Robert Gates actually said...

Frankly, I need help from Congress. DOD needs help from Congress.

I acknowledge that I am preoccupied with avoiding mission creep and avoiding having an open-ended, very large-scale American commitment.

I think that the future of Egypt is absolutely critical to our interests in the region.

I think he has demonstrated, in the past few weeks, that he would take advantage of such a cease-fire, simply to round up more civilians.