![U.S. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, center-right, walks with Afghanistan Defense Minister Abdul Rahim Wardak U.S. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, center-right, walks with Afghanistan Defense Minister Abdul Rahim Wardak](https://media.defense.gov/2010/Dec/09/2001161697/-1/-1/0/821580-L-UEB76-924.jpg)
U.S. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, center-right, walks with Afghanistan Defense Minister Abdul Rahim Wardak
![File:Defense.gov News Photo 101209-F-6655M-001 - Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates receives an honors welcome as he walks with Afghan Defense Minister Abdul Rahim Wardak at the Ministry of.jpg - Wikimedia Commons File:Defense.gov News Photo 101209-F-6655M-001 - Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates receives an honors welcome as he walks with Afghan Defense Minister Abdul Rahim Wardak at the Ministry of.jpg - Wikimedia Commons](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d3/Defense.gov_News_Photo_101209-F-6655M-001_-_Secretary_of_Defense_Robert_M._Gates_receives_an_honors_welcome_as_he_walks_with_Afghan_Defense_Minister_Abdul_Rahim_Wardak_at_the_Ministry_of.jpg)
File:Defense.gov News Photo 101209-F-6655M-001 - Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates receives an honors welcome as he walks with Afghan Defense Minister Abdul Rahim Wardak at the Ministry of.jpg - Wikimedia Commons
![U.S. Secretary of Defence Robert Gates (L) and Afghan Defence Minister Abdul Rahim Wardak inspect the honor guards in Kabul December 8, 2009. REUTERS/ Omar Sobhani (AFGHANISTAN POLITICS Stock Photo - Alamy U.S. Secretary of Defence Robert Gates (L) and Afghan Defence Minister Abdul Rahim Wardak inspect the honor guards in Kabul December 8, 2009. REUTERS/ Omar Sobhani (AFGHANISTAN POLITICS Stock Photo - Alamy](https://c8.alamy.com/comp/2E71P22/us-secretary-of-defence-robert-gates-l-and-afghan-defence-minister-abdul-rahim-wardak-inspect-the-honor-guards-in-kabul-december-8-2009-reuters-omar-sobhani-afghanistan-politics-2E71P22.jpg)
U.S. Secretary of Defence Robert Gates (L) and Afghan Defence Minister Abdul Rahim Wardak inspect the honor guards in Kabul December 8, 2009. REUTERS/ Omar Sobhani (AFGHANISTAN POLITICS Stock Photo - Alamy
![U.S. Defence Secretary Robert Gates (2nd L) and Afghan Defence Minister Abdul Rahim Wardak (R) walk together before a meeting with Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai at the Presidential palace in Kabul, June U.S. Defence Secretary Robert Gates (2nd L) and Afghan Defence Minister Abdul Rahim Wardak (R) walk together before a meeting with Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai at the Presidential palace in Kabul, June](https://l450v.alamy.com/450v/2e7r7ph/us-defence-secretary-robert-gates-2nd-l-and-afghan-defence-minister-abdul-rahim-wardak-r-walk-together-before-a-meeting-with-afghanistans-president-hamid-karzai-at-the-presidential-palace-in-kabul-june-4-2007-reutersshah-maraipool-afghanistan-2e7r7ph.jpg)
U.S. Defence Secretary Robert Gates (2nd L) and Afghan Defence Minister Abdul Rahim Wardak (R) walk together before a meeting with Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai at the Presidential palace in Kabul, June
![U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates (L) is awarded the Wazir Akbar Khan, the highest award the Afghan Government can bestow, by Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai at the Presidential Palace in Kabul U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates (L) is awarded the Wazir Akbar Khan, the highest award the Afghan Government can bestow, by Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai at the Presidential Palace in Kabul](https://c8.alamy.com/compfr/2cykh1w/u-s-secretary-of-defense-robert-gates-l-is-awarded-the-wazir-akbar-khan-the-highest-award-the-afghan-government-can-bestow-by-afghanistans-president-hamid-karzai-at-the-presidential-palace-in-kabul-june-4-2011-gates-arrived-on-his-final-trip-to-afghanistan-as-pentagon-chief-on-saturday-acknowledging-americans-have-grown-tired-of-war-but-warning-that-success-was-imperative-because-failure-would-be-the-most-costly-result-watching-on-is-afghan-defence-minister-abdul-rahim-wardak-c-reuters-jason-reed-afghanistan-tags-military-politics-images-of-the-day-2cykh1w.jpg)
U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates (L) is awarded the Wazir Akbar Khan, the highest award the Afghan Government can bestow, by Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai at the Presidential Palace in Kabul
![U.S Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates walks with Afghani Defense Minister Wardak at the presidential palace U.S Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates walks with Afghani Defense Minister Wardak at the presidential palace](https://media.defense.gov/2008/Sep/18/2001150529/-1/-1/0/860530-B-XMR50-990.jpg)
U.S Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates walks with Afghani Defense Minister Wardak at the presidential palace
![U.S. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates walks with Afghani Defense Minister Wardak at the presidential palace U.S. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates walks with Afghani Defense Minister Wardak at the presidential palace](https://media.defense.gov/2008/Sep/18/2001150526/-1/-1/0/596125-O-MWB18-221.jpg)
U.S. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates walks with Afghani Defense Minister Wardak at the presidential palace
![U.S. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates shakes hands with Afghan Defense Minister Abdul Rahim Wardak outside U.S. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates shakes hands with Afghan Defense Minister Abdul Rahim Wardak outside](https://media.defense.gov/2011/Jun/04/2001164959/-1/-1/0/634536-Q-YAF02-246.jpg)