As he flew back to Washington from a week-long trip to Afghanistan and the Middle East, Gates said he was “disappointed” by the Senate’s defeat of a measure that would have enabled gays and lesbians to serve openly in uniform. He said he hoped Congress would change its mind before it adjourns in the coming days.

“If they are unable to do that,” he told reporters traveling with him, “my greatest worry will be that then we’re at the mercy of the courts and all of the lack of predictability that that entails.”…

Despite concerns that the courts could intervene suddenly, Gates said the military would not begin those preparations or education programs until the law is changed, one way or another.

“I think it would be a serious mistake to start training and preparing before the law is changed because it will just confuse the troops–what is the law, and what’s not the law?” he said.