Right, and I think that the thing that we often miss in this debate, because it's become like the Battle of the Psalm, politically, in terms of the way people have dug in up here on trying to resolve this issue, but there are instabilities…

There were opportunities that this administration had that were arguably overlooked that could have affected Iran's conduct in a different way.

The risk is always there, Senator.

the issue of regional instability, what you've alluded to a number of times in your testimony, is the key.

strategic dispersion of the fleet may have made sense during the Cold War, but there is no sound national-security reason for doing so today

A lot of people who wanted to move us into Iraq were openly saying that we should be on the ground in Iraq for the next 50 years.

I personally cannot see any element of a strategy of a commitment that's been going on for more than 4 years that can justify doing this to the soldiers and the Army.

I would submit that somebody needs to go in to the big boss and close the door and talk about what this is doing to the United States military.

Do you agree that immediate, full accountability is essential for money already appropriated and spent?

But as a guiding principle, I think we should all agree that there should be no political input in the promotion process other than through the forms of fitness reports.

There was a poll last year during the campaign that showed more than 70 percent of the troops in Iraq believe we should be out within a year.

Right, but that would be a doable articulation of where we want to end up?

The removal of combat troops from the streets of Iraq?

The issue of the attitudes of people who are serving is in my view not wholly appropriate to the political debate.

I think we up here and the senior military are the fiduciaries of the goodwill and the service of those people.

there is not a military solution, there is a political solution.

I just think that is something that should be said for the record.

My belief is that in terms of our national strategy with Iraq the successful end point would be a time when there are no longer United States combat forces on the streets of Iraq.