I am concerned that you are being put in a very awkward situation right now.

I think that it is important that a director have a background as you have.

DOD is spending billions to rebuild the helicopter fleets of Iraq and Afghanistan, by using Russian helicopters.

Progress has been made but it is fragile and reversible.

DOD recently sent a report to Congress on the Chinese military, warning that: '... China's military has benefited from robust investment in modern hardware and technology.'

The deadlines of July 2011, summer of 2012, and December 2014 continue to have a devastating effect on operations.

Dr. Carter, as a proportion of total combat deaths, infantry has increased from 71 percent in World War II to 81 percent in wars fought since.

The United States wants a normal, productive relationship with Iraq going forward--a partnership like we have with other countries in the region and around the world.

I disagreed with the decision to terminate the Future Combat Systems (FCS) because our Army is in desperate need of modernization.

I believe leaving 3,000-4,000 U.S. forces in Iraq increases the risk to those forces and jeopardizes the successes achieved.

Dr. Carter, is 2,443 the validated number of F-35s required by our Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps?

Their elimination from U.S. stockpiles would put the lives of its soldiers and those of its coalition partners at risk.

despite well-founded attempts to improve our Federal Acquisition Rules (FARs) they remain complicated and outdated, leading to increased procurement times and costs.

What rationale drove the drawdown at the height of the fighting season?

Given Iraq's importance and strategic location, it is profoundly in the U.S. national interest that Iraq emerge as a strategic partner to the United States; sovereign, stable and self-reliant; and a positive force for moderation and…

This strategy of not replacing units as they rotate out of Afghanistan is disruptive and increases risk.

These cuts affect each unit's ability to accomplish their mission.

Why don't you give me some detail for the record, concentrating on the figure that was used in 2001, the developments in Russia and China, and then that reduced figure today, just for the record.