ARLINGTON, VA - SEPTEMBER 17: Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates (L) and Vice Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. James E. Cartwright (R) answer questions during a press briefing at the Pentagon on September 17, 2009 in Arlington, Virginia. Gates spoke primarily about a change in strategy on missile defense planning that would scrap a plan proposed by former U.S. President George W. Bush and instead focus efforts on revising the system to counter possible threats posed by shorter range Iranian missiles. Getty Images logo Getty Images 2 months ago

ARLINGTON, VA - SEPTEMBER 17: Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates (L) and Vice Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. James E. Cartwright (R) answer questions during a press briefing at the Pentagon on September 17, 2009 in Arlington, Virginia. Gates spoke primarily about a change in strategy on missile defense planning that would scrap a plan proposed by former U.S. President George W. Bush and instead focus efforts on revising the system to counter possible threats posed by shorter range Iranian missiles.

More Photos of

Explore Photos of Related Topics

  1. U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates, left, and his South Korean counterpart Kim Tae-young participate in a joint news conference at South Korea's defense ministry in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, Oct. 22, 2009. Gates said Thursday that North Korea continues to pose a grave threat to international peace and pledged to protect South Korea with Washington's full military might, including its nuclear capabilities.
  2. Protesters holding portraits of U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates, left, and his South Korean counterpart Kim Tae-young shout a slogan during a rally against the Security Consultative Meeting, or SCM, between the U.S. and South Korea in front of the Defense Ministry in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, Oct. 22, 2009. Gates said Wednesday the United States will never accept a North Korea with atomic bombs, saying the communist regime poses threats "even more lethal and destabilizing."
  3. U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates (R) shakes hands with his South Korean counterpart Kim Tae-young during Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) at the Defense Ministry in Seoul October 22, 2009. Gates said on Thursday that North Korea poses a threat to his country's allies in North Asia and promised to protect them under the U.S. nuclear deterrent.
  4. U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates, left, shakes hands with his South Korean counterpart Kim Tae-young during Security Consultative Meeting or SCM at the Defense Ministry in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, Oct. 22, 2009. Gates said Wednesday the United States will never accept a North Korea with atomic bombs, saying the communist regime poses threats "even more lethal and destabilizing."
  5. U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates, left, arrives to sign the guest book before meeting South Korean Prime Minister Chung Un-chan as U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Kathleen Stephens looks on at the Government Complex in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2009. Gates said Wednesday the United States will never accept a North Korea with atomic bombs, saying the communist regime poses threats "even more lethal and destabilizing" than before.
  6. U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates (L) talks with Japan's Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada at the Foreign Ministry in Tokyo October 20, 2009. The United States wants to stick to a deal on realigning U.S. troops in Japan, Defense Secretary Gates said on Tuesday, giving Japan's new government little room to move on an issue that could test ties.
  7. US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates(L) and Chariman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen hold a press conference in the briefing room of the Pentagon in Washington, DC November 19, 2009, speaking about the shooting at Fort Hood. Gates on Thursday announced a major review of the Fort Hood shootings to examine if the military had missed warning signs or remained 'vulnerable' to similar assaults. The 45-day review would look at possible 'lapses or problems' before this month's army base shooting that killed 13 people and 'what can we do to prevent something like this from happening again,' Gates told a news conference.
