Summary

In Chapter 14, Gates describes a trip to China to pave the way for a subsequent visit by the Chinese president to Washington. He sums up his thoughts on China by saying that its government continues to invest in new military capabilities and technologies, but rather than trying to match the U.S. ship for ship, etc., the Chinese are investing selectively in capabilities that target our vulnerabilities, not our strengths. Their cyber-attack capabilities are advanced and continuing to improve, so the U.S. needs to manage the relationship carefully and keep a robust air and naval presence in the Pacific to reassure our friends and allies. After a brief mention of several other trips abroad, Gates describes the discussions regarding succession as he and others were leaving their posts. In the end, Gates was replaced by Leon Panetta...