US | Robert Gates ‘Anti-Rumsfeld’ Cools Iran War Rhetoric Servant to 7 presidents prefers 'soft power' to VP's battle plans By Jonas Oransky Posted Dec 3, 2007 7:35 PM CST Copied U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates arrives, Monday, Dec. 3, 2007, in Djibouti, Djibouti. (AP Photo/Pool, Haraz N. Ghanbari) (Associated Press) Dubbed the “Anti-Rumsfeld,” Defense Secretary Robert Gates is soothing fears that the US will bomb Iran—while trying to guard against mishaps that might trigger a war. Certain that a Tehran strike would spark a wider conflict and terror in Europe, Gates coolly tries to “lower the temperature,” Newsweek reports, as a Cold War-style counterbalance to the VP's battle plans. A veteran, anti-partisan servant of 7 presidents, Gates embraces nation-building—a term Rumsfeld scorned—and recently stunned Capitol Hill by advocating more money for diplomats and aid workers. He scoffs at a claim that he's jockeying to stay on with a Democratic president, saying he carries a clock that ticks down to his last day in office—inauguration day, 2009. Read These Next A government shutdown could mean permanent layoffs. Judge demands answers from Trump administration on Mangione comments. It's one of the best lottery pool stories you'll ever read. Trash bags, zip ties, bleach caught delivery driver's attention. Report an error