "always saying, 'I'm going to whip this organization into shape.' Anything good that happens, it's because

later the fledgling state. Key components for Israel's nuclear bombs were clandestinely obtained here. "They've found creative and inventive ways," Pillar said, to get what they want. "If we give them free rein to send people over here, how are we going to stop that?" the former congressional aide as

could resuscitate revolutionary ideology and repair the deep fractures both amongst the political elite and among the population and the regime." Pillar says the theory has some historical evidence on its side. "The big data point in support of this concept is the Iran-Iraq war: Saddam Hussein's Ira

on that he enjoys as he leaves office," former senior CIA analyst Paul Pillar says. "Gates has long had a knack for nurturing his own reputation." Pillar recalls that Gates during his CIA days was "always saying, 'I'm going to whip this organization into shape.' Anything good that happens, it's becau