I worry that the strategy that we are about to pursue in this country relieves pressure on the Iraqis to do what must be done.

I have been quite gratified to hear all the positive references to Bosnia in this hearing.

What I, speaking for myself, am attempting to do is to send a very clear message to the Iraqi government.

It is terribly unfair what you are being asked to do and what our military is being asked to do...

This hearing is on whether or not this officer has the professional credentials to fulfill this assignment requested by the President of the United States.

But we did so in response to the President's comments to the Nation on the 10th of this month, and I read from his transcript:

You are being asked to square the circle, to find a military solution to a political crisis.

I think we have arrived at a point where in fact we do need to help them a bit more in providing security.

You were a young officer following our defeat in the Vietnam War. Would you contemplate the effects of defeat in Iraq as compared with an additional, very difficult strain on our men and women in the military who are having to serve more…

I wish General Petraeus the very best.

Victory is achieved when the populace consents to the government's legitimacy and stops actively and passively supporting the insurgency.

I do believe at this point that our presence can help and is needed.

Will all five brigades be massed simultaneously or is there some other plan to have all five brigades move more slowly into Baghdad?

Are you confident that they will be?

Do you understand the command and control relationships between the American and Iraqi forces in this new plan? I am very concerned about unity of command.

You are fairly familiar with the Iraqi leadership. You have known these individuals. Based on your experience with them, how effective do you think threats of withdrawal of U.S. troops are in achieving real progress in Iraq?

Yet your numbers, by any estimate or formula that you use, you are receiving are either inadequate or bare minimum. Does that concern you?

Based on your knowledge of the Army and its state of readiness, how long do you believe the increased troop levels and tempo of operations can be sustained?