"It has become clear that America’s civilian institutions of diplomacy and development have been chronically undermanned and underfunded for far too long – relative to what we spend on the military, and more important, relative to the responsibilities and challenges our nation has around the world."

"I think he has been wrong on nearly every major foreign policy and national security issue over the past four decades"

"Tough-minded, realistic, and very pro-American."

"I looked into his eyes and I didn't see his soul, but a cold-blooded killer. Gates to George W Bush, as quoted in "On GPS: Gates on Putin, 27 February 2022" (2006)"

"Most governments lie to each other. That’s the way business gets done."

"„Es ist klar geworden, dass Amerikas zivile Einrichtungen für Diplomatie und Entwicklung schon viel zu lange chronisch unterbesetzt und unterfinanziert sind – im Verhältnis zu dem, was wir für das Militär ausgeben, und, noch wichtiger, im Verhältnis zur Verantwortung und zu den Aufgaben unserer Nation in aller Welt.“"

""Ich habe ihm in die Augen geschaut und sah nicht seine Seele, sondern einen kaltblütigen Killer." Robert Gates über Putin zu George W. Bush, On GPS: Gates on Putin, cnn.com 2006."