So you were actually prepared to launch, if need be, and had confidence that, even though we were early in the process, had a missile threatened the United States, it could have been knocked down?

I believe we do have a realistic chance of success in Iraq.

I think Congress needs to do a better job of monitoring how we do it.

It's obvious, from our perspective, they're all losing, the whole country and the region is losing, and it's sad, beyond belief.

It is going to take more of his personal time than he would like.

I do not think there is anyone more experienced on the ground than you.

Iraq has turned out to be more complex and difficult and more violent.

I want you to say that you will break some china if need be to get this thing moving.

I think you share it, that we want to keep the pressure on the Iraqis to step up their capability so it is their country and their nation that they are defending.

a lot of the problems are, that we talk about, such as Senator Levin emphasizes the political solution is not primarily the military's responsibility.

That's not your primary responsibility, that's the State Department's primary responsibility.

I am concerned, General Casey, about our prison and law enforcement system there.

I couldn't agree more. I say to General Cartwright, I think we do need to think about those soldiers out there.

We've created this situation in which the military, in my way of thinking, is the one entity that works in Iraq.

It is our soldiers there, our policy that we need to execute.

I believe the military has done a really fine job in Iraq.

It will establish operational control of the border. Now, most people think we ought to have that now, but we haven't. We do not have operational control of the border.

But we have got to think about drafting a comprehensive bill. Let's draft one that is comprehensive, that deals with the problems that you just raised.

So what could we do to draft a comprehensive bill that would allow people with the family and historical connection to have a better chance, some better chance than this to enter the United States?

low-skilled workers tend to draw more from the economy than they put in.

If there is a shortage of low-skilled labor in America, doesn't the economic reality indicate their wages will go up?

But they are asking sincerely, consistently for over 30 years that we create a lawful system of immigration.

I would just say one thing, Mr. Chairman. In Mr. Johnson's testimony, whom we will hear in a little bit, I was noting his testimony is very, very strong in favor of less skilled workers in immigration.

I think the concerns that the American people rightly have and I have is many of these complex questions are not amenable to being settled in a secret conference.

Well, we have got to get beyond just that problem. We are going to treat those people that came illegally somehow in a compassionate way.