Joe Lieberman

I have remained a strong supporter of missile defense throughout my tenure in the U.S. Senate.

I am also troubled by the lack of any plans for realistic operational testing in the near-term.

I was a co-sponsor of the Missile Defense Act of 1999 and last year I supported funding for the initial 20 interceptors.

Why is the MDA not focusing its resources on operational testing before you buy more interceptors?

I am concerned by the MDA's pronounced lack of recent testing since we have now gone 15 full months without an IFT.

Senator Levin correctly says that we have a longstanding principle here, we fly before we buy.

Would you have the same judgment about the 20 additional interceptors we are being asked to fund this year?

Is it fair to say that you are stating here that the Pentagon and the administration went through a process of balancing all the other systems that come out of your office, and that we are investing a justified $10 billion for the system?

I know we share that goal. Of course the worry would be--and I am sure you will not do this--that the transfer could occur prematurely, so just while the Iraqis were beginning to assume sovereignty that vulnerabilities or even, at worst…

We are not on a timetable. We are on a timetable to do the mission right.

There is nothing in Iraq that belongs to the United States of America, and we have to have this courage to look at the Iraqis when we think they are ready and say: This is now your street to patrol, this is now your city to control; and…

I do think, Mr. Chairman, under the leadership of yourself and Senator Levin, that this committee has a uniquely important role to continue to focus Congress.

I certainly feel a sense of pride about what we did together and a confidence that the result was to make the American people and the world safer than they would otherwise be.

Those are not unimportant questions. They are quite important, but they cannot be allowed, even in this election year, to take us off the target, and the target is to successfully complete the mission in Iraq.

It is of enormous importance now in the wider war against terrorism because of the forces that are engaged there.

It is important that we move from this period of perceived occupation to one of partnership.

I believe it is absolutely essential if we are going to be successful in Iraq.

General Schoomaker, Admiral Clark, General Hagee, and General Jumper, in response to the many lessons learned from the military's difficulties in post-war Iraq, I understand that the Pentagon has begun an investigation into the creation of…

It is inexcusable that these brave men and women are not adequately supported by their leadership.

What you would like to submit in writing is what your top unfunded requirement would be.

That is an important point and I accept it. There may be terrorist groups that have come in from outside, but the point is that from the point of view of your forces terrorism is terrorism.

As you advise the Secretary and equip and staff General Abizaid, I take it that you have no doubt that part of the element we are fighting in Iraq is terrorists.

I have no doubt, thanks to the skill and bravery of your forces, that America and the world are safer as a result.

The budget before us represents a peacetime budget. It fails to include funding to pay for the incremental costs of operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

It is essential that there be an inquiry into massive intelligence failures relative to the presence of WMD in Iraq.