An official website of the United States Government 
Here's how you know

Official websites use .gov

A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS

A lock ( lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Photos

Snapshots of what’s happening in the Defense Department.

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and Afghan President Hamid Karzai conduct a joint press conference at the presidential palace in Kabul, Dec. 8, 2009. Gates is visiting the country for the first time since U.S. President Barack Obama decided to send an additional 30,000 troops to Afghanistan.

PRESS CONFERENCE

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and Afghan President Hamid Karzai conduct a joint press conference at the presidential palace in Kabul, Dec. 8, 2009. Gates is visiting the country for the first time since U.S. President Barack Obama decided to send an additional 30,000 troops to Afghanistan.

Photo Gallery