Bill Nelson actually said...

"The President is not doing this because it is politically expedient; he's doing it because he believes it's in the national security interests of the United States."

"the strategy you've settled on maximizes the chances of success, maximizes the chances that we will be able to ultimately leave Afghanistan, not temporarily, but permanently, while securing the nation..."

"We will not repeat the mistakes of 1989, when we abandoned the country only to see it descend into civil war and then into Taliban hands."

"However, while AP3 has shown some small successes, it is important to remember local security initiatives that work in some regions are not necessarily transferable to all parts of the country."