You will work with your commanders to get the violence down.

A loss of this situation will implode that region into such strife.

I do hope that you've had an opportunity to look through this.

On the one hand, the increase of our troop levels, in the short term, is going to put additional strain on the Army and the Marine Corps force structure; in the mid-term, particularly, it is going to place a hardship on the rotational…

Clearly, this is not going to be something that we would like to continue for an extended period of time.

If these benchmarks are not received by the end of today, Senator McCain and I will be consulting on what will be the next step to obtain these benchmarks.

it seems to me that, again, from my glancing visit through that country last month, there is a lack of confidence among the other sects--other than the Shia--within this country, of the desire of the government to actually address issues…

I think that we could know fairly soon whether we are going to have an Iraqi government that is truly committed to this overall process.

This war has been mishandled. No one doubts that mistakes have been made in Iraq.

Mr. President, look at all options by which you may not need that full complement, and, Mr. President, look carefully at the rules of engagement, such that we minimize the injection of the U.S. GI right into the crossfire of sectarian…

I believe, Admiral, that it will be difficult, in the short-term, to determine the progress of the military side of this equation.

I think every member of this committee--and I know every one of them well, on that side of the aisle, on this side of the aisle, having had the privilege of occupying that chair for some 6 years--we are not a division here today of…

If you can help us measure how we are moving toward victory, if you can give us objective criteria...

I hope that you will take our suggestions in the spirit of not trying to embolden the enemy, but to conscientiously point out where we can take actions to save lives, and particularly those of our American GIs.

Are we at that number, that 1 to 50 ratio? Are we there? Will we be there with the surge?

the consequences of failure really I believe will be, some would say could be, disastrous for the United States, for Iraq, for the Middle East, for the war on terrorism, and for the world economy.

I see nothing coming from this administration that it is willing to pursue such a policy now.

I very sincerely but wholeheartedly disagree with those who are trying to once again up the rhetoric about our position in Iraq.