Robert Gates actually said...

Our hope is that the President's speech last night, and his decisions, will help change the political dynamic among some of our allies.

we need to think in terms of a very long-term willingness to work with the Afghans.

We are not an occupation force. Afghans must take primary responsibility for defending their own country.

We will not repeat the mistake--and we must not repeat the mistake--of 1989 and turn our backs on these folks.