Gates should point out that in the 5 years since 9/11 we have not lost as many troops as we did civilians in that series of attacks on the homeland.
All this while taking the fight to them.
Opps sorry it would require someone with balls to bring that up.
It would also be incorrect. We have lost more than 3100 troops in the GWoT. And the number of wounded is approaching 23,000.