Gates is hardly a dove, I guess he has his reasons....
Gates could turn in his resignation papers over this depending how it turns out. You can only put up with so much B.O.>B.S. “defense” policy before you can't take it any longer. He will stay as long as he can make a difference, when he feels like he is talking to the brick wall too often, he may feel like a sinking ship is not one he wants to appear a captain on.