Cohen: Why ex-Defense Secretary Gates was wrong to publish that memoir now

Some little grasshoppers will remember that I am a fan
of the memoirs of Robert Gates. But my friend
Eliot Cohen argues powerfully in the Weekly
Standard that Gates was wrong to publish them now:

The publication of this memoir now is a breach of
faith and a violation of propriety that is hard to understand. If Gates
believes that Obama is a disastrous president, surely he should have published
this book in 2012, when it might have influenced the presidential election. If
he is merely (and appropriately) contributing to our understanding of history,
he should have waited until Obama leaves office. If he thinks he can change the
president's modus operandi and worldview by publishing it now, he is deluding himself.

Tom again: This is a strong
argument, but I am not sure if the last sentence is correct. I think Gates
could have an influence on Obama's behavior, especially his tendency to favor
the advice of political hacks over foreign policy experts.

NB: Unfortunately, money-losing
unprofit magazine does not provide link.