Gates says future Army will fight a different war


WEST POINT, N.Y. (AP) — Defense Secretary Robert Gates says the Army must train and structure itself for future conflicts that are more varied and complex than the wars of the past.

Gates says threats and challenges for the future Army include terrorists seeking weapons of mass destruction, rogue states like North Korea and Iran and more modern militaries in Russia and China.

Gates was speaking to cadets at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, his fourth — and likely last address there as defense chief, since he is expected to step down later this year.

The defense chief says the cadets are joining a force that is resilient, but also stressed and tired after 10 years at war.