Robert M. Gates

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Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates speaks at the American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research in Washington on Tuesday, May 24, 2011. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

** FILE ** U.S. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates (left), U.S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia James Smith (center) and U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Robert G. Catalanotti walk across an airport tarmac in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Wednesday, April 6, 2011. (AP Photo/Chip Somodevilla, Pool)

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Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates (left) and Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, speak to the press at the Pentagon outside Washington on Wednesday, May 18, 2011. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

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ASSOCIATED PRESS A prototype of a Marine Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle is tested in August 2010 off the coast of Oceanside, Calif. In January, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates canceled development of the EFV for cost reasons. But some House lawmakers are seeking a re-evalaution of the program.

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ASSOCIATED PRESS President Obama met with Cabinet members including Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates. The administration will release a photo of the body of Osama bin Laden, CIA Director Leon E. Panetta indicated.

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Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates walks on the tarmac after meeting with Kurdish Regional Government President Massoud Barzani on April 8 at the airport in Irbil, Iraq. Mr. Gates recently told lawmakers that a special funding measure contains $159 billion that is “not related to war," according to Arizona Republican Rep. Jeff Flake, who is looking for budget “pork” to cut. (Associated Press)

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Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates talks with troops from the Army's 25th Infantry Division from Hawaii and answers their questions during a visit at Camp Victory on Thursday in Baghdad. Mr. Gates is meeting with military and civilian leaders during what he described as possibly his last trip to Iraq as defense secretary. (Associated Press)

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Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates (center) talks with his press secretary, Geoff Morrell, on the airport apron before departing from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Wednesday, April 6, 2011. Mr. Gates earlier met with King Abdullah. (AP Photo/Chip Somodevilla, Pool)

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U.S. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates (left) talks with the Saudi Arabian assistant minister of defense and aviation, Prince Khalid bin Sultan, during a ceremony after Mr. Gates' arrival in Riyad, Saudi Arabia, on Wednesday, April 6, 2011. Mr. Gates arrived in the Saudi capital Wednesday for talks with King Abdullah on coping with the political upheaval sweeping the Arab world. (AP Photo/Chip Somodevilla, Pool)

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'I'M NO EXPERT': Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates on Thursday tells lawmakers on Capitol Hill of the $550 million price tag for the conflict in Libya. (Associated Press)

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Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates discuss the Middle East turmoil on NBC's "Meet the Press" on Sunday. Mr. Gates said he doesn't think Libya itself is "a vital interest," but it is part of a region that is of vital interest to the U.S. (Associated Press)

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Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton discuss the latest developments in the Middle East during a pre-taped interview that aired on Sunday, March 27, 2011, on CBS' "Face the Nation." Mr. Gates said he doesn't think that Libya is "a vital interest" for the United States but that the North African nation is part of a region that is of vital American interest. (AP Photo/CBS, Chris Usher)

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U.S. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates (left), shown with Israel Defense Minister Ehud Barak in Tel Aviv on Thursday, said the rocket attacks against Israel were "repugnant." (Associated Press)

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U.S. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates (left) meets with Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, head of the Egyptian Armed Forces Supreme Council, in Cairo on Thursday, March 24, 2011. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak, Pool)

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U.S. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates (second from right) meets with Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov (left) at the Defense Ministry guest house in Moscow on Tuesday, March 22, 2011. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak, Pool)

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U.S. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates (center) and his wife, Becky (left), are greeted by Russian officials upon their arrival in St. Petersburg on Monday, March 21, 2011. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak, Pool)

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Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates spoke to U.S. troops at Bagram air field in Afghanistan. Mr. Gates said U.S. and Afghan governments agree that the American military should remain involved after the planned 2014 end of combat operations. (Associated Press)

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STAYING?: Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates (left) and Afghan President Hamid Karzai discussed a pullout date for U.S. troops on Monday. Mr. Gates said some forces could stay after the 2014 pullout goal. (Associated Press)

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U.S. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates (left) and Afghan President Hamid Karzai arrive for a joint press conference at the Presidential Palace in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Monday, March 7, 2011. Mr. Gates visited Afghanistan to meet with U.S. troops, allied commanders and Afghan leaders to gauge war progress as the Obama administration moves toward crucial decisions on reducing troop levels. (AP Photo/Mandel Ngan, Pool)