MANAMA, Bahrain, Dec. 13 (UPI) -- U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates says potential U.S. foes would be mistaken to "test" the country's new president for signs of weakness.
Gates, who has been retained by President-elect Barack Obama is his Pentagon leadership post, told a security conference in Bahrain that Obama will be able to defend U.S. interests "from the moment he takes office on January 20th," the BBC reported.