  8. ARLINGTON, VA - NOVEMBER 19: U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates holds a news conference at the Pentagon November 19, 2009 in Arlington, Virginia. In the wake of the Ft. Hood attack, Gates announced that former Army Secretary Togo West and former chief of naval operations Adm. Vernon Clark will head the 45-day review of personnel programs, medical screenings and release and discharge policies, as well as the department's stateside security programs at bases and other facilities.
  9. ARLINGTON, VA - NOVEMBER 19: U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates holds a news conference at the Pentagon November 19, 2009 in Arlington, Virginia. In the wake of the Ft. Hood attack, Gates announced that former Army Secretary Togo West and former chief of naval operations Adm. Vernon Clark will head the 45-day review of personnel programs, medical screenings and release and discharge policies, as well as the department's stateside security programs at bases and other facilities.
  10. ARLINGTON, VA - NOVEMBER 19: U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates holds a news conference at the Pentagon November 19, 2009 in Arlington, Virginia. In the wake of the Ft. Hood attack, Gates announced that former Army Secretary Togo West and former chief of naval operations Adm. Vernon Clark will head the 45-day review of personnel programs, medical screenings and release and discharge policies, as well as the department's stateside security programs at bases and other facilities.
  11. ARLINGTON, VA - NOVEMBER 19: Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Navy Admiral Michael Mullen answers questions from reporters during news conference at the Pentagon November 19, 2009 in Arlington, Virginia. In the wake of the Ft. Hood attack, Mullen and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates announced that former Army Secretary Togo West and former chief of naval operations Adm. Vernon Clark will head the 45-day review of personnel programs, medical screenings and release and discharge policies, as well as the department's stateside security programs at bases and other facilities.
  12. ARLINGTON, VA - NOVEMBER 19: U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates holds a news conference at the Pentagon November 19, 2009 in Arlington, Virginia. In the wake of the Ft. Hood attack, Gates announced that former Army Secretary Togo West and former chief of naval operations Adm. Vernon Clark will head the 45-day review of personnel programs, medical screenings and release and discharge policies, as well as the department's stateside security programs at bases and other facilities.
  13. LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 24: Anti-war demonstrators dressed up as bloodied former Prime Minister Tony Blair (L) and US President George Bush stand outside the Iraq Inquiry on November 24, 2009 in London. Chairman of the Iraq Inquiry Sir John Chilcot will lead a committee of Privy Counsellors who will consider the period from the summer of 2001 to the end of July 2009, embracing the run-up to the conflict in Iraq, the military action and its aftermath.
  14. LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 24: Anti-war demonstrators dressed up as bloodied former Prime Minister Tony Blair (L), US President George Bush and Prime Minister Gordon Brown (R) stand outside the Iraq Inquiry on November 24, 2009 in London. Chairman of the Iraq Inquiry Sir John Chilcot will lead a committee of Privy Counsellors who will consider the period from the summer of 2001 to the end of July 2009, embracing the run-up to the conflict in Iraq, the military action and its aftermath.
  15. Frances Townsend, former Assistant to US President George W. Bush for Homeland Security and Counter Terrorism testifies before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, full committee hearing on 'The Fort Hood Attack: A Preliminary Assessment' on November 19, 2009 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. The panel was investigating 'whether the federal agencies and employees involved missed signals or failed to connect the dots in a way that enabled Major Nidal Hasan to carry out his deadly plan.' Hasan has been charged in the deadly shooting spree in the Fort Hood army base which left 13 dead and 42 wounded on November 5.
  16. Frances Townsend, former Assistant to US President George W. Bush for Homeland Security and Counter Terrorism, and US Army General John Keane, former Vice Chief of Staff, testify before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, full committee hearing on 'The Fort Hood Attack: A Preliminary Assessment' on November 19, 2009 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. The panel was investigating 'whether the federal agencies and employees involved missed signals or failed to connect the dots in a way that enabled Major Nidal Hasan to carry out his deadly plan.' Hasan has been charged in the deadly shooting spree in the Fort Hood army base which left 13 dead and 42 wounded on November 5.

