"there is, essentially, a benefits package to work out how to, in fact, recruit and to retain more Afghans for those security forces."
"Thank you very much, sir."
"it is a lot cheaper to maintain a certain number of Afghan forces than it is to maintain the number of United States and coalition forces required to compensate for their absence."
"It's been very unclear, and it's been like a sine wave."
"the underresourcing of our engagement in Afghanistan over the last 4 or 5 years has brought us to where we are today."
"Do you at least acknowledge that investing over $100 billion in just one country, in 1 year alone, risks degrading our long-term ability to relentlessly pursue al-Qaeda around the globe?"
"I believe we'll be challenged to have the civilian and governance capacity in place quickly enough to translate their sacrifice into lasting gains."
"I think it's still pretty unclear to me what we're doing."
"We believe that a strong, stable, democratic Pakistan must be a key partner for the United States, an ally against violent extremism."
"We were nation-building in Afghanistan."
"I do not support the decision to prolong and expand a risky and unsustainable strategy in the region."
"I am somewhat less concerned about the 'perception' of victory and more focused on actually defeating al-Qaeda for real."
"Our roadmap must have a destination, a path toward a day when the Afghan Government will be able to take basic responsibility for its own people and its own future."
"Congress and the American people now must evaluate whether this course has a reasonable chance to succeed..."
"The Senate voted unanimously to go to war in Afghanistan. It should humble all of us that today there are simply no easy options."
"The President is correct to set a target. It will help create a sense of urgency and for the Afghans who chafe at foreign boots on their soil, it sends a message that, while America will remain commit..."
"I realize civilians will stay after that point in time."
"There are many who philosophically believe that the market works and the market ought to be allowed to work."
