"Afghanistan stands at a crossroads, and that the progress achieved over the previous 6 years was threatened by resurgent Taliban violence."
"President Bush indicated that as troop levels in Iraq decreased, many of those forces would be redeployed to Afghanistan."
"a stable shipbuilding industrial base and predictable levels of funding are critical to achieving shipbuilding cost projections."
"The situation in Iraq is improving, but as all of the commanders and our ambassador constantly repeat, it remains fragile and potentially reversible."
"NATO is, first and foremost, a military alliance committed to the security of its members."
"If confirmed, will you have the resources you need in order to counter these adversarial efforts to shift from sea to shore lines of communications?"
"the Commission on the National Guard and Reserves criticized DOD for not having made civil support a primary mission of the Department."
"one of the most effective ways to ensure that our Nation is prepared to manage catastrophic incidents is to conduct in-depth planning for those incidents before they occur."
"Her tireless efforts on behalf of the citizens of Maine and all Americans have made myself and my family and all of us who are part of that great State very proud."
"I want to associate myself with the concerns that all of us have expressed about the stress of repeated deployments."
"Aegis cruisers and destroyers provide a critical element to that capability from the sea."
"I do hope that you will share with this committee, assuming your confirmation, what you believe the true needs are for our Army."
"We forgot that lesson of history that only the nations with powerful navies are able to exert power and influence, and when a navy disappears so does that nation's power."
"I am certain that we need a surge in the Afghan army and I am certain that we need a civilian surge."
"If we're going to have that alternative to Taliban rule, isn't our task made much more difficult by the widespread corruption and the shadow over the legitimacy of the recent presidential election?"
"I believe we must reset DOD's multi-sector acquisition workforce with the right size and skill mix required to successfully provide proper oversight and management of contracts."
"I strongly believe that energy security is an important part of national security."
"Mr. Johnson, President-elect Obama has indicated his desire to close the detention facility at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay."
