I think some of these citizens of Iraq will turn on a dime and 1 day they're your friend and the next day they're your enemy.

So, I hope you give us your assurances you'll do the best you can to strengthen that program.

There are limits to human endurance.

I'm hopeful that the Senate will confirm you.

In no way do I suggest anything but the highest regard for the General, but this Admiral is the top boss in that region.

It's in the President's budget for $94.5 million, construction of a SEAL team operation facility.

If you see and learn from the various Cabinet officers that there's a deficiency in the law, I would hope that you would ask the President to promptly send to Congress such legislative requirements as may be needed to make certain all…

I wish you well.

I would hope that you'd feel free--and, really, I ask that you come back before the committee, at least inform the staff, in about 90 days--do you have enough resources to operate that office as you see appropriate?

I hope that these management burdens--you'll handle it, but, at the same time, keep your skills up, and a little hands-on medicine, I think, is good for the heart and the soul, and to show the troops that you still know how to do it.

We have a magnificent, I think, Secretary of Defense now, in Bob Gates.

But his role will not be diminished?

But in the light of the lack of progress with this surge in the minds of many Members of Congress and the American public, and other deficiencies that the chairman and myself pointed out that we see as far as the execution of our policy…

Mr. Chairman, I suggest that we allow our two colleagues from the Senate and our distinguished good colleague from the House of Representatives, Representative Everett--he is the ranking member on the Strategic Subcommittee of the House…

I will never forget, on September 11, Chairman Levin and I went over to the Pentagon.

I don't want to see the American GIs tasked as the principal persons that have to go in and clean up this situation.

I believe your response to our colleague from Connecticut's question clarified it for my purposes, that there is no diminution;

I do hope that you continue to provide strong support for these concepts.