Gates Gets Grumpy in Tokyo

United States Secretary of Defense Robert Gates has to be more mindful of his body language. It says a lot about his state of mind. This is something that can be developed by playing poker, among other things, and given the very high stakes game that is unfolding in Asia, perhaps a round of cards might be just what Gates needs.

Two photos of Gates this month - one taken in Tokyo and a later one taken in Seoul - convey two different messages entirely. The photo of Gates meeting with Japanese Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa in Tokyo shows an unhappy, even irate, Gates. There is no mistaking his body language. His latest trip to Japan was no doubt frustrating, or perhaps worse, a waste of his time.