I have not seen or heard anything from Richmond or anywhere else that there was any misunderstanding.

It's clearly the most vital thing we have left to do in Iraq, is defining the nature of how all these components fit together.

I hope we can count on having this Wartime Contracting Commission make another visit soon into Iraq and come out with an idea on the contracting side of how this is going to look like.

I will work hand in hand as a partner with the embassy to ensure that we don't just hand off tasks.

I still have a great number of concerns about the stability of the political environment in that country.

There are no circumstances--none--in which we should put our people unreasonably at risk, where they cannot take actions in order to protect themselves.

If you look at General Mattis's biographical statement, I count, I think, at least 12 different levels of command in his career, which is really an extraordinary career.

The diplomatic aspects have to be ones that find common cause with those nations of like-minded principles.

I very strongly endorse what our State Department is doing, pursuing the two-state solution with both sides.

There is probably no problem in that region that can be addressed by a single country, or working just with a single country.

Turkey has been an ally of ours since the Korean war, when they fought alongside us during that difficult period.

Delays of a year or longer have been reported.

The Marine Corps has always paid a heavy price, in every war, from World War I, particularly, forward.

It takes 200 years to develop a tradition, and 2 days to destroy one.

I think it's important, if I may, to quote from what Senator Lieberman just said when he said this study should inform the decision that Congress makes in voting.

I want to thank Senator Webb for the step that he's now taken to allow our nominations to proceed.

I think the President has chosen well. Someone with your unique background and qualifications, and I think you are going to be a great TSA Administrator.

The statistics that we had at that time were that African Americans were about 13 percent of the age group, about 12 percent of the people in the military, and about 12 percent of the casualties.