In your view, does establishing an executive agent impact the legal responsibilities and authorities of the various Services, specifically in relation to acquisition management?

General Cartwright, is the plan to draw down troops in Europe outdated, given the ongoing war in Iraq and other world developments?

The Department is on track in its planning for rebasing, even considering restationing 70,000 troops and their families from Europe and Korea to the United States.

Mr. Duehring, if confirmed, how would you lead the Air Force civilian service to even higher levels of training and performance?

The United States and Pakistan have a shared interest in building stable and sustainable democracy.

It is expected that in the coming weeks Kosovo will declare its independence and that declaration will be supported by the United States and the European Union (EU).

Your nominations come at a critical time in our country's history. The United States faces a myriad of strategic, diplomatic, and military challenges.

I've always believed that we all want our troops to come home, as soon as possible, but the difference between us are those who want to do so on a timetable--without regard to conditions and consequences.

I am a strong proponent of defense acquisition reform.

DOD has explored options to mitigate the UHF availability gap until full fielding of MUOS.

We ought not leave Iraq without the ability to sustain and defend itself, not just because of what it would mean to our allies, but what it would mean to us, in terms of a failed State in Iraq.

I forego it, on behalf of Senator McCain and myself. I believe we're anxious to proceed to questions.

I worry about a mandated timetable. I worry about mandating to any commander on the ground. Because it severely constrains an operational, or a tactical, commander.

Withdrawing before there is a stable and legitimate Iraqi authority would turn Iraq into a failed state and a terrorist sanctuary.

I believe these risks are manageable, and that various measures--the provision of advisors and tracking of weapons--can be adopted to ensure compliance.

The rebasing initiatives are on track. The scope of restationing 70,000 troops and their families from Europe and Korea, Joint Basing, growing the force, and the redeployment of troops from Iraq and Afghanistan is momentous.

MUOS will provide a 10-fold increase in capacity over UHF follow-on, providing UHF mobile communications for our tactical users.

If confirmed, they will be installed during one of the most challenging times in our Nation's national security history.