Recent Photos From The Wire

  1. Wolfsburg's Christian Gentner, left, and Andrea Barzagli, center, challenge for the ball against Bremen's Mesut Oezil, right, during the German first division Bundesliga soccer match between Werder Bremen and VfL Wolfsburg in Bremen, Germany, Saturday, Nov. 28, 2009.
  2. Bremen's Hugo Almeida, center, and teammates Mesut Oezil, left, and Per Mertesacker, right, react after Almeida scored his side's first goal during the German first division Bundesliga soccer match between Werder Bremen and VfL Wolfsburg in Bremen, Germany, Saturday, Nov. 28, 2009.
  3. Nuremberg's Havard Nordtveit, left, and Freiburg's Mohamadou Idrissou, right, challenge for the ball during the German first division Bundesliga soccer match between 1. FC Nuremberg and SC Freiburg in the stadium in Nuremberg, southern Germany, on Saturday, Nov. 28, 2009. ** Eds note: German spelling of Nuremberg is Nuernberg ** NO MOBILE USE UNTIL 2 HOURS AFTER THE MATCH, WEBSITE USERS ARE OBLIGED TO COMPLY WITH DFL-RESTRICTIONS, SEE INSTRUCTIONS FOR DETAILS.
  4. Russia's Nikolay Davydenko returns to Switzerland"s Roger Federer during their ATP World Tour Finals semifinal tennis match at the O2 Arena in London, Saturday Nov. 28, 2009.
  5. Nuremberg's Havard Nordtveit, left, and Freiburg's Mohamadou Idrissou, right, challenge for the ball during the German first division Bundesliga soccer match between 1. FC Nuremberg and SC Freiburg in the stadium in Nuremberg, southern Germany, on Saturday, Nov. 28, 2009. ** Eds note: German spelling of Nuremberg is Nuernberg ** NO MOBILE USE UNTIL 2 HOURS AFTER THE MATCH, WEBSITE USERS ARE OBLIGED TO COMPLY WITH DFL-RESTRICTIONS, SEE INSTRUCTIONS FOR DETAILS.
  6. Nuremberg's Christian Eigler, right, and Freiburg's Cedrick Makiadi, left, challenge for the ball during the German first division Bundesliga soccer match between 1. FC Nuremberg and SC Freiburg in the stadium in Nuremberg, southern Germany, on Saturday, Nov. 28, 2009. ** Eds note: German spelling of Nuremberg is Nuernberg ** NO MOBILE USE UNTIL 2 HOURS AFTER THE MATCH, WEBSITE USERS ARE OBLIGED TO COMPLY WITH DFL-RESTRICTIONS, SEE INSTRUCTIONS FOR DETAILS.
  7. Anti-capitalism demonstrators participate in a protest against the World Trade Organisation in Geneva November 28, 2009. The 153-member World Trade Organisation (WTO) is holding its seventh ministerial conference in its Geneva base from November 30 to December 2.
  8. A man stands on a bridge next to a graffiti reading "coup monger" in Tegucigalpa November 28, 2009. Honduras chooses a new president on Sunday but neither ousted President Manuel Zelaya nor arch-rival Roberto Micheletti, the country's de facto leader, are running in the election, which could give a new president the chance to take Honduras beyond the political gridlock that has divided the Central American nation and cut off international aid.
  9. Anti-capitalism demonstrators participate in a protest against the World Trade Organisation in Geneva November 28, 2009. The 153-member World Trade Organisation (WTO) is holding its seventh ministerial conference in its Geneva base from November 30 to December 2.
  10. BREMEN, GERMANY - NOVEMBER 28: Goalkeeper Tim Wiese of Bremen reacts during the Bundesliga match between Werder Bremen and VfL Wolfsburg at the Weser stadium on November 28, 2009 in Bremen, Germany.
  11. MONACO - NOVEMBER 28: Rachel Legrain-Trapani attends the closing press conference for the 9th Monte-Carlo Film Festival de la Comedie at Grimaldi Forum on November 28, 2009 in Monte-Carlo, Monaco.
  12. OBERAMMERGAU, GERMANY - NOVEMBER 28: Christian Stueckl, artistic director of the passion play in Oberammergau, is pictured during the announcement of the scenery for the Passion Play 2010 on November 28, 2009 in Oberammergau, Germany. Traditionally, inhabitants of Oberammergau perform every ten years since 1634 the Passion Play, depicting the life and death of Jesus.
  13. MONACO - NOVEMBER 28: Alessandra Mastronardi attends the closing press conference for the 9th Monte-Carlo Film Festival de la Comedie at Grimaldi Forum on November 28, 2009 in Monaco.
  14. OBERAMMERGAU, GERMANY - NOVEMBER 28: Christian Stueckl, artistic director of the passion play in Oberammergau, is pictured during the announcement of the scenery for the Passion Play 2010 on November 28, 2009 in Oberammergau, Germany. Traditionally, inhabitants of Oberammergau perform every ten years since 1634 the Passion Play, depicting the life and death of Jesus.
  15. Anti-capitalism demonstrators participate in a protest against the World Trade Organisation in Geneva November 28, 2009. The 153-member World Trade Organisation (WTO) is holding its seventh ministerial conference in its Geneva base from November 30 to December 2.
  16. KUUSAMO, FINLAND - NOVEMBER 28: Magda Genuin of Italy leads a group in the Women's Sprint quarter final Cross Country Skiing during day one of the FIS World Cup on November 28, 2009 in Kuusamo, Finland.