What can we do to get them to do what is in their own best interests here, what needs to be done?

If he had first choice, he would be doing things differently there.

I think the Vice President said the other day you cannot run a war by committee.

They are probably sophisticated enough to take all this in and accept it for whatever it is worth.

Look, we do not want your brave soldiers dying here, either; I want you to leave Baghdad.

the American people are willing to be constant and strong in support of a policy they believe is likely to work

Many of us feel that it is our responsibility now to step up and to provide better direction to this whole thing.

Does a hearing like this, with the diversity of opinion that has been expressed here, undermine the morale of our troops?

I think the best thing we can do to support the morale of our troops and defeat our adversaries is to have a policy that maximizes our chances for success.

Otherwise I am afraid the Iraqis will not take us seriously and the American people will conclude without consequences this really is more of the same.

There is that history we bring to this.

I would encourage you to have--and I'm sure you will--a particularly realistic view of the Iraqi political leadership.

This is a legitimate concern for them. They feel that northern Iraq is being used as a safe haven for terror groups to launch attacks on them.

I would encourage you to focus on whatever leverage we have.

I appreciate your candor in that regard.

That's important. You're above other Services' average on retention now?

I think we're progressing. Congress has now required the President to come back up here by July 15 and give us a current assessment, not wait until September.

I personally have the highest regard for those two individuals and the committee that put together that report. I had a small hand in creating the situation which gave rise to that report. I thought the report was very constructive.