NR: "These troops are professionals, and they're going to fight the fight that they have."


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Domestic coverage of the Gates visit spanning several hours: 7pm, 8pm, and 11pm Baghdad time. In the first, Michael gives some details of the logistics of the trip, while in the second we see a brief clip of Gates addressing troops at Balad airbase. The third clip is a recorded recap.


BETTY NGUYEN: Defense Secretary Robert Gates says he doubts the number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan will exceed the number in Iraq. He did speak about the war in Afghanistan today while making an unannounced visit to Iraq. Let's go live now to CNN's Michael Ware in Baghdad.

What a surprise there for the troops.

MICHAEL WARE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Betty, the Secretary of Defense said his trip had been weeks in the planning.

However, obviously security meant that that was kept a close-guarded secret. He said that this was meant to be his farewell tour as Secretary of Defense but that was until President-elect Obama asked him to continue as Secretary of Defense.

Now, Secretary Gates mentioned how crucial the phase right now was in the war in Iraq. As he explained why he re-uped to continue serving under the new administration as the boss of the defense forces.

When he was talking about this, he also said that the mission in Iraq was not yet over, that America's enemies remained resilient and that it was vital to end the game here in Iraq. The secretary also said whilst troop numbers in Iraq will come down, he was heartened by the fact that President-elect Obama had already indicated that he'll be listening to his commanders on the ground in the war here as to the timing of that withdrawal.

So an unexpected visit by all of us from the Secretary of Defense as he sits down today at Balad Air Base just north of the capital of Baghdad, talking with his top commanders here on the ground -- Betty.

NGUYEN: All right, we do appreciate it. Michael Ware joining us live from Baghdad on that unexpected trip.

Thank you, Michael.



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ALINA CHO: Welcome back. Defense Secretary Robert Gates is in Baghdad at this hour. It was a surprise visit and that critical visit comes as the U.S. prepares for a transfer of power and a withdrawal of troops. That trip comes amid a recent spike in violence, too. CNN's Michael Ware is in the Iraqi capital with more for us.

As many people know, Michael, Secretary Gates plans to stay on for at least another year. Commanders on the ground clearly need to know what the Obama administration has planned and especially how to get those troops out safely by 2011. I imagine this is a briefing as much as it is anything else.

MICHAEL WARE, CNN NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Well, I would imagine so. This will be a concerted back-and-forth from the commanders in the field to their civilian boss, the secretary, Robert Gates.

Now, when he landed on the ground here at Balad Airbase, just north of the capital, Baghdad, where I'm standing now, Secretary Gates said that the mission was not yet over, and though U.S. troops would start to draw down next year, he said he was nonetheless heartened by president-elect Obama's comments that he would listen to the field commanders to gauge how quickly to pull them home.

Now, he said all of this while he was explaining not just the crucial phase, he says, is now confronting America in Iraq, but elsewhere in the region, as he was telling why he chose to stay on as Secretary of Defense.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERT GATES, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: There are a lot of reasons to accept President-elect Obama's request to stay on as Secretary of Defense. Among others, the crucial next phase we're entering here in Iraq, the plus-up of forces in Afghanistan, the tough choices in a tough economy that the Pentagon is going to need to make regarding the budget and priorities, and a wounded warrior care system that still needs more work, but I will tell you that no reason was more compelling to me than the fact that hundreds of thousands of young Americans are doing their duty.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WARE: And he told the troops around him at Balad Airbase that that duty will continue. He said the mission was not over, as I said, for America's enemies were resilient, he reminded the soldiers, and that the war must continue, even though the mission will change its focus, it has got some way to go -- Alina.

CHO: Michael, I'm just curious, because it has been so widely reported that the Obama administration, of course, keeping in mind that they'll listen to field commanders, want to safely withdraw the troops from Iraq by 2011. How has that affected morale on the ground there?

WARE: Well, these troops are professionals, and they're going to fight the fight that they have. They're going to continue their patrols, they're going to continue supporting the Iraqi security forces. I mean, I have to be honest, no one's thrilled to be here, not among the 140,000 troops. As Secretary Gates said, it's been a long, hard fight. A lot of these guys and girls are coming back now for their second and third, some of them fourth and fifth tours of Iraq. So somehow, morale remains stoic and they're going to get the job done, but they all want to go home. The question is when?

President-elect Obama is looking for 16 months. The deal that Washington's now stuck to signed by the Bush administration says 36 months. Now, where we're going to meet in the middle or not is going to depend on the new administration and what the commanders like General Ray Odierno are telling the new White House -- Alina.

CHO: I know you'll be watching it all for us. Michael Ware, our man on the ground in Baghdad, Michael, thank you.



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ALINA CHO: Welcome back. Defense Secretary Robert Gates paying a visit to Iraq today, assuring troops that their mission remains important during the transition of power in Washington. CNN's Michael Ware has more from Baghdad.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAEL WARE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates touched down in Iraq Saturday afternoon local time for discussions with his top commanders in the field here in the war. The secretary said that whilst U.S. troop numbers will start to go down in Iraq, he was nonetheless heartened by President-elect Obama's comments recently that the president-elect will be listening to the commanders as to the precise timing of that drawdown.

The secretary referred to the crucial phase of the war that America was now in in Iraq as he spoke about why he chosen to stay on with the new Obama administration.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERT GATES, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: There are a lot of reasons to accept President-elect Obama's request to stay on as Secretary of Defense. Among others, the crucial next phase we're entering here in Iraq, the plus-up of forces in Afghanistan, the tough choices in a tough economy that the Pentagon is going to need to make regarding the budget and priorities, and a wounded warrior care system that still needs more work, but I will tell you that no reason was more compelling to me than the fact that hundreds of thousands of young Americans are doing their duty.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WARE: But that duty was to continue, Secretary Gates told the troops around him, as America's enemies in Iraq remain resilient and there was much yet to be done.

Michael Ware, Baghdad.