It obviously shouldn't take a tragic event like this one to ignite unprecedented cooperation between DOS and DOD.

You also insist that better intelligence would have given the agency a heads-up and enhanced its ability to provide better support to Benghazi.

did General Ham make any request for assets or support that were denied by you or anyone in the DOD chain of command?

I think it's important for the administration to continue to be open and upfront about what happened in Benghazi.

I wanted to ask Dr. Jesse whether the VA has a plan to reevaluate the existing guidelines and policies...

I think all of us deeply respect Senator Hagel's service to his country in Vietnam and his service in this body.

I want to follow up on Senator King's question about the Navy, because the Navy is obviously very important to us in New Hampshire as well.

The Senate Armed Services Committee has been a strong proponent of U.S.-Israeli cooperation on missile defense.

I was encouraged that we were able to change this policy during last year's NDAA, and I look forward to its full implementation.

I think he will be an excellent Secretary of Defense. I hope that we will confirm him.

The Iraq withdrawal experience taught us two things: to begin planning earlier and to consider all possibilities.

The safety and security of our deployed forces remains our foremost priority.

If confirmed, what do you intend to do to ensure that AFRICOM has the appropriate intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capability?

Poland has consistently supported U.S. foreign policy, contributing troops to operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Poland takes seriously its commitment to NATO and has also agreed to host the second U.S. missile defense interceptor site in the 2018 timeframe.

I believe Georgia still has reforms to undertake before it should be considered a NATO member; however, it is important that we offer a clear path forward for them.

It is critical that we maintain a focus on this important region so as not to lose the gains we've fought so hard for over the last decade and a half.

It is very important.