. >> secretary of defense robert gates recommended an air strike with no forces inserted on the groundce president biden wanted to wait on further proof that bin laden was there. >> as we walked out the room, he said, you know it's time to make a decision. i know this sounds trite, the president is all alone. all alone. >> jon: i mean trust me, i am no help to that man at all. [ laughter ] i'm going to tell you something. [ applause ] i'm going to tell you something, brian, and i mean this sincerely it's from the bottom of my heart, i'm like having one less brain in the room. [ laughter ] until fact i want to go on record right now saying that terrorists should be able to get married. they should get married. [ laughter ] i learned that from watching will and grace. [ laughter ] so the killing of bin laden is a tough one. what about the auto bailouts obama recommend snnched the auto companies needed to go through bankruptcy before government help. that was the right course. i argued for it from the very beginning and when that was done and help was given the companies got back on their

office, the only cabinet official he kept from the bush administration was secretary of defense robert gateslliam and mary college. that's where we met and talked about the dangers america still faces. >> reporter: how would you assess our national security today? >> there's many diverse challenges. none are probably exois stential at this point but they're all important and all have to be dealt with. the problem is crisis and problems just keep coming up. nothing ever goes away. and what people, i think, don't understand is we have this gigantic security apparatus, but when push comes to shove, it's eight people that have to deal with all of these issues sitting around the table in the situation room. led by the president. >> reporter: those people are the president, the vice president, the secretary of state, the secretary of defense, the national security adviser, the cham chairman of the join chiefs. that's six. >> national intelligence and director of cia. >> reporter: that brings me to a specific, which is the night of the bin laden raid. and the assassination and -- >> the one where w

and william & mary in williamsberg, virginia, a conversation with former secretary of defense robert gates. captioning sponsored by rose communications from our studios in new york city, this is charlie rose. >> rose: robert gait has had a long and distinguished career in pub public service. he has served under eight presidents. his career began at the c.i.a. in the 1960s where he rose to become director of the agency under president george h.w. bush. he also served as an officer in the united states air force. after 26 years at the c.i.a. and national security council, he became president of texas and, a, many university. in 2006, president george w. bush appointed him sex tear of defense succeeding donald rumsfeld. under his watch, gates oversaw iraq's troopurge. president-elect obama asked him to stay in the job. he became the first defense secretary to serve both a republican and democratic president. in the obama administration he played a pivotal role in shaping u.s. policy in afghanistan. he was a key player in the decision to send additional forces into the country. he was at the c

goler looks at the impacc this could have on national security secuuity former defense secretary robert gatese secrecy the president and his aides swore themselves tt the night of usama bin ladee was killed pidn't evvn last a day. dr. shakil afridi, administration critics say, was just the first casualty, sayss "... there was evee talk of dna, how dna samples were going to be used. that to start rounding up health - administration officials deny the charge, one saying, quote: "... the pakistanis found dr. identities of human sources intelligenne communityy" pakistani officials say the plan to get d-n-a from bin laden's children raised suspicions... giving away free vaccinations in a well to do neighborhood wasn't normal.. and afridi quickly drew ttention because he was the official surgeon officials are trying to the ponvince pakistanis afridi was a hero, not a criminal. sot - clinton says: "... his help, after all, was instrumentallin taking down one of the world's most notorious murderers." u-s officials are working behind the scenns to try nd win a pardon for fridi.... worry his treason co

the tour of california is officially in the books >> robert gates from the netherlands took the leadntion of giving it up. peter sagan won the fifth stage this year. >> a 16 year-old girl from san jose is the u.s. best hope at winning an olympic gold medal in table tennis this summer. >> she is trying to do what no other american has ever done before, win a medal in table tennis, but in her journey she made some pretty famous friends. she was invited to warren buffett 75th birthday party. >> there was a table set up and i got to play against uncle bill. mr. bill gates. before i wanted to be a teacher or a doctor but now that i've been to berkshire hathaway meetings business sounds really fun >> warren buffett is a ping-pong fanatic. she is also a star in the classroom but her parents say she needs to keep getting a's in order to play table tennis and so far so good. >> on cool warren and uncle bill? >> i would rather just have you guys as friends. things are changing a little around the bay area. tablatures start to cool off after a gorgeous weekend. outside we have some dense fog sh

lot of these guys, and this is one of the most courageous decisions i've seen a president make," robert gates. "not everybody does it," vice chairman of the joint t chiefs of staff. obama's fae general wanted -- favorite general wanted-2 bombers. obama, with 40% intelligence that says that osama was there said to go ahead. wait a cheap >> over 23 mlion people out of work or stop looking for work can only get part-time jobs. that means households cannonot be formed, peopleho thought t they would be retiring c cannot retire to they still have to work. americans are tired ofeing tired under this economy and president and they want a real change. >> that was mitt romney in chantilly, v virginia this week. key battleground state. unemoyment dropped to 8.1% last month ronny will argue that the growth is too smallll -- romney will argue th the growth is too small and too slow. his argument this week was overshadowed by the trip to afghanistan. tough competition evan. >> it is, but i know that he should take gratuitous, foolish fights. whye has to wawaive his and every time someone asks him -- he wou

obama secretary of defense robert gates though has stated that even after two thousand and eleven he expects to see several tens of thousands of american troops as part of a residual force in iraq hence many fear that iraq may be used as a launching pad for future wars in the region. in fact basis created in response to an imminent threat have ended up becoming permanent. seat. for example born in the context of the cold war is still operational and has played a crucial role in the iraq will be stayed to. see beauty steady and thought you know the ins and outs say. that people are to go if they are to retire and they are but the thing is americans are living they are paying to have they have to fill up they i and i and i you going ahead like the island nuclear i clearly told you knew all and i'm eric i know enjoying their life so they are why should we not have the right to go on now i don't and enjoy the same way they are doing. so by many as the navy's best kept secret because of its remote location diego garcia is actually home to about three thousand residents at any given time t

charlie's interview with former defense secretary robert gates.thought the osama bin laden raid was not his first choice. if you line sieinfeld and ento r entourage, and i saw "the dictator." he likes to push people's buttons. do more years in school add more years to your life? we'll make that a "long story short" when i see you at 8:00. you're watching "cbs this morning." >> announcer: this portion of "cbs this morning" sponsored by party city. throw the hottest part of the season. [ female announcer ] i found the best cafe in the world. ♪ nespresso. where there's a grand cru to match my every mood. ♪ where just one touch creates the perfect cup. where no one makes a better cappuccino, latte, or espresso than me. and where clothing is optional. nespresso. the best cafe. yours. [ sneezes ] [ male announcer ] you may be an allergy muddler. try zyrtec® for powerful allergy relief. and zyrtec® is different than claritin® because it starts working faster on the first day you take it. zyrtec®. love the air. [ sneezes ] time out. sweet. [ female announ

robert gates who served every president since richard next orntion he was against the raid.er two military advisor to president obama he was against the raid, had another idea, drop a small bomb on the compound. so you know, this was not an easy decision. >> jon: and obama even, you talk about how he initiated the idea that the seal force bring extra armament so if they had to fight their way out they could. >> add mirl mick melen the top military advisor to president obama was very clear. he said it was president obama who put in the extra chinook, the very large kind of transport helicopters. and they were necessary. because without that, he wouldn't have had the quick reaction force to go in and get the poll on the ground from the fallen helicopter. >> you have, you can stick around for a few minutes. we are running out of time. you have to pick this up. it is an incredibly dedame-- detailed and gripping accountment pan hunts on the book shelves now, petser bergen. we'll be right back with him. that's our show, here it is your moment of zen. >> mitt romney can beat obama.

. >> "this is one of the most courageous decisions i've seen a president make" -- robert gates. "not everybody does it" -- vice chairman of the joint chiefs of staff. obama's favorite general wanted b-2 bombers to drop bombs. obama, with 40% intelligence saying that osama was there, said bill ahead. was it a cheap shot to put romney in the piece? yes, a counter productive. >> over 23 million people out of work, or can only get part- time jobs. households cannot be formed, people bought date and would be retiring -- they would be retiring. they are tired of being tired. >> unemployment dropped to 8.1% last month. the administration will talk about 26 straight months of job growth. ronny will argue -- romney will argue that the growth is too slow and too small it was overshadowed by the trip to afghanistan. tough competition. >> yes, he is running for office, but when he passed away this and every time something happens -- why he has to waive his little head every time something happens -- he would do better by taking a low-key approach in congratulating the president when it work

for a lot of these guys, and this was one of the most courageous decisions and president made -- robert gates. "not everybody does it," vice chairman of the chief of staff. b-2a's general wanted bombers dropped cluster bombs. obama, with 40% intelligence saying that there was a chance that osama was there said it to go ahead with the drought was a chp shot to put romney in the peace? yes, it was counterproductive. >> over 20 million people out of work or stop looking for work or can only get part-time jobs. households cannot be formed, people bought it and would be retiring and they cannot. -- people thought they would be retiring and they cannot treat people are tired of being tired, and they want a real change. >> mitt romney in chantilly, virginia. key battleground state. 115,0 jo add. e adnisttionill talk about 26 straight months of job growth. romney awlaki that the growth is too slow, too small -- romney will argue that the growth is too slow, too small. he was overshadowed by the president's trip to afghanistan. tougher competition. >> it is, but he should not a gratuitous fights. why

the secretary of defense, robert gates, a guy who has served every president since nixon, he was against this decision. the number two military adviser to the president, was advocating something different. they wanted to drop a small experimental bomb on the compound. this was the president's decision. this is what historians will be looking at. it was a courageous one. >> as you have written, many people still think that president obama is soft off -- soft on defense. why is that? >> well, people are entitled to their own opinions. part of it was his early opposition to the iraq war. he won the nobel peace prize early in his campaign. to a surprise, he used it as an opportunity discuss his theories on war. that has got to the first time anyone has done that. he was also criticized for saying he would do a unilateral military strike in pakistan if the target presented itself. hillary clinton said it was a mistake to telegraph that. people have not really been listening. there is a case of cognitive dissonance with this guy. he has increased the number of from strikes in afghanistan and p

wanted more proof bin laden was in the compound before the group acted and former defense secretary robert gates favored an air strike over putting those navy seals inside the compound. the president had to override both of them. you can watch more of "rock center" special report inside the situation room. i encourage you to do so at msnbc.com. >>> it took just 12 minutes for someone to spend $119.9 million and take home one of the world's most recognizable works of art. 1895 pastel, "the scream," you've all seen this one, set a new world record last night at auction in "new york times." in the end, five people were competing with the masterpiece with an anonymous bidder over the phone walking away the winner at the price tag of 11 9 $119.9 million. the sale broke a previous record held by a picasso that went for $16.5 million a couple years ago. still ahead, way too early. a no hitter in the big leagues last night. highlights of a nearly perfect night in sports. >>> just a terrible story from the nfl, as junior seau, one of the best liked hitters in the american league apparently takes his own

robert gates canceled the long running airborne laser, a 747 jetliner with a powerful laser to shoot down enemy ballistic missiles. he did continue investment in the laze thaer was supposed to go on the plane. our next guest, mark gunsinger argues that directed energy systems have many uses and are far more ready for operational use than critics suggest. he is the co-author of a new report, changing the game, the promise of directed energy objectives. welcome to the show. >> thank you, vago. >> what are the cost of directed energy systems over conventional ones. >> frankly conventional weapons are expendable and cost millions of dollars each. frankly defense based solely on those offenses may not be affordable. in fact a pac 3 -- >> patriot accessibility missile. >> yes exactly and it is billions of dollars each. and imagine it coming at one of our bases in the pacific. countering those missiles with those kind of defenses can cost the american taxpayer hundreds of millions of dollars and over a campaign simply not affordable. >> and you run out of the defensive missiles. so it is no