The United States has not yet brought to bear all the elements of statecraft to deal effectively with this issue.

I think both of those points--very important to hear from you--that is, for Members of Congress and the American people to understand, that it's winnable, but it's not going to be easy; it's probably going to get worse before it gets…

It is in the U.S. interest to engage Iran on Afghanistan security issues including narcotics.

I think we need to finish that this summer.

We should not take any options off the table and that engagement has an important role to play in our efforts to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

if we just send trainers and don't send more combat troops... then I believe the Afghan people... are going to decide we're essentially on our way out.

We are concerned that the growing strength of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) over Iranian politics will result in the militarization of Iranian foreign policy.

I support President Obama's view that after careful preparation, the United States should be willing to pursue direct diplomacy with Iran.

It's an important national debate that has to happen here in Congress and hopefully throughout the country.

I support the President's budget. I believe that those helicopters are, in fact, critical.

It's your statement, here, that you intend to work with Ambassador Eikenberry on a joint civil-military plan for Afghanistan.

I wish this committee the best on that particular provision in the conference committee with my House colleagues.

I really appreciate that answer, and I am sure that everybody in the Army and their families particularly will appreciate it.

I will enthusiastically support the President's renomination of you for a second term.

I think we're very fortunate in him and his wonderful family that's with him, and that he's agreed to come back to Washington to serve our Nation.

Thanks to both of you. You are really extraordinarily well-qualified for the positions that the President has nominated you for.

Yes, and I am aware that Congress enacted section 1057 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009 (P.L. 110-417) affirming this position.

To now-President Obama's credit as far as I'm concerned, he's followed through on those statements.

When confronted with internal unrest, a tactic is to look external to a common foe that can be portrayed.

I want to focus in on Afghanistan, for most of my questions, and say that, in nominating Admiral Stavridis and General McChrystal to the positions you're going to, it seems to me that the President has put in place here what I would call…

I understand that the Afghan police target has now been raised, but that the level--I particularly focus on the army--remains inadequate in terms of what I think most people believe the needs are going to be in Afghanistan for Afghan…

Are you staying or are you going?

Sending more trainers and more combat troops gives us a much higher probability of regaining the initiative in this critical battle.

Afghanistan was the central front of the war on terrorism, a war of necessity we could not muddle through.

I have been contemplating introducing an amendment on the floor when our bill comes up next week to include 2010 as a year in which that increase of 30,000 from 547,000 to 577,000 can begin.