Gates takes over as Defense secretary

Robert Gates was sworn in Monday as the 22nd secretary of Defense, succeeding Donald Rumsfeld at a time when the Bush administration is seeking to address a deteriorating situation in Iraq.

"He is an experienced and thoughtful leader," President Bush said of Gates at a swearing-in ceremony at the Pentagon. "He's got a track record of steering large organizations through change and transformation. I know Bob Gates will be an outstanding secretary of the Defense."

Gates said he valued the "professionalism and experience" of Defense Department personnel. "It is an honor to have the opportunity to work with the people in this department -- dedicated professionals whose overriding priority is the defense of our nation," he said.

"Long ago I learned something about leading large organizations," Gates added. "Leaders come and go, but the professionals endure long after the appointees are gone. The key to successful leadership in my view is to involve in the decision-making process early and often those who ultimately must carry out the decisions."

Gates said he plans to travel to Iraq soon to meet with military leaders. "I look forward to hearing their honest assessments of the situation on the ground and to having the benefit of their advice -- unvarnished and from the shoulder," he said.

Gates was nominated by President Bush in early November and confirmed by the Senate Dec. 6 on a 95-2 vote.

The former CIA director comes to the Pentagon after spending four years as president of Texas A&M University. He spent part of September in Iraq as a member of a group assessing the situation there and U.S. options in the region.

Gates rose through the ranks of the CIA to become director of the agency from 1991 to 1993 under President George H.W. Bush. He also served on the National Security Council under Henry Kissinger in the mid-1970s. He was a player and an observer during some of the most formative experiences shaping U.S. policy during the Cold War, many of which he detailed in his book From the Shadows: The Ultimate Insider's Story of Five Presidents and How They Won the Cold War (Simon & Schuster, 1996).

It is uncertain whether Gates will shake up the senior staff at the Pentagon. The Associated Press reported that he has asked Deputy Secretary Gordon England to stay on in his job, but other top officials have already announced they will leave, including top intelligence official Stephen Cambone.

President Bush has said he will wait until January to issue a revised strategy for Iraq, in order to give Gates time to weigh in.

Katherine McIntire Peters contributed to this report.