I remember, early in the Bush administration, he talked about leaping-ahead technology.

I appreciated your enthusiastic, I would say, responses to the whole management of DOD because that's one of your big responsibilities.

A poor plan violently executed today is better than a good plan tomorrow.

Thank you, General. We appreciate your willingness to take on this difficult and important task.

I think it's going to enhance his ability to be effective.

It is hard and it is slow, and there are good days and bad days, good months and bad months.

I think the American people are uneasy. They are troubled.

You used that word 'reconciliation.' You used it when we were introduced to the city council that had been established in Mosul of Kurds, Christians, Shias, and Sunnis, as I recall.

Do you think it's a valid concern that we might do better if we delayed starting some of those projects?

I do not want to send a single person there that is not necessary.

I just want to tell you, I am not happy with that.

I guess what I'm saying is I think somebody needs to look at this and say, adding just a few more DOJ personnel and adding another 10,000 bed spaces may not be close to enough.

I think that is a big problem for us.

I have an understanding that, many times, in building highways, politicians are asked to build 10 highways when they only have enough money for 5.

I don't believe any military has ever been better equipped, better supplied than this one has.

I agree. I think for a lot of people, they may not have realized just how much good work has been done for quite a number of years that would bring us to the point of being able to knock down an incoming missile.

I think you've said that our defenses for missile defense capabilities should keep pace with the threat.

You do agree that since such a large percentage of the population is there and it is the capital, that Baghdad must be secured?

Would you agree that it is an important thing for American people and this Congress to understand that there are principles of defeating an insurgency, and that sometimes it takes time?

I think that's important. I think we need some person of your stature, of your experience, to personally get involved in these matters.

if you conclude that we need 2 to 3 times the number of prison bed spaces as I believe we do in the immediate future, and probably 5 to 10 times in the long term, will you push the bureaucracy to get moving on it?

there was a danger in overcommitting American troops in what could be perceived as an occupation mode and not a supportive role, a temporary action.

Prime Minister Maliki is elected. He is a politician like we are.

I would encourage you to do so and I also think, perhaps, that General Lute's appointment maybe could assist you.

I hope that you will utilize the leadership opportunity you have to insist that you get the support from the various agencies.