Gates Treads Lightly On Gays In Military

Defense Secretary Robert Gates is urging caution about potential changes to the U.S. military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy governing the openness of gay troops.

Speaking at the Army War College, Gates stressed he is not yet taking a position about whether gay troops should be open about their sexuality. That could lead to their discharge under current policy dating to the Clinton administration.

President Barack Obama committed during the 2008 presidential campaign to moving to end the policy. But Gates notes that it took five years for the U.S. armed forces to integrate during the Truman administration.

Gates is touring war colleges this week, selling his plan to reorder the Pentagon budget. He wants to cancel some big programs and scale back